Blame our monarch, Anyaoha for crisis, crimes, lawlessness, idolatry in Anambra community – Okoli

….It’s you and your cohorts that is responsible, not me – Monarch

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

The President General of Ogbunka community, Orumba South Local Government Area, Anambra state Mr. Ikechukwu Chukwubueze has accused the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe John Mark Anyaoha, to coming to power through the back door.

The stakeholders of the community, however said that the traditional ruler, Igwe Anyaoha should be held responsible for the alleged killings, kidnapping, idolatry, lawlessness, assault, among other crimes occuring in the community.

Chukwubueze who made this known on Sunday while speaking with newsmen, hinted that the monarch came through the back door to emerge as the igwe of the community, without due process and started to attack those who opposed his enthronement.

“His emergence threw Ogbunka into turmoil because of lack of due process in his enthronement as the monarch of the community, He now sees himself as a mini, den god, he relegated our Constitution to the background. When due process is followed people will be happy but in Ogbunka, due process was not followed, it is a different scenario.

“when one consolidates an illegality, legalize illegality, one will begin to notice that the system is collapsing sequel to the way of emergence and as such the community will become a banana republic. If somebody can emerge as Igwe of Ogbunka without the process of election or selection, protest and he is recognized, that has become the norm,” he further explained.

He also reiterated that in Ogbunka there is nothing like Ogbunka Youth Association in the constitution but rather there is Ogbunka Development Union, Women Wing, Graduate wing, adding that one fateful day about nine people went to Ogbunka Boys secondary school formed and elected themselves executives of Ogbunka Youth Association, that is unconstitutional.

Also, the former president general of Ogbunka community, Josiah Sunday Okoli, accused Igwe John Mark Anyaoha of being the sponsor of the crisis that resulted in kidnapping, idolatry, assault, hard drug addiction by youths, among others and urged Governor Soludo to intervene by withdrawing the certificate of recognition issued to him by his predecessor, former governor Willie Obiano.

“One man called John Mark Anyaoha came out and said he would be the Igwe of Ogbunka by force, crook or hook and that anybody who objects if he becomes the monarch that the person will go on exile, die, imprisoned or disfigured and true to his vow, that is what is happening now in Ogbunka.

“We will not forgive former governor Obiano for issuing certificate of recognition to Join Mark Anyaoha, through the back door. He put us in the present ugly situation and since then Ogbunka has never been Ogbunka. He now forces everybody to bow for him while the people are pursuing the matter in court.

“He has a lot of cult boys and he is arresting, imprisoning most people. People now live in fear. We urge Governor Soludo to come to our rescue by withdrawing certificate of recognition issued to him and conduct a fresh all inclusive election in Ogbunka before we all die,” he pleaded.

In a swift reaction when contacted, Igwe John Mark Anyaoha denied their allegations stating that the incumbent President general,Chukwubueze, and the former Okoli and their cohorts were behind the atrocities being committed not himself as alleged.

He accused the general, Chukwubueze and the former, Okoli of fighting the youths wing of the community because the youths leadership was his candidate when they manipulated and took over the president general position, stating that the Youths Association is in the constitution.

“One-day the youths wanted to have their meeting in the town hall but the President general refused to give them the key to the hall. He commits all these illegalities with the former President general and their cohorts,” the Monarch stated.

Reacting, Chief Christian Iheanacho, a former Igwe cabinet member, Deputy Chairman Progressive Awuka Peoples Assembly Elders Forum, stated that Igwe John Mark Anyaoha should be relieved of his certificate of recognition for sponsoring the crisis in the community.

“Johnmark told us at his fathers compound which was our meeting place that anybody that didn’t support him as the Igwe might be either in the police cell or hospital, so when he was given the certificate, he started those things he said, the town is in shamble, this is not the first time we are crying to the government, the first petition we wrote to the government was in 2nd june 2022, we wrote to the commissioner for chieftaincy affairs” he stated.