By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The five communities that make up Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano’s Local Government Area in Aguleri Anambra East LGA on Monday called for the immediate removal of two traditional rulers from the area.

The call came on the heels of a recent trip embarked on by 12 traditional rulers from the state to visit President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

The affected traditional rulers, Igwe Alex Edozieuno of Ukpunangbo and Igwe Udoji Iloegbune of Eziagulu Otu who had already been suspended by the State Government and the State Traditional Rulers Council for one year and were also barred from performing any function as traditional rulers within the period.

The protesters, consisting of custodians of the customs and traditions of the people, elders, women and youths, took to the popular Otuocha roundabout to drive home their anger.

Vehicular movement to and from Onitsha and other parts of the state were held at the traffic gridlock for some hours as the leaders of the various communities accused the two royal fathers of committing sacrilege by joining others to undermine the government headed by their brother, Chief Obiano.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the President General of Aguleri, Chief Chidi Onwuegbune, explained that their decision to embark on the peaceful protest was to let the world know that the traditional rulers went to Abuja without the consent of the people in their domains.

He said: “Our people were taken aback at the unbecoming conduct of the two Igwes, namely Igwe Edozieuno of Ukpunando and Igwe Iloegbune. They embarked on a journey to Abuja with Prince Arthur Eze without telling our people and the State Government.

“Although they have already been suspended by the State Traditional Rulers Council and Government, we know that the whole world is watching to see what our position on the matter is.

“We want to inform the State Government that we are not part and parcel of the action they took. We absolutely condemn their action which had portrayed our community in bad light, especially as the governor is our son.

“We are, therefore, urging the state government to kindly remove them as traditional rulers because they have put shame on their people and we cannot forgive them even if hey apologize. They committed atrocities which are unpardonable.

“Government may forgive them if they plead, but our people have said they will not forgive them because it is a sacrilege for an Aguleri man to embark on such a solidarity visit. Although they have been suspended for one year, our people are saying that the suspension is not enough.”

The PG added that after the Abuja trip, custodians of Aguleri culture and tradition invited the affected monarchs to appear at the Aguleri ancestral shrine to defend themselves, noting that they vehemently ignored the call.

Onwuegbune said: “Those elders are even more annoyed than the youths and they have decided that they will not mount the thrones again. If a powerful traditional ruler like Emir Lamido Sanusi of Kano could be removed, how much less these ones here. An Igwe cannot afford to ignore a summon by his community.”

On his part, the national President of Aguleri Youths, Mr. Nnamdi Adimora, said one of the traditional rulers started giving the community problems soon after he received his certificate as a monarch.

He observed that even before the Abuja incident, the community had written a petition against him adding that the State Government has set up a panel of inquiry to that effect.

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