David-ChyddyEleke takes a look at the many leadership tussles in Anambra communities and how the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, is tackling them.
Anambra has been noted as one state in Nigeria with a high concentration of multi-millionaires. Most of these men of means have used their wealth to also influence the leadership of town unions in their various communities, and in places where this has proven difficult, they have instigated violence and conflicts that threaten the very foundation of such communities.
This has happened in many communities where traditional rulers and president general of most communities have been removed arbitrarily. But Governor ChukwumaSoludo has vowed to stand against acts like this. This could be seen in the way Soludo has reined in most fake traditional rulers to the extent of using state apparatus to keep them in check. Soludo recently in Awka, the state capital stopped a factional monarch from parading himself. He has also done the same in many other communities.
The recent case of Ifitedunu community in Dunukofia Local Government Area, where a known money bag has seized power in the community and pushed away the President General and also usurping the functions of the monarch of the community by giving chieftaincy titles, is also receiving the attention of the governor.
There have been a tussle over the position of President General of Ifitedunu Town Union, Chief UchennaNwoye and a prominent son of the community, Chief Vincent Udobi. Nwoye had recently in a viral video been beaten up at the community’s market square, by men said to be loyal to Udobi. Udobi had singlehandedly removed Nwoye as a President General.
Nwoye was said to have visited the market square to supervise some shops he was constructing for the community, when Udobi’s men pounced on him, beating him like a common criminal and video taping him.
The video had caused huge outcry as to whoUdobi was to have taken laws into his hands. Nwoye who spoke to THISDAY over the phone on his plight lamented that he has gone into hiding, after Udobi vowed to deal with him.
Nwoye while speaking from his hideout said his problem with Udobi started in 2017 when one Sam Nweke the then President-General and Udobi planed to dethrone their monarch, IgweChukwuemekaIlouno.
“Vincent Udobi and Sam Nweke had plotted to dethrone our monarch. They tried to co-opt me into their evil plot but I blatantly refused. I advised them to write to the state government if they feel the traditional ruler was not doing things right. Because of that, when I wanted to contest for President General, he vowed to work against me.
“It is because I did not support his move that his thugs beat me up like a common criminal at Nkwo market. I thank the state government because despite everything they have done to me, on 28th of July, 2023, they issued a letter to the community reaffirming me as the duly recognised President-General of Ifitedunu Town Union, but these people are still laying siege in my office with their thugs.”
THISDAY visited Udobi in his home in Ifitedunu, where he insisted that Ifitedunu community has deposed Nwoye as the President General of the community after a recent court judgement convicted him.
“An ex convict cannot be our President General. Nwoye was convicted by the court in a criminal matter, and the community has resolved that he cannot be our President General. Is that too hard to understand?
“Let me ask you, are there no laws that made it clear that an ex convict cannot hold positions? That is why our people are saying no to him.
“The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon Collins Nwabunwanne, is the one causing trouble in our community. He is insisting on foisting Nwoye on us because he is his friend. We are calling on Soludo to sack him.”
Speaking on the video of people said to be loyal to him beating Nwoye in the market square, Udobi insisted that what was seen in the video was only a case of two gang of people fighting each other.
Meanwhile, Governor Soludo has resolved to ensure peace in Ifitedunu, just like every other community. The governor in a statement by his Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Collins Nwabunwanne, acknowledged that many communities were in crisis, but said the constitution of each of the communities was being utilized to ensure lasting solution.
He said: “Ifitedunu constitution stipulated conditions by which a President General could be removed from office. It requires a general meeting supported by two-third of those present, and that has not happened.
“Udobi was wrong to stand against Nwoye because the community’s constitution was not violated in any way. As for Nwoye being an ex convict, it may interest you to know that Nwoye appealed that judgement. We will not sit back and let money bags enthrone impunity in communities because they have money.”
He lamented that it was saddening to watch the video of the President General being beaten by touts, saying Soludo’s government would not let such continue.
Speaking on the brutalization of Nwoye, National President of Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU), Titus Akpudo, lamented that Six presidents general of communities in Anambra State have in the past been killed, despite the selfless community service they render.
According to him: “We will not let this continue. PGs of about six communities have been killed in the past, and here we are talking of a man who thinks he has money, recruiting thugs to beat up a community leader. We have lost PGs in Nimo( Njikoka LGA), Omor( Ayamelum LGA), OromEtiti( Anambra West( LGA), Nanka( Orumba North) and Obosi (Idemili North LGA). This must not be allowed to continue”.
Also, an APGA chieftain, ChineduObigwe, who lent his voice to the crisis said: “Udobi or whoever he is should know that Soludo has delt with more people in communities than himself.
“Let me remind Udobi that the likes of UzuAwka toed the path he is following today in the past and was tamed by Governor Soludo.
“Governor Soludo is not someone he can threaten and he is not someone he can dictate to. Anambra has passed the stage of one man acting as if he is a law unto himself. If such happened in the past, it cannot happen again under Governor Soludo’s administration because the era of exhibition of rascality in Anambra is gone for good.”
In what looked like a resolve to ensure that traditional rulers and their traditional stools are protected, Soludo has read a riot act to money bags who sponsored factional traditional rulers to usurp the position of monarchs. He said such fake monarch risk spending six months in jail without option of fine.
The governor said: “Traditional rulers were popularly elected in their communities in accordance with their various constitutions. Any person not recognized by the state government who parades as a monarch in the state would be jailed for six months as prescribed by the law.”
Soludo recalled that most communities in Anambra State before now had caretaker committees which he noted were beneficial to the government in power, but adversely affecting the interest of a greater number of the people. He disclosed that his administration had conducted no fewer than 110 elections in communities using option A4 system.
