By Praise Chinecherem
Members of Obinator quarters in Akwaihedi town, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State have petitioned the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs over leadership crisis and alleged imposition of marriage tax by their traditional ruler.
The Obinator quarters during a peaceful protest in the village also petitioned the President General of Akwaihedi Town Union to intervene and save a situation that was about to cause breach of law and order in the community.
The petitions filed by their lawyer, Victor Ezenwa Esq and sent to the Commissioner alleged that the traditional ruler had refused to allow Obinator quarters the opportunity to produce an “Onowu” to replace the one that died who came from Obinator quarters.
He said, “It is on record that the Igwe of Akwaihedi is purposely fighting our clients’ Obinator of Akwaihedi because of their insistence that it is their traditional right in Akwaihedi to produce an Onowu of the town upon the demise of the erstwhile Onowu from their quarters.
“The Igwe has unilaterally made strange and unconstitutional appointments of honorary cabinet members, issued them certificates and placed them higher than regular members representing their respective villages.
“Sir, this action by the Igwe is aimed at nullifying the directive given by you, the Honourable Commissioner in your September 2023 meeting with Akwaihedi stakeholders to the effect that the suit filed at the High Court, Nnewi in connivance with the Igwe of Akwaihedi against the Nnewi South Local Government Council be withdrawn and our clients’ quarters Obinator be enabled to produce an Onowu of Akwaihedi in line with the constitution of the town.
“Sir, it is very disturbing that one year after the above directive by you, the Igwe and the traditional cabinet have refused to carry out this directive of yours.
“They have rather continued to make out ill thought out policies to strangle our clients’ quarters and further impoverish them for demanding for their traditional right under the constitution of Akwaihedi.
“In the light of the above development, our clients’ quarters are by this letter questioning the legal propriety of the Igwe and Akwaihedi traditional cabinet making laws regulating marriages in Akwaihedi and appointing honorary cabinet members and issuing certificates to them to represent their villages who never appointed them.
“This is more so when such is not provided for under Akwaihedi town constitution.”
The complainants through their lawyer alleged that the Igwe personally signed a circular that demanded every female from Akwaihedi whose “Igba-Nkwu” ceremony was to be performed had to pay N200,000.00 to the Akwaihedi traditional cabinet through the traditional ruler.
They alleged that the circular equally states that any woman from Akwaihedi who died but did not pay N200,000 as stipulated in the circular, that the woman would not be buried till the money was paid by either husband or the deceased woman or her children.
The petition said the Igwe of Akwaihedi and his cabinet were not authorized by or allowed in the constitution of Akwaihedi or approved by the Akwaihedi town union to apply the new law.
Members of Obinator quarters insisted that for peace to reign, that the position of Onowu in Akwaihedi must be occupied by somebody from Obinator quarters, adding that anything less than that would be unacceptable to them.
Obinator quarters argued that a new rotation could only take place when a new Igwe comes on board.
They insisted that the current Onowu must come from Obinator quarters where the dead Onowu came from until every other office is rotated.
They said that anything short of their demand would lead to withdrawal of their allegiance from the Igwe.
The community’s PG, Barr Oliver Mbagwu in reaction promised the protesters that he would address the issues raised one by one.
