Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ikeugonna Eleke
Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has supervised the oath taking for Umunya indigenes in Oyi Local Government Area of the State. It took place during a peace parley to settle rifts that had torn the community apart.
The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, had called a meeting of members of the community and also brought the community’s deity, Oji, to oversee the settlement of the rift that had torn the community apart, leading to protests to the government house by various factions.
The Chief priest of Oji, who presented the community’s offor at the meeting venue, instructed that all respondents must remove their shoes before speaking, while also warning that anyone who spoke falsehood would die after seven days.
Senior Special Adviser to the governor on traditional institution and community matters, Mr Benjamin Umerah, who represented Governor Obiano at the function, said there was need to seek peace in the community to ensure development.
He said that without peace, the community could not attain development.
‘You already have a highly respected king in the person of Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, and in my estimation he has been doing well, and the governor, Chief Willie Obiano, regards him highly.
‘It will only be good for you to support your king to continue to discharge his duties creditably instead of distracting him with protests and accusations,’ he said.
The oath taking ceremony and peace parley, which were widely attended by indigenes of the community, including its town union branches in several states across the country, also led to a resolution by all that the king had discharged his duties in the community creditably, while also acknowledging that some bad elements were bent on ensuring his reign was rubbished.
The king who was also at the meeting, said he was compelled to call a meeting of the community because some moneybags in the community were instigating members of the community against him.
He vowed to continue to pursue peace in the community, while elders of the community led by the Chief Priest of Ojiana threatened to banish anyone who caused trouble in the community henceforth.
The community has been in turmoil with one faction of the community protesting to the government house to call on the governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to derobe the king on allegations of highhandedness and sale of community lands. Another group had also insisted that the king was doing well during a solidarity march at the government house, insisting that some unscrupulous persons were merely envious of the king.