Fresh crisis in Anambra community over suspension of Igwe, others

Abacha Community in Anambra State has been engulfed in a fresh crisis over plots to dethrone the traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin B. C. Mbakwe, leading to the indefinite suspension of the community’s Traditional Prime Minister (Onowu), Chief Nzekwesi Omofia.

Omofia was suspended for allegedly hosting a meeting of traditional leaders and elders at his residence contrary to rules governing the Abacha Cabinet.

After an emergency meeting, yesterday, the Abacha Cabinet, also issued a statement through the Palace Secretary, Joe Anakwe Mbakwe for the indefinite suspension of Chief Nwakibie Godwin Odiegwu, Omenka Ugochukwu Onyekwelu, and Anthony Okelo for participating in what they described as a show of shame at Government House, Awka.

Mbakwe said the cabinet was empowered to meet and deliberate on sensitive issues involving the community, saying the Onowu was trying to cause confusion in the community’s Ozo institution.

“Some people were hired to go to Awka and protest against Igwe Mbakwe, under the falsehood that the Anambra State government withheld the COVID-19 palliatives allocated to the community and that unless the protest was organised, the palliatives will not be released, which was found to be false.

“Recently, the dissident group informed members of the public that the state government had written Omofia) to act as the Igwe since Mbakwe had been suspended,” he added.

He explained that the opposition group alleged that the Palace Secretary received the letter authorising Omofia to act as Igwe, but allegedly sat on it, even as he accused the promoters of failing to make the letter public for the people to authenticate.

Dismissing the allegation, he noted that on the basis of the falsehood, Omofia and his supporters held an inaugural parallel meeting at his residence for him to act as Igwe, which he said, was against the cabinet’s rules.

The Guardian learned that trouble started in Abacha Community when Igwe Mbakwe and 11 others traveled to Abuja with Prince Arthur Eze to commend the Federal Government for the infrastructure facelift of the Southeast zone and to encourage him to do more.

But less than 10 days after the Abuja trip, President-General of Abacha Development Union, Ifeanyi Obata, allegedly hired some youths and women and Obika, an aide to Governor Willie Obiano to Government House Awka in a bid to condemn Igwe Mbakwe for attending the Abuja meeting and pledged continued support for the state government.

They also plotted to dethrone Mbakwe and replace him with Omofia.

But the Emeka Onwuka-led Umudisis Development Union (UDU) condemned the move to dethrone Igwe Mbakwe and passed a vote of confidence on the monarch.