Igweship crisis: Ihite community petitions Soludo, CP over attempt to crown illegal monarch

– Action may cause breakdown of law, order, lawyer warns

Ihite Traditional Council in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State has raised the alarm over attempt by the president general of the community, Mr George Madu to crown an alleged illegal monarch for the community.

The council in a petition addressed to governor of the state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and the commissioner of police, CP Ikioye Orutugu said the event if allowed to continue would cause breakdown of law and order in the area.

In the petitions to the duo, which were made available to journalists, the counsel to the traditional council of the community, Barr Ndubuisi Onyeakpa said the coronation ceremony is being planned for April 19, despite the objections of the kingmakers of the community and a pending court matter.

The petitions urged both the governor of Anambra State and the commissioner to intervene to avoid any breech of peace.

Onyeakpa said: “Members of Ihite Traditional Council; Sir Dominic Ahamkaonye, Mr. Ephraim Anudu, Ichie Dennis Ohajekwe and Iche Anthony Okoli were people selected by various villages in Ihite under the leadership of late Igwe B.O. Ofu, Eze Amama I of Ihite as members of Ihite Traditional Council.

“They worked with Igwe B.O. Ofu in settlement causes and matters revolving around tradition, native law and custom of Ihite Town before Igwe B.O. Ofu joined his ancestors in 2020.

“Unfortunately however, after the death of Igwe B.O. Ofu, dispute arose on who will succeed the throne and procedure for the succession. Sequel upon the development the president general of Ihite Mr. George Madu unilaterally went into amendment of Ihite chieftaincy constitution when he discovered that original chieftaincy constitution executed by Igwe B.O. Ofu did not favour his choice candidate, Mr. Okwudiri Ifurunwa.”

Recall that Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had on January 13, issued certificate of return to Mr Timothy Ifurunwa, who was rejected by members of the community.

A claimant to the stool, Chief Ikechukwu Samson Okoli told journalists that Ifurunwa is an illegal monarch, and a making of the president general of the community, George Madu, who he said connived with the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon Tonycollins Nwabunwanne to deceive the governor into issuing him a certificate of recognition.

“Our Igweship stool is rotational, and it rotates around the villages in the community, and after the demise of Igwe B.O Ofu, my village, which is supposed to produce the next monarch, choose me as the next monarch, but the President General unilaterally amended the constitution even without the traditional council, and went ahead to pick Ifurunwa as Igwe, who is from the last village.

“We have dragged them to court, but they jettisoned the court process to pick Ifurunwa as Igwe and even as the matter is still in court, they want to crown him. I want to call on the governor and the CP to stop it to avoid breakdown of peace in the community.”

In his petition to both the governor and the CP on behalf of the traditional council, Barr Ndubuisi Onyeakpa also added his voice, warning of a possible breakdown of law and order if the coronation is allowed to take place

The petition read: “The unilateral amendment of Ihite chieftaincy constitution neutralized the involvement of Ihite Traditional Council in the process of selection, nomination, presentation and crowing of a would be traditional ruler of Ihite and introduction of use of electoral college in the selection of Igwe which is contrary to Ihite chieftaincy constitution.

“In the light of the above development, the members of Ihite Traditional Council felt aggrieved and approached court to nullify the amended.

“Despite the pending of the subject matter in court, George Madu, Okwudiri Ifurunwa, Michael Ugwu, Sunday Nwankwo and Lazarus Eze, had fixed 19 day of April, 2025 for the inauguration of new Traditional Council of Ihite and coronation of Okwudiri Ifurunwa as new Igwe of the town despite motions pending in the High Court to stop the process.

“We call on you to use your good office and the Chief security officer of the state to look into this matter and prevent the suspects from going against the law and respect the process of court rather than taking steps that will cause breach of peace and break down of law and order in Ihite town knowing full well that taking step over a matter that is pending in court amounts to total disrespect to the court and rule of law which a person who is holding himself out as a royal father should not undermine the process of court,” the petition read.