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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The traditional ruler of Amaba-Ukwu Autonomous Community, in Amaokwe Item, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Eze Osoka Agwu, on December 28, 2020, celebrated his 75th birthday. He also marked his 19th year on the throne. The royal father was born on August 27, 1945. He ascended the throne in 2001.
To mark the occasion, Eze Agwu honoured some of his subjects and others who had contributed in one way or the other to the development of the community.
Some of those honoured with chieftaincy titles were Chief Anderson Anyaso Ukeh, Chief Okey Irukwu Imo and Dr. Nduka Anyaso. While Ukeh was given the chieftaincy title of Omereoha, Imo received that of Omepia Ihe, while Anyaso became Ome Nke Ahuru Anya of Amaba-Ukwu Item.
In his remarks before bestowing the titles on the recipients, Eze Agwu said all those honoured had in one way or the other contributed immensely to the development of the community and deserved the recognition.
“The people we gave the chieftaincy titles were those who had been helping in the development of the community. None of them paid a dime to me, but they were recognised based on their contributions towards the development of the community,” the monarch said.
Disclosing that such recognitions from his palace last came 16 years ago, Eze Agwu advised the recipients to continue to live up to their billing. He said, with their titles, they have automatically become members of the Amaba-Ukwu Council of Chiefs.
Speaking on the title given him, Ukeh expressed thanks to God for giving him the grace to contribute to the development of the community, which he grew up to love. To him, the chieftaincy title of Omereoha was encouraging.
“It will serve as a tonic that would spur me in doing more for our people,” he said.
Ukeh said the Omereoha title has placed on him greater responsibility of doing more for the community, even as he promised to do his best.
For Imo, who was given the title of Omepia Ihe (Doer of great things), it was a great honour, which he accepted with open arms: “I am happy for the chieftaincy title given to me by our king. It shows recognition to the little contributions I have been making for the development of the community.”
Imo’s wife, Adaku Ogechi Imo, was equally in a happy mood. She said, “It’s something I will have to give glory to God for, not necessarily the title, but what it entails. It feels good when the society recognises what you are doing to better it.”
Dr. Anyaso, the insurance guru who bagged the chieftaincy title of Ome Nke Ahuru Anya (Doer of visible things), also promised that he would do more visible things for the community. Inasmuch as he was not ready in making public the things he did that earned him the recognition, he said he was satisfied with the honour and promised to do more for the community.
Anyaso’s wife was in total agreement with her husband that the title would spur him to do more for the community. She promised to encourage him in that direction.
Some of the sons and daughters of Amaba-Ukwu in the diaspora, who could not come home as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions were equally recognised by the monarch.
