Ogbunka Igweship Tussle Deepens, As Youths Reject Johnmark Anyaoha

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state was shocked that the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy & Community Affairs, Chief Greg Obi will support the selection of a traditional ruler for a community like Ogbunka in Orumba South Local Government Area without the people of the community having a say.

Sources at the Governor’s lodge said Obiano was unhappy with the creation of crisis in different communities due to lack of due diligence by the ministry most times in electing or selecting traditional rulers for communities in the state.

The source told www.odogwublog.com that Obiano vowed not to allow injustice to thrive in Ogbunka by not issuing a certificate to any of the two traditional rulers until a new election that will carry the people along is conducted.

Obiano as well as his wife, Chief Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano it was gathered wondered why Ogbunka would not be allowed to elect their own traditional ruler and present to the government for recognition but rather government agents were used to impose a monarch on the people against the popular demand.

Obiano and wife, it was gathered warned that no certificate should be written for Ogbunka community until the true picture of what is happening there is gathered and the community elects in an option 4 the traditional ruler they wanted.

The source couldn’t understand that someone like Dr Foster could be challenged in Ogbunka when others were surprised he answered the call for leadership in rural Ogbunka, adding that he is a great philanthropist who championed some development in his community and export business for the state among others. The source said Dr Foster is a friend of the government and could not be shabbily treated by Obiano as they alleged.

The source is worried that so many communities are in court and having one problem or the other concerning Town Union and Igweship elections when it’s a situation so simply to be resolved in democracy if our people understands what democracy is all about.

Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy & Community Affairs, Chief Greg Obi wasn’t successful but a staff of the Anambra state ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and community affairs, Mr. Henry Nwasike when contacted denied any involvement of the ministry in the crisis rocking Ogbunka.

According to him, the ministry was only invited to observe the selection of Chief JohnMark Anyaoha which they did, pointing out that the other camp that elected Dr Foster Ihejiofor failed to invite the ministry to observe what they did, but noted that Government will not issue any certificate to any of the two traditional rulers elect in Ogbunka until the issue is amicably resolved.

Spokesperson of the Anambra state Government and Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment, Hon C-Don Adinuba when contacted said he has not been briefed on the development but however informed that he knows Dr Foster Ihejiofor long time ago as a good Anambra state born philanthropist.

Ogbunka youths warn against plans to impose monarch

This is coming as the youths of Ogbunka community raised the alarm over alleged plans by the Anambra state government to impose an unpopular candidate on the community as their traditional ruler. They said the community already did an advertorial in national dailies disclaiming Chief Johnmark Anyaoha. They described him as an imposter.

They warned that any attempt to recognize any candidate other than the person chosen by the entire community will be resisted by the community.

The community was recently rocked in kingship tussle between one philanthropist from the community, Dr. Forster Ezenwa Ihejiofor and a businessman Chief Johnmark Anyaoha.

Dr. Forster, a medical doctor, entrepreneur and a UK based philanthropist was crowned the town’s traditional ruler by the kingmakers, elders and cabinet members of the community while his rivalry, Chief Johnmark Anyaoha was also crowned Chief Mathew Ezeabiakwa who claims he is the traditional Prime minister, surreptitiously in the presence of the representatives of the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy & Community Affairs, Chief Greg Obi, hence the allegation that government is planning to impose a candidate.

Speaking to www.odogwublog.com reporters in his country home, Ogbunka on the development, the youth Leader of Awuka village, Mr. Ezeaghara Chimezie said the youths and elders of the town, on hearing of the crowning of Chief Johnmark as a rival king, went to demonstrate at Awka government House to register their displeasure over government planned imposition of an unpopular candidate on the town.

He noted that Igweship stool of the town is not meant for individuals who have impacted negatively on the youths and community in general, adding that Chief Johnmark is the least to be considered for such exalted position of leadership in the town owing to his antecedents and relationship with the people of the community.

Ezeaghara said: “I even wonder why he wants to be our traditional ruler after all his has done to the youths of this community. Some years back, he promised to sponsor our football tournament with the sum of one million naira and the youths were all excited. After the festive period and the youths gathered at his house to collect the money after the whole tournament, he looked at us on the face and said, “I won’t pay” and up till this day, he did not redeem that pledge for a tournament that brought many of our youths home that year.

“He even started threatening our youths before the purported crowning that heads will roll should he be recognized as the traditional ruler of the town. He once took one of our brothers to Umuchukwu SARS where he stayed for months, if we allow such a man to become the traditional ruler, the whole community will be plunged into chaos and we won’t allow that be.”

Chimezie however said that the choice of Dr. Forster Ihejiofor as the town’s traditional ruler was carefully done, saying that his philanthropy and good relationship with people irrespective of age, education and village endeared him for the position.

“Igwe Forster brought peace and tranquillity to this town. This town was known for the bad things, people die prematurely, many youths don’t progress or even come home for fear of the unknown but for the past seven years, Igwe Forster has purified this land, he sponsors crusade and what he called suya night every year to unite the town and make us see ourselves as brothers and sisters.

“Dr Foster gives scholarship to more than five hundred youths, sponsored many abroad, facilitated employment of many graduates and even built houses for some others. If you have such a person in your town, won’t you support him to do more? He never want to be Igwe but we the youths and others begged him to contest,”  he said.

Another youth leader, Comrade Jonathan Daniels Okenwa however pleaded to governor Willie Obiano to respect the wish and choice of Ogbunka community by recognizing Dr. Forster Ihejiofor as their traditional ruler.

He revealed that Dr. Forster’s rivalry has bad records and unfit to be the town’s monarch.

“His grandfather, Chief Anyaragbu” he said, “was a warrant Chief in this town many years ago. He is known for violence and crime and his father, Late Mr. Patrick Anyaoha was barred from holding any position in this town before his death due to his soar relationship with people.

“That is why we are begging the governor not to allow us enter hell fire while still alive. We can’t afford to go back to Egypt. We want our working governor to intervene. Let him recognise Igwe Dr. Forster Ezenwa Ihejiofor who is the heartbeat of Ogbunka people”

Ogbunka community is one of the agrarian communities in Orumba South Local government area of Anambra state. The bobbling community is also blessed with rich human and material resources including iron ore, granite and clay deposits. The community also has other natural resources and prominently prides itself in agriculture, being one of the food baskets of Anambra state.

Ogbunka which comprised  of five villages; Awuka, Isiokpu, Umunebo, Agbana and Akwaoba had before now engaged in inter-communal war with Owerre-Ezukala, their neighbouring community over land matters, though, the crisis did not in any way retard development as envisaged, given the number of people God blessed from the community.

When contacted, the factional traditional ruler, Chief Johnmark Anyaoha said he wasn’t in the mood to speak to the press but will invite our reporter to his house once he returns from his Lagos trip, even as Dr Forster Ihejiofor referred our reporter to go to Ogbunka and ask the different sets of people in Ogbunka to know the true position as talking would be as if he has something to hide.