UTUTU POWER STRUGGLE IN AROCHUKWU L.G.A ABIA STATE
It was to be an annual celebration of Identity, love brotherhood and cultural heritage of Ndi-Ntutu.
Prominent sons and daughters of Ututu resident in Lagos and Ecowas region gather at the prestigious FAMS EMBASSY HOTELS, Badagry Lagos on that faithful day to reaffirm their Ututunes and adopt an agenda that will see them liberated from the obnoxious segregation, but it turned out to be a political rally of jibes at the political leadership of Arochukwu Local council since creation in 1976 and collectively, endorsed a common political aspiration to produce the next local council Chairman for Arochukwu L.G.A of Abia state.
Prince Kalu Okpo set the tone of discourse for the day and sent the crowd on a wild jubilation when he declared wherever “NDI-UTUTU” are, there I am. Proclamation. Dr Kalu Nchege picked up thr gauntlet there, he said Ututu Chairman 2016 is no more secret, in the nooks and crannies of Arochukwu L/G.A.
Let us tell our friends in the other clans of Arochukwu, Ihechwowa, Isu and Abam that ututu chairman is 2016 is no more a clandestine Issue, but an open matter because it is our turn to oversea the affairs of Arochukwu L.G.A.
History shows that since the creation of Arochukwu L.G.A. wayback 1976, it is only Ututu that has never been elected into the office of the chairman Nchege asserted.
That Ndi Ututu remained an integral part of Arochukwu L.G.A and would not be intimidated into taking back seat or relegated to the background.
The president general of UTUTU Development Association Mr. Elvis Osu would not be left out of the train of agitation for Arochukwu L.G.A. chairman of ututu extraction. He said no Arochukwu L.G.A. man or woman and hardly any other right thinking member of L.G.A would dispute the legitimacy of guest for a chairman of Ututu extraction, viewed in terms of the size of Ututu population in the L.G.A , the contribution to the political, economics, education and social development of Arochukwu local Government Area of Abia state, south east Nigeria.
While the likes of Dr. Alvan Ikoku spearheaded the political train, people like Prof. I.K. Onoh, Dr, Obinna, pro. Okore, Rev. (Sr.) Dr, Mary Joseph Okpo were into capacity building that saw many scholars through to Imo, Abia Universities and there were all bright brains in the society. They have been rekindle passion by Ndi-Ututu to have one of their own as the next elected Council chairman for Arochukwu L.G.A of Abia State.
Expectedly, the passion has caught up with political leaders from other clans of the L.G.A and more than ever, the issue of Ututu chairman has been pushed to the front burner of the L.G.A political discourse.
According to “Ogbuagu 1 of Eleoha Ututu, chief Obinna Nwankwo, the matter of an Ututu man as the next chairman has moved from the realm of probability to the realm of strong possibility, not minding the candidate and party affiliation.
ON WHY UTUTU WANTS TO BE THE NEXT CHAIRMAN
Ndi-Ututu have made clear their intention to rule this time around, not just to rule, but to produce the next local Government Chairman, a post that have eluded them since the inception of democracy in Nigeria for close to two decades.
ON WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE CHAIRMAN
If you look around the field today, and I want you to involve every other clan that make up the L.G.A in the pack, I submit with every humility that Ndi-Ututu is more qualify. I’m not boasting, everybody has a stake in the L.G.A take the stake of all these other clans contesting the chairmanship position and you would see that Ututu is ahead of all those eyeing the seat because they have never occupied that seat before as elected, and more than ever, ututu is qualified in terms of looks and determination. That is why all stake holders come in “ Who do they want to be their Chairman? A man who have been there two or more times, a clan that has occupied the seat before through election or those that yet to be elected for once a chairman of the council, A man likable or an unlikable man. As a patriot from the great Arochukwu L.G.A, Alphabetically the first in Abia, I want to believe that development and democracy have been triggered by three major phenomena. Hard work, thrift and the reward of merit. These three virtues of democracy and development are in the Ututu persons “Incarnated” though not exclusively because such merit, such as hard work, such as thrift can also be seen in other clans of L.G.A Ututu wants to have the chance that others have had to bring these criteria into work for democracy and development throughout the L.G.A.
Ututu is everywhere, Isu, Abam, Ilechiowa and Arochukwu. Go to any of these communities you will find Ndi-Ututu. They did not go ther to fight them. They went to live with them in peace and harmony to work, to be paid and to be in peace, chairman of Ututu extraction is most qualified for now, and they are asking for that opportunity right now, because it is their turn,
Prince Kalu Okpo
(PMW)