Kolanut splits traditional rulers

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Crisis has hit the Anambra East Local Government Traditional Rulers
Council, following the suspension of a member for alleged violation of
kolanut code.

Kolanuts

Chairman of Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Alex
Edozieuno, confirmed that his council recently suspended HRM Igwe
Benneth Emeka, of Umueri Community for violation of code on kolanut
breaking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Igbo communities living in the
five South East states of Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra and part
of Rivers and Delta states highly respect kolanut.

The respect for Kolanuts necessitated performing prayers before breaking them in a gathering.

Edozieuno said at Otuocha, the headquarters of Anambra East
that Emeka’s six months suspension was sequel to his misconduct on
January 29, 2019 during the thank you visit of Gov. Willie Obiano to the
area.

”Before the enthronement of Igwe Beneth Emeka less than two years
ago, Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council has Code of Conduct which
contains the order of kolanut breaking during functions.

”It is clearly stated that the right rests on the chairman of the
council or any other traditional ruler he shall nominate to perform the
function.

“But it is quite sad that since Igwe Emeka emerged the traditional
ruler of his community he has severally violated the kolanut breaking
code”, he alleged.

Edozieuno, who is 16 years old on the throne, claimed that the day
Gov. Obiano performed the ground breaking ceremony of Anambra Airport
project and the date World Bank team visited the area, Emeka conducted
himself in bad taste on kolanut code.

”It was in furtherance to his condemnable behaviour on a highly
treasured tradition on kolanut which he also exhibited by hijacking the
plate of kolanut being presented to Gov. Obiano on Jan. 29 at Otuocha
Stadium that landed him suspension,” he said.

Edozieuno said that within the six months suspension period,, the
members of the council expected that Emeka should be given adequate
orientation by his people before he rejoins the body.

Reacting, HRM Igwe Benneth Emeka, of Umueri Community, dismissed the
claim of his suspension by Edozieuno-led local government council of
traditional rulers in the area.

“The purported suspension is the figment of imagination of Igwe Alex
Edozieuno of Mkpu-Nando Aguleri Otu whose community is about 200
kilometers away from Otuocha.

”Igwe Edozieuno acted like a sole administrator and an emperor by
unilaterally issuing what he tagged suspension letter to me just two
days after the event that followed the kolanut breaking issue during
Obiano’s visit on Jan.29.

”During the occasion, kolanut was presented and being traditional
ruler of Umueri where Otuocha Stadium is located, I collected the
kolanut and performed the necessary ritual before breaking it.

”It was rather an embarrassment to me and my community that Edozieuno
began to publicise barely two days after the council in Anambra East what he
tagged suspension letter to me, ” he said.

Emeka argued that before a traditional ruler could be suspended that
such a person must have been tried by a disciplinary committee which
would thereafter transmit its position to the state Council of
traditional rulers for ratification.

” After such ratification, the state council shall then forward her
recommendations to the state governor who has the constitutional mandate
to issue certificate of recognition’ to every traditional ruler in the
state for action”, he said.

Emeka maintained that no such protocol was followed before the
alleged suspension on him, adding that he had equally slammed two years
suspension on Igwe Edozieuno.

”Edozieuno should face two years suspension because his purported
suspension action negates a superior rule in the state on kolanut,
because everywhere in Igbo communities it is the traditional right of
the host to present kolanut and break same for his visitors’, he added.

However, the Umueri National Youth Forum has issued a statement
condemning the alleged suspension of their traditional ruler by
Edozieuno, warning of dire consequences if the action is not vacated.

Mr Chibuzor Ekwenye, President, Umueri National Youth Forum, who
signed the statement, called on Gov. Obiano to caution Edozieuno as the
body would not fold its hands and watch the reputation of their
traditional ruler messed up.

”We call on the Anambra East Traditional Rulers Council to sanction
Igwe Edozieuno for over-stepping his boundaries and for his
ill-conceived action capable of causing break down of law and order
in the area”, he stated.