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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has been enmeshed in a tussle over the traditional stool of Eze Udoka.
The place, which is next door to Chief David Umahi, the Minister of Works and immediate past governor of the state, has not had a traditional ruler for about 23 years.
The other three autonomous communities in Uburu clan: Uburu, Enu Uburu and Etiti Uburu, all have their traditional rulers.
Created as an autonomous community in 1998 and consisting of two villages, Umuchima and Ihenu, Eweze Uburu had Linus Agwu-Eze (Eze Udoka 1) as its pioneer traditional ruler. Painfully, Eze Linus, as he was fondly called, did not last up to four years on the throne before he joined his ancestors.
He hailed from Umuchima village, which, by cultural and historical traditions, is joined with Ihenu village.
Daily Sun’s investigation showed that the bone of contention was that Umuchima, after producing the first Eze, wanted to retain the stool and produce his successor, a situation that Ihenu people objected to.
Ihenu people insisted that it would run against the written rules of traditional rulership of the community and natural justice for Umuchima village to produce another Eze when they had not tasted the throne.
The section on Ezeship succession as contained in the Constitution of the Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community, which was obtained by Daily Sun, stipulated that the stool should be rotational between the two component villages.
According to the document, the succession to the Ezeship shall be rotatory, giving Umuchima as the more populous community, nine slots in 15 slots with a defined order of taking the turns.
“Generally, Uburu clan has no ruling house nor monarchy. Consequently, the Ezeship in Eweze Uburu shall not be hereditary. Rotatory succession has been adopted as a means of succession to the Ezeship throne.
“For administrative conveniences and orderly rotation, the community has been divided into two administrative zones, namely, Umuchima and Ihenu zones. The zoning is based on population. The Ezeship throne shall, therefore, rotate alternately between the two zones. Under this arrangement, Umuchima zone shall take nine turns while Ihenu zone takes six turns in each round of 15 turns.
“This implies that Umuchima zone, which is both senior member in the community and more populous, shall produce the Eze Udoka 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 while Ihenu takes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
“Then after, the order of taking of turns between the two zones shall start all over again as before and so on,” the document stated.
Since the death of Eze Linus, it was gathered that every attempt by Ihenu people to produce his replacement had been rebuffed by Umuchima. In fact, in a bid to resolve the matter, the then coordinator of Ohaozara West Development Centre, Roy Umahi, had allegedly appointed one Chief Chris Enyi from Umuchima as a regent of some sort. But Enyi clung to the position and paraded himself as the Eze-elect until he died not long ago.
On their part, the people of Ihenu who by the law were empowered to produce the next traditional ruler had conducted a rancour-free selection process and came up with Brown Ozi Chukwu. The selection guidelines stipulate that anyone aspiring to the stool must meet certain qualifications and be willing to subscribe to the code of conduct of the community. So, Brown Ozi Chukwu’s nomination had the blessings of the entire Ihenu community.
Recently, stakeholders of the community renewed efforts to get a traditional ruler for the area. In a communique issued by Ihenu General Assembly (IGA), dated March 11, 2024, the people called for peaceful resolution of the protracted tussle. They restated their choice of Brown Ozi Chukwu, appealing to their kin from Umuchima “to embrace this nomination in the spirit of unity and progress of Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community.”
The IGA communique, signed by Johnson Njaoba (chairman) and a former president-general of Eweze Uburu, Chief Vincent Akpa, urged the Eze-in-council and the political leadership of Uburu clan to ensure quick resolution of the Ezeship issues.
“Upholding Ihenu village’s rightful turn aligns with the principle of fairness, equity, justice and tradition,” the IGA stated.
Similarly, a certain young man from Umuchima, Nicholas Odi, has taken it upon himself to see that the issue is resolved.
In a memo to the Uburu Eze-in-council, dated March 18, 2024, titled, “Resolving the Ezeship tussle in Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community,” Odi lamented that unity had taken flight in the area following the prolonged dispute over the traditional stool.
He urged everyone to look inward and reflect on the importance of peace in Eweze Uburu, stressing that the tussle had destroyed the bond of friendship and brotherhood between them.
“Let us not allow this conflict to continue to fracture the ties that bind our two communities,” he pleaded.
He appealed to the Uburu Ezes-in-council to recognise the right of Ihenu community to produce the next Eze of Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community.
He also asked them to accept the choice of Ihenu people without subjecting them to further crises of contest, since they already have Brown Ozi Chukwu as their Ezeship candidate.
In addition, Odi urged the Ezes-in-council of Uburu to commit to a swift coronation of Eze Udoka II for the Eweze Uburu Autonomous Community without further delay.
Former PG Akpa decried attempts to circumvent the community’s constitution, urging the people of Umuchima to play by the rules.
“They never allowed the people that were supposed to produce the second Eze according to the constitution. They are now pushing that they must produce another one because their Eze did not last long, which is not the correct thing. The constitution said that death is the end of tenure, there is no other option. Even if you stay one day and die, it is the end of your tenure. Based on that, it has been lingering. So much effort has been put in place even at the level of the community and the government, but they have refused to abide by the directives.”
He said that even from while the first traditional ruler was alive, their Umuchima kin had all these years held the positions of Traditional Prime Minister and Secretary of Eze’s council. He explained that he had to cling to the position of PG to ensure that Ihenu people were not fraudulently edged out in the Ezeship tussle.
Akpa further explained that “there were about two times now they wanted to overthrow me but the government said no, that if they want to do it, they should give us our own right, then they take their own right. So, that is why I’m still there. I’m not there because of my power but to make sure that due process is followed.”
He disclosed that there was now light at the end of the tunnel as the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs visited the area at the end of March and directed that their constitution be strictly followed in selecting a traditional ruler for the community.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Governor Francis Nwifuru was desirous that all the tussles and bickering over traditional stools in the state were resolved amicably for peace and development to reign in the areas.
Daily Sun was told that all stakeholders, including the Uburu Ezes-in-council, attended the meeting at Eke-Aja Ameze Square, the traditional meeting ground of Uburu people.
“So, for now, they have given the go-ahead order for Ihenu community to produce the Eze Udoka II based on the constitutional provision.
“Therefore, immediately after Easter, the process would start. Umuchima will now have to come to participate in the process. They were asked not to even interfere. If they are not ready to participate, they are giving us (Ihenu) the authority to produce Eze with or without them. But if they like, they should come and participate so that they will get a candidate who will be of their own choice as well. That is the situation for now,” Akpa stated.
Another stakeholder from Ihenu, Godwin Nwagwu, corroborated Akpa and expressed the optimism with this positive development, “I don’t think it’s a problem for Ihenu to bring out their choice and present it to the autonomous community.
“So, every hope is alive and I believe that our brothers from Umuchima will understand it that what is destined is destined. You can’t twist destiny.”
