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Obiano Dragged to Court Over Kingship Tussle in Anambra Community – Urged to deploy security to avert breakdown of law
Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has been dragged before the High Court of Anambra State over the lingering tussle in Nanka community of Orumba North LGA, over who succeeds the community’s late monarch, Igwe Gilbert Oformata.
Barr Odinaka Obiorah, an indigene of the community who filed a matter before the High Court, causing the court to serve the governor a writ of summon stated that his interest is to ensure that the wrong person was not enthroned as the monarch for the community.
Several communities in Anambra State are in turmoil over choice of monarch, with many having already resulted in bloody clashes that have claimed lives.
In Nanka, a group, Nanka Progressives Union(NPU) had early January elected and crowned Chief Godwin Ezeilo as King, but they were challenged by another group, Nanka Peoples Assembly(NPA), which challenged their competence in carrying out the action.
The president General of NPU, Chief Bernard Onyekwelu had stated that those challenging the crowning of a new King after the burial of the last one were trouble makers who were scheming to retain the kingship in their village.
But in reply to this, the NPA President General, Chief Emmanuel Ezeume insisted that the community has no king, and Ezeilo who was crowned by the opposition would not be recognised.
He called on governor Obiano to act fast to avert the breakdown of law and order in his domain as the fight for the kingship could cause serious fracas in the community.
Barr Ken Nwanna of Nwanna & Co., counsel to Obiorah who filed the matter in court said his client’s interest in the matter was to stop Obiano from issuing staff of office to Ezeilo, who has been crowned monarch by NPU, or even recognising him as a monarch in Anambra State.
He said the process for the selection of Ezeilo as king of the community was flawed, moreso as a proper burial rite for the demised former king has not been concluded. He also pointed out the validity of the constitution under which Ezeilo was elected was still being contested.
NPU had in an election contested by three candidates elected Ezeilo on 2ndJanuary, and crowned him on 5th January. Onyekwelu insists that there is no going back on Ezeilo’s kingship as he enjoys the support of the seven villages and 23 wards of the community.
