By Our correspondent
There are indications that more traditional rulers in Anambra State may lose their stools following indiscriminate conferment of chieftaincy titles on undeserving and controversial persons.
According to a reliable source, a certain monarch who conferred chieftaincy titles on no fewer that 72 persons in a day in a community( name withheld) in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state is a marked man.
It was gathered that monarch is already having problem with some of the high chiefs in his domain for giving the Odenigbo1 title to a new person without recourse that a prominent philanthropist in the community had been conferred with the same title many years back.
” Besides, the chieftaincy title of his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo who is neighbour , is Odenigbo
“Again, the monarch in question is a strong supporter of Ifeanyi Ubah. So the state government is not taking his actions lightly,” the source stated.
The RAZOR NEWSPAPER also gathered that in a community in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state which the state government had declared had no monarch because of pending court case, one man who purports as the monarch of the community went ahead in defiance to government pronouncement to confer 40 persons with chieftaincy titles.He is a marked man.
In Idemili area, a monarch is already in trouble for similar infractions. The RAZOR NEWSPAPER gathered that the monarch had even apologized for his demeanour, while sending emissaries to Soludo for forgiveness .
Again a certain old monarch, who was allegedly deceived by one of his subjects to confer a controversial chieftaincy title on a gubernatorial aspirant is also in trouble.
Generally, about 8 communities in the state, the RAZOR NEWSPAPER gathered may lose their traditional stools in similar-fact circumstances.
Reacting to the development, the National Coordinator of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chinedu Obigwe, said the sanitization of the traditional institutions by the Soludo government was commendable.
Obigwe said,*The suspension of Neni traditional ruler for the bastardisation of Chieftaincy title conferment is a good step in the right direction.*
“The era of anything goes is gone for good in Anambra because Governor Soludo is determined to change the old ways of doing things.
“Our traditional rulers should stop bastardising Chieftaincy titles conferment and they should start following the provisions of traditional rulers code of conduct before bestowing Chieftaincy titles on anybody.
“The reckless conferment of Chieftaincy titles must be condemned by lovers of igbo’s tradition.
Ifeanyi Ubah is moving round Anambra State buying Chieftaincy titles and this is a desecration of the sacred igbo’s tradition. After being bestowed with undeserved Ikemba Chieftaincy title in Ojoto, Ifeanyi Ubah moved from Ojoto to Neni and the Neni traditional ruler ignored the recent press release issued by the Ministry of local government and Chieftaincy matters warning traditional rulers to desist from reckless conferment of Chieftaincy title on individuals.
“He bestowed another undeserved Chieftaincy title on Ifeanyi Ubah and he did not deem it necessary to follow the provisions of the traditional rulers code of conduct before doing that.
“The Neni traditional ruler is the architect of his misfortune and should carry his cross. Information at my disposal is that the Chieftaincy title he bestowed on ifeanyi Ubah was bought with 5million naira.
“The disciplinary action taken against the traditional ruler of Neni will go a long in putting a stop to the sale of traditional titles to undeserving individuals in Anambra. I commend the Governor for beaming his searchlight on our traditional institution because it will help in restoring their lost respect.
“Those politicising the disciplinary action taken against the traditional ruler of Neni are mischievous elements that should be ignored.”
The Anambra State Government had wielded the big stick against traditional ruler of Neni community, Anaocha council area of the state, Igwe Damian Ezeani for allegedly breaching code of conduct for traditional rulers in the state.
The suspension of the traditional ruler few hours after conferring chieftaincy title on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, representing Anambra South senatorial district did not go down well with the state government.
A statement signed by Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs, the suspended traditional ruler of Neni breached the law of the State.
The commissioner in the suspension letter disclosed that it has been observed that a minority of traditional rulers had engaged in the practices of trading chieftaincy titles for monetary gains, an act that has brought embarrassment and disrepute to the esteemed traditional institution
Nwabunwanne said,”This regulation aims to prevent the misuse of such titles and to ensure the dignity of the traditional institutions is maintained”
“We have received confirmed reports that you, as traditional ruler of Neni, conferred such a phantom Chieftaincy title today (Sunday) on one Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in violation of the Code of Conduct and without clearance from the Ministry. Whether or not your action was for pecuniary reasons as being insinuated in many quarters is irrelevant. What is important is that your action is an affront to order and good governance”
Nwabunwanne further said that the Code of Conduct for Traditional Rulers in Anambra which he said was issued by the traditional rulers themselves provides that no traditional ruler can confer Chieftaincy title on anyone from outside his his community without obtaining the permission of the traditional ruler of the recipient’s community.
“Furthermore, in the interest of security, order and good governance of the State, the State Government has equally in addition to the Code of Conduct issued a directive through this Ministry to the effect that no such chieftaincy title should be conferred by a traditional ruler on a recipient outside his town/community without obtaining clearance from the Ministry”
“You are also by this letter, required to show cause why your Certificate of Recognition should not be withdrawn in line with the Traditional Rulers’ Law. In the meantime, you are advised in your own interest, to stop parading yourself forthwith, as the traditional ruler of Neni community”
He alleged that vast majority of traditional rulers in the state conduct their exalted offices with dignity and integrity and stick to the Code of Conduct and directives of the Ministry, while a tiny few still act recklessly and in total disregard for the Code of Conduct of their office and directives of the supervising Ministry.
