By Praise Chinecherem
Traditional ruler of Umunya in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Kris Onyekwuluje is dead.
Onyekwuluje who died on Tuesday at age of 61, had reportedly suffered from cancer related illness.
Confirming the monarch’s death, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Tonycollins Nwabunwanne described his death as a huge loss.
He sympathized with the people of Umunya over the incident, praying for his soul to find eternal rest in the Almighty.
He noted that the royal father would be dearly missed.
Also speaking, President general of the community, Chief Innocent Nwabueze (Oyi of Oyi), described the death as unfortunate and sad.
He said: “We have to face the reality of life, it’s one of those things. Our monarch has traveled and when he’s coming back we don’t really know, but it’s a very sad situation to us.”
Another source, who preferred anonymity, said: “Though he did most things wrongly in our community, but his death is not a social media thing. Umunya has a procedure of announcing the death of its traditional ruler.”
Onyekwuluje was conspicuous during the administration of the late former Governor of Anambra state, Chinwoke Mbadinuju.
He was quoted to have boasted that he would rule the community for up to 120 years, a statement that infuriated some of the elders.
The death of Igwe Onyekwuluje, popularly known as Eze-Nya I, it was gathered, came few days to the proposed Town Union election of his community.
According to sources, the monarch’s demise had led to shift of the poll date by the community, as a mark of honour to him.
Onyekwuluje, crowned in 1998, had escaped assassination in 2015 after men of the Special Anti-Robbery squad (SARS) foiled an attempted murder on him by ten men, but later arrested by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command.
The monarch, however, died barely 8 years after the incident and 25 years after his coronation.
