Anambra community boils over plot to appoint acting Igwe

The sleepy town of Abacha, Idemili North Council of Anambra State is currently boiling, following attempts, allegedly led by the President-General (PG) of the community, Ifeanyi Obata, to appoint the traditional Prime Minister (Onowu) of the community to take over customary and traditional functions in an acting capacity.

The Guardian gathered that Obata who became the PG Abacha Development Union (ADU) alongside his scribe, Alfred Obika, in 2018, had in a letter titled; “Authority for Second in Command to Act as Igwe Abacha” dated October 20, this year, sought to impose the Onowu as the acting monarch.

The said letter, copied to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili North and all branches of ADU, a copy of which was also made available to The Guardian, the Onowu was asked to preside over meetings of the Igwe-in-Council and act as the Igwe of Abacha.

Miffed by the development, a concerned group, Umudidi Development Union (UDU) led by Emeka Onwuka, held an emergency meeting, yesterday, in which the attendees not only dissociated themselves from the dethronement plot, but also passed a vote of confidence on the monarch, Igwe Godwin Mbakwe .

While denouncing the appeal by the group on Authority RadIo FM news, for the state government to give Abacha another Igwe, Onwuka said it was a goose chase at the time “…when the stool is not vacant, besides the matter is still in court.”

He further pointed out: “From the inception of his (Mbakwe’s) Igweship, the unseen shadow group or enemies of the Igwe have spared no effort at having him forcefully changed.”

The Umudisi leader who spoke in company of some community leaders, including Dr. Agbanu, Chiko Eze and John Paul Okoye and the palace Secretary (Barrister Mbakwe) observed that another calculated insult on Umudisi was the recent letter written by the same group asking government to approve that Onowu takes over the cabinet as acting monarch.

He accused Obika-led group of capitalising on he face-off between the monarch and the state government over the Abuja trip to felicitate with President Muhammadu Buhari for giving a facelift to Southeast zone to believably malign, castigate and insist on his deposition.

‘The President-General had acquisced to such antics because he was (allegedly) foisted on Abacha by his cabal and since then, they have continued to use him against the Igwe and the Umudisi.”