Anambra monarch celebrates maiden new yam festival 30 years after demise of predecessor
By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
Nkwelle Ezunaka Community, Oyi Local Government Area witnessed jubilation galore weekend, at the palace of their new traditional, Igwe Obiora Anachuna, as he marked his maiden new yam festival about three decades after the demise of his predecessor, Igwe (Dr), Ralph Nwakoby.
Expressing satisfaction as he marked the maiden festival, the monarch stated that, “I am overwhelmed, very glad the people from all works of life gathered here to witness this first new yam festival of Nkwelle-Ezunaka.
I advised them to be united and move Nkwelke-Ezunaka forward”.
The monarch while paying glowing tribute to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, for his rapid infrastructural development in the state and peace he has restored in the State, stated that, “Governor Soludo is a working Governor, I pray that one day he will remember us and fix our roads.”
On his advice to those who are still feeling grudges over his election as the new monarch of the community, he emphasized that, “We don’t have grudges, it is natural, Nkwelle people don’t have any problem, we love ourselves”.
Expressing satisfaction shortly after being conferred as the ‘Onowu,’ (Prime Minister), of the community by the monarch, the President General, PG, Chief Willie Okafor, thanked God that the election of the monarch happened while he is the PG, lamenting that the community has been denied a lot because of lack of a monarch.
“I can’t ask for more from God for being number two citizen of Nkwelle-Ezunaka. I thank God for me to be the vessel used to give Nkwelle-Ezunaka a king after about three decades of not having a monarch.I am overwhelmed, I am grateful to God. Nkwelle-Ezunaka will ever be grateful to God for this.
“I will ask those who are still feeling grudges that it is time to unite, If you look at Igwe you know that God has just given us a gentleman as a king, a young man, I will ask everyone to come together, let us move our community forward,” he pleaded.
On the issue of presentation of certificate to the monarch he said, “We know that soonest the governor will issue the certificate to him and then we do our maiden Ofala festival, this is just new yam and the crowd was much, let alone when we celebrate Ofala festival,” he stated.
In his own contribution, an in-law and indigene of Obosi community, Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Omezie Chukwurah, (a.k.a.Governor Obosi), whose wife, Mrs. Chinelo Lynda Chukwurah, was conferred with the Chieftaincy title of ‘Ocheze Oshia,’ by the monarch, he stated that the Igwe was a man of the people.
“My wife is one of those three women that were conferred today with traditional titles by the monarch and I love my wife because they gave her to me, that’s why I’m progressing.”
On the efforts to ensure Governor Soludo presents certificate of recognition to the monarch he assured that, “I will meet the governor for issuance of certificate to Igwe Nkwelle, he knows me too well and knows that I am APGA staunch member.”
Earlier, the community treasurer , Chief Gibson Udeagwu, who was honoured as “Okaka Nkwelle,” stated that, ” We have been conferred with Chieftaincy titles so that we would work with him, (monarch ), I am happy about the Igwe because Nkwelle community suffered for 30 years on the issue of Igwe after the demise of our last Igwe, Dr Ralph Nwakoby.
” Since then, Nkwelle has been having problem, the Youths behave badly. This first new yam celebration with our Igwe is a great one, it is we, the Ogbuefi Nkwelle that were managing the new yam festival.
“I plead with the opposition to join us, we will welcome them, the election of this monarch was free, fair and credible, Igwe won with 400+ votes, while the second position had 200+, the third 100+.
“I plead to government to help and build our roads, this building material road to Nkwo bank,( Oze –Nkwo bank road),if constructed will decongest all the hold ups at Awka road and serve as a bye pass for those going to Awka, Anambra East, West, Ayamelum, and kogi state.
Also on the issue of certificate, he pleaded to Governor Soludo to present certificate of recognition to the monarch lamenting that for about 30 years the community existed without a monarch disclosing that both the monarch and his subjects are APGA faithful.
In her own contribution, wife to the treasurer, Mrs Amaka Udeagwu, stated that, “There is light now at Nkwelle, we are now in the modern days and I thank God for giving us life to witness this light in Nkwelle brought by the election of the monarch,” even as she prayed for health, progress, long life in Nkwelle.
She expressed satisfaction with the traditional title conferred on her husband adding that the monarch has done well for finding him worthy to be so honoured as ‘Okaka Nkwelle-Ezunaka,..”
Chief John Onwuanyi (Ogbuefi Owulubuego), in his speech said, “I am conferred today as the “Ogene” the first in Nkwelle,this is our first Igwe, we used to have warrant chiefs, this is the first contestant out of the four that contested for Igwe, I am the first that canvassed for him, telling our people what he can do, because he is American citizen.
“When we called him to come and contest he refused, we wrote him, pleading before he agreed. Before this Igwe, we had several meeting for three years which failed and later progressed, we had election and he won and became our Igwe.
“This is his first yam festival, he selected two persons from each village and conferred with Chieftaincy titles, I know he will lead Nkwelle well and I pray God to give him wisdom to lead Nkwelle,” he prayed.
Pic 1. shows the monarch caping the PG as the Onowu
Pic 2 R-L monarch and PG
