By Okechukwu Onuegbu


Embattled traditional ruler of Nwafia in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra state, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo has urged governor Chukwuma Soludo to call his appointee to order as he was allegedly setting his community on fire by supporting another person as monarch.

Nwankwo, who was speaking in an interview, alleged that the governor's deputy chief of staff/director of protocol, Mr. Chinedu Nwoye was supporting one Chief Dan Obele as monarch despite an order of the state High Court presided by Justice Promise Oti which stopped him from parading himself as the traditional ruler of Nwafia.

But Mr. Nwoye, in a phone interview, claimed that the state government has not revoked the certificate of recognition issued to Chief Obele as Traditional ruler of Nwafia.

"I am an officer of the state government, so I am recognising the person the state government gave certificate of recognition. Until the state government withdraws his certificate of recognition, and, issue it to another person, he(Obele) remains the traditional ruler of Nwafia ", Nwoye insisted.

But Igwe Nwankwo insisted that stay of execution has not been obtained against the order of Justice Oti's Court, and, that he has been abiding by the order of the Court.

He reminded Governor Soludo that his father was assassinated by people who conspired against his traditional stool, and, warned that he would not allow himself to be killed in the same circumstance.

Igwe Nwankwo stated that his travail started under the immediate past Governor Willy Obiano administration when he had already reigned as the monarch of Nawfia for more than 20 years When he, along, with about 11 other traditional rulers accompanied the state's multi-billionaire oil mogul, Prince Arthur Eze on a courtesy visit on President Muhammad Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said that the Obiano administration had suspended all of them from their thrones, but, later reinstated about eight of them, but, that he went to the Court to challenge the government action as an infringement on his fundamental right of movement.

Igwe Nwankwo stated that his legal action was against the Anambra state government and the state council of traditional rulers which Chief Obele was not a party.

He, argued that Justice Oti's Court order made on June 22, 2022, which it reinstated on October, 28, 202, ordered that status quo ante be maintained, and, argued that the Court's order referenced the government action against his Igweship on August 11, 2021.

Igwe Nwankwo who reacted to the programme rolled out by Chief Obele to perform "Igu Aro" traditional ritual of the community which he scheduled on January 4, 2023, accused the Soludo's appointee from the community of backing Obelle to perform the ceremony, but, warned that the action besides being a contempt of the Court might spark of anarchy in the community.

Igwe Nwankwo complained "I think there is already anarchy (in Nwafia) my detractor, who is Dan Obelle believes he has somebody in government .

" The court has given a ruling on the 21st of June,2022. And on October 28, 2022, the court reiterated its ruling of 21st June,2022, saying there is no any other from a high court, meaning Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, ordering the court to stay.

"But there has been any somebody in government (who) believes they are bigger than the law and they become lawless.

" I have obeyed all the court orders; I have done everything to be calm but the want to show me superiority.

" Remember this is what led to my father's death: after he was given certificate, they continued to distract him until he died.

" I don't want to go that way and I will not go that way.
" I want government to stand by what they said on 22nd September,2023, that Dan Obelle is not Igwe; he has been removed.

"That government has realized that there is a court order saying status quo remains. They have not obeyed that status quo.

"I want the government of Soludo, because I know that Soludo respects the law. But somebody in government is trying to set Nawfia on fire. It's time government takes action and stops Dan Obelle from celebrating anything like IGU ARO, pursuant to Anambra Traditional Rulers Law 2007, section 15(m). He is one of the protocol officers of the governor.

"Can government approbate and reprobate? The status quo means go back to whoever was Igwe before August 11,2020. The order was very specific and unequivocal.

"There is no doubt that it on 11th August that Obiano suspended 12 of us. What that order means is that I should go back to my seat as Igwe until we finish the case not even Dan's case: Dan's case is done with. Dan wants to be joined in the case, but he cannot be joined at the Appeal. He said he is an interesting party; Dan is not an interesting party: he is a meddlesome interloper", Igwe Nwankwo argued further.