By Uxhe Chukwu, Onitsha.
25 years after the assassination of the traditional ruler of Nawfia in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Francis Nwankwo, the sponsors of perpetrators of the dastardly act are yet to be brought to book.
The late monarch popularly called FFBC Nwankwo and “Africa’s Tallest Man” was cruelly assassinated while watching 9 o’clock in the evening news network alongside his maid. Investigationns revealed that some arrests were made and some persons detained to ascertain their culpability. It was also gathered that a probe panel was instituted but the recommendations are still shrouded in secrecy.
Perturbed, the son of the monarch who succeeded him on the throne 25 years ago, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo bemoaned the legal puzzle, even after suspects had allegedly fingered their sponsors.
According to him, some accused persons who testified before the panel purportedly mentioned the brains behind their dastardly act. 25 years after the assassination of his royal father and his succession, enemies of progress and agents of crisis are causing confusion and deliberate disputations
He said: “My father Igwe FFBC Nwankwo made the biggest sacrifice in this town. There’s no family he didn’t touch . Look at the way the man was mowed down. I wasn’t interested in becoming Igwe. Without my knowledge, they agreed, signed it and brought it to me.I gave the document. That makes it 25 years I was crowned as the Igwe Nawfia “.
Continuing he said: “This thing started in 2020 when I was suspended simply for exercising my constitutional rights pursuant to Section 41 of 1999 Constitution if the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as Fundamental Human Rights Section 36-1…. This incident would have been prevented without anybody going to jail.”
He revealed that Igwe Dan Obelle who allegedly was covertly issued certificate of recognition not signed by Governor Willie Obiano few days to the exit of the administration has no valid appeal against his suit.
“They want to reopen the case of assassination of my father again.which I wouldn’t hesitate to do because a murder case has no status of limitation.This is why there hasn’t been effective leadership because they’ve been chasing me around from one court to another for the 25 years that I’ve been on the throne. I may have to go to Danjuma or Director of DSS for advice to protect myself in order not to perish like my father.
“There’s no godfathers, this is what is causing this problem. The town’s subjects love me as their Igwe. It’s just some few people coming into my business. Sone of them are doing dubious business, sone of them I gave titles shifted from one corner to another – people that are without pedigree or character. Well, their business isn’t what I’m going to explain today. You know when a plane is flying where it’ isn’t supposed to fly, you fire a warning shot. If they keep this up, I’ll open a can of worms that will rattle the world. I want everybody to go.
He said:”Let me give them one shot. “Now, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) was at the panel established by former governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju. Three people came and testified about people that sent sent them. Would they want be to reopen the record? Would they want me to get the transcript of my father’s trial and publish it.
I have done everything in my power for this town to be.at peace, but if they provoke me, I’ll do everything within my legal power.” Osuofia 2 hinted that the Office of the Attorney-general and Commissioner for Justice under the administrations of Peter Obi and his successor Obiano should have known that Obelle wasn’t a party in the Chieftaincy tussle and shouldn’t be a beneficiary of reliefs in the suit instituted by him.
He accused the office of the Attorney-general of being allegedly being behind the injustice and attendant saga in the State, reason the governor Chukwuma Soludo hasn’t been properly briefed on the contentious chieftaincy stool in the community.
“The trouble in Nawfia is caused by the Office of the Attorney-general.I need somebody to challenge me, let me open a can of worms. According to him’: “I’m still still on board, it’s just some disturbances. A court of competent jurisdiction reinstated me in 21st June 2022. It’s just that some people felt they are above the law.
“But now, let me make it clear without equivocation, that I really need to see the governor and tell him certain things. “I have written the governor in terms of the legality of my stool. The person claiming he’s Igwe of Nawfia has no valid or legal appeal, it doesn’t exist.
It’s incumbent on the State Attorney -general to give the governor proper advice. They’re talking with both sides of their mouth. If I show anybody the transcript, it will be a shame and the governor may fire some people. Going further Igwe Nwankwo said: “I’ve done what I needed to do in.law. Sometimes, as a father, you don’t discipline your child every time he does something wrong. I know a lot about Nawfia If I really get mad, I may expose what need to be exposed and the nerves will shake. This nay be my final warning .
Anybody that is coming into my business should be prepared because I’ll go into his business,” he added. Osuofia 2 believed that his predecessor’s spirit isn’t at rest and accounts for the spate of killings. He pointed out that Nri people abhors blood shed and killings, urging that the right thing be done.
“You don’t kill a traditional ruler whether in the world or in the Bible without settling it. That town will never see peace. I called my people to come together, let’s unite and move the town forward, I know what to do.” Igwe Chijioke (Osuofia 2) hinted: “We can’t keep shedding blood. Nri people don’t shed blood. The town of Nawfia isn’t stable…Until the whole town unite and back me, my father’s blood is still crying.”. .
Investigation revealed that the incidental deaths in the community in the period under review are the October 8, 2024 killing of five Indigenes, the reported plucking of eyes of two Indigenes whose bodies were dumped in the community, alleged hacking to death of a pregnant woman with two unborn twin babies was allegedly hacked to death, killing of five persons killed in the Enugwu-ukwu face-off and felling down of another person at Agukwu-Nri and December 7, 2025 brutal murder of four persons in Nawfia by unknown gunmen.
