The Amakor Village in Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State has appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to urgently intervene in the tussle rocking Nanka community over the traditional Prime Minister’s stool.
The Chairman of Amakor Njikoka Development Union, Obinna Ilo, made the appeal at a news briefing in Awka on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the union’s statement was coming against the background of the declaration by the Traditional Ruler, Igwe Godwin Ezeilo, at a ceremony that peace had returned to the entire Nanka community.
Ilo said peace had yet to return to the area, contrary to the monarch’s position, along with President-General of Nanka, Chief Paul Chinedu, that all was well.
He alleged that Amakor Village was denied its right to present the Onowu Nanka (the traditional prime minister of Nanka) in line with the provisions of Nanka Chieftaincy Constitution.
He said: “Instead, the Nanka Progressive Union, together with Ezeilo and others surreptitiously installed Chief Kofi Obijiofor from a younger Umudala Village as Onowu Nanka on August 16, 2019.
“On our part, Amakor Village has done everything humanly possible to prevail on NPU and the traditional ruler to follow the constitution, culture and tradition, but our efforts were ignored.”
He said the village resolved to withdraw its membership of NPU after its position on the matter was ignored.
Illo said the decision of the village would remain sacrosanct until justice prevailed.
He said: “That is also what led to Amakor’s suit No. AG/74/2020 between Mr. Obinna Ilo and four others versus Igwe Godwin Ezeilo and seven others.”
He said the suit was pending before an Anambra State High Court, Aguata Division.
According to the union, the alleged refusal to appoint an indigene of the village as the Onowu is “unjust and sheer act of marginalisation.”
It therefore urged government’s timely intervention in the matter to avert possible violence and complete breakdown of law and order in the area.
The group lauded Obiano’s developmental strides in addition to the maintenance of peace in the state.