The last is yet to be heard of the turmoil that the recent suspension of a traditional ruler by the Anambra State Government has thrown up, as the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, ASTRC on Tuesday, officially responded to the Anambra State government over the imbroglio.
The State Government had earlier this year, suspended the traditional ruler of the Neni Community, Igwe Damian Ezeani, for allegedly violating the Code of Conduct of the ASTRC in the conferrment of chieftaincy on the APC Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, Dr Ifeanyi Ubah.
Following the suspension, the Neni monarch as well as two others who conferred other titles on the Senator, had written to the State Government to apologize and withdraw the titles.
But in a letter addressed to the State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs, Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne on Tuesday, the Council through its Chairman and Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe regretted that the state government under Governor Chukwuma Soludo has progressively dehumanized and deprecated the traditional institution, as against what obtained with the Federal Government and other State Governments where monarchs are accorded the dignity that their stools deserve.
Igwe Achebe bemoaned the dimension that was taken by the state government in the suspension of Igwe Damian O Ezeani.
He said he suspected that the suspension letter was an afterthought as it was already trending on social media for over 24 hours before their receipt of the letter, regretting that the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs did not communicate it officially before suspending the monarch.
“I was embarrassingly inundated with phone calls and messages from traditional rulers and other persons seeking clarification from me as Chairman of ASTRC, regarding a situation to which I was not privy.
“Your letter to Igwe Damian O Ezeani was copied to the Commissioner of Police, and Director DSS, Anambra state, but not to the chairman of the ASTRC,” he said.
The revered traditional ruler stated that the action of the state government has indeed shown, amongst many other acts, how traditional rulers of Anambra state are being treated and the measure of the worth the traditional institution has with the present state government.
Continuing, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe said it is unfortunate that the state government can apply this code of conduct without the involvement or reference to ASTRC, a body that worked so hard to ensure that the law stands, following the 2013 annual seminar of the council, where it was presented and adopted.
He recalled how he had on the 4th of October 2023 communicated to the governor on the subsisting code of conduct which served the previous administration and the need for its review to have adequate efficacy.
He however stressed that since then, he has not received any feedback from the Commissioner or Mr Governor, and as such he assumed that the same order with the previous administrations would continue to prevail.
Igwe Achebe said it was out of place, for the commissioner to have discussed with him on the 7th of January 2024 the code of conduct for traditional rulers, who conferred honorary chieftaincy titles in violation of the code, as he said that the Commissioner specifically mentioned Igwe Ojoto, who conferred an honorary chieftaincy title on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah on 30th December, 2023 and the self-acclaimed traditional ruler of Nawfia, who also conferred honorary chieftaincy titles on 40 persons on January 4, 2033.
Igwe Achebe said; “In the conversation, you categorically did not mention, in any regard whatsoever, Igwe Neni, who celebrated his ofala on the 29th of December 2023.
“Nevertheless, it is very manifestly presented that no written directives from your ministry on conferment of Chieftaincy titles existed before 08 January 2024, when Igwe Neni was suspended.”
He further stressed that the referenced letter to a second term Right Honorable Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as “one Senator Ifeanyi Ubah” is most disrespectful, offensive, and unbecoming of one holding a political office as a Commissioner of the traditional ruler thundered in his release.
He further stressed that it is unfortunate that the commissioner used such words on the Senator as it is noteworthy that a person can only qualify to contest elections after scaling through the highest level of security checks at the Federal level.
Igwe Achebe concluded that the way the state government has handled the matter of the honorary chieftaincy titles is the apogee of the progressive dehumanization and dismantling of the traditional institution of Anambra by the present administration.
He however informed the state government that the institution comprises the finest sons of Anambra state, who achieved sterling academic heights and professional/vocational attainments before being called to serve the people.
“These worthy sons of the state, at the behest of their communities, took up the role of traditional rulers and as shining examples for selflessly giving back to their communities in particular and the society at large, and as custodians of culture and tradition of their people.
“Their livelihood does not depend on selling chieftaincy titles or the N175,000 monthly stipend from the state government, but on their own hard-earned modest personal resources,” the Obi of Onitsha emphasized.
He further stated that “By their office, age, attainment and standing in society, they deserve far better respect and dignity, than being publicly bullied and unfairly shamed at every opportunity by people in the state government.”
