Anambra Monarch Urges For Peace, Support As Community Elects PG

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The traditional ruler of Awkuzu community, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, HRH, Igwe (Prof) Charles Maduegbuna Anikweze, has urged for peace and support to the newly elected executives of the town union, led by the President General, PG, Chief Ejike Ogoegbunam, for rapid infrastructural development of the area.

The monarch made the urge when the newly elected PG, paid a courtesy call on the monarch shortly after he was elected, stating that every monarch is a father to all and as such does not take sides during elections but rather supports the candidate that emerges victorious.

“The right hand is my right, the left side is my left, so any of the candidates that win becomes the PG of my town and should be prepared to work with me. Sometimes people talk about who is Igwe’s candidate, Igwe has no candidate, and all of them are my candidates.

All the wranglings and reckless campaigns had come to an end and somebody has emerged. The person that emerged was acceptable to the majority of people and also acceptable to me. I am happy with the outcome of the election and I have the hope that with the cooperation of the people to the incoming executives, we will be able to move forward, already we are moving forward but we now move at a faster rate,” the monarch stated.

The monarch reiterated the need for peace adding that where there is no peace, there will be no unity and where there is no unity, there will be no progress.

He charged the PG to as a priority unite and restore peace to various communities that are at loggerheads, stating that he has been doing it all alone some all the responsibilities, hinting that he would include the PG in his cabinet to join forces in the development of the community.

Earlier in his speech, the caretaker committee chairman of Oyi Local Government Area, Hon. Emmanuel Nweke Iga said that the essence of the election was to ensure democracy as a caretaker brought about crises in most communities.

“Over time government has seen that the institution of the interim government is risky as it causes crises in most communities and then Mr. Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, had studied that situation and knows very well that the best way to get out of that is to democratize town union government in Awkuzu, and Anambra state as a whole.

“So far since we started the election each election will keep getting better to the next one and no complaints. When you look behind you and see the people behind, you know if to continue or not after that, but if it were to be the other way round people keep objecting, and complaining.

“So far Mr. Gvernor is getting it right across the board, so that is the best way. to go. It is a democratic Institution, and that is the way it should go. The government has recognized the town union government as a fourth tier of government in Anambra state. we are going to work together for the development of our communities and development of our communities starts from the town Union,” he further maintained

In his response, the new PG stated that the position of the Igwe is to bring a level of stability in the community, for common goal that captures stability and progress, stating that in the past three years Awkuzu was rocked with crises as if it has no history.

“It got to a stage I got personally annoyed and I said, no this cannot continue, so I came out not to become the PG but to make sure all the problems, all the things that have been done between the Igwe, PG and community, all those obstacles were cleared because, by the grace of God, I have a relationship with the Government House.

“The current Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, happened to be my classmate at Nsukka, Economics class, but from the day I took up the challenge of restoring Awkuzu to a good part, I have never set my eyes on Soludo. I have not discussed it with him but I followed the due process of the complaint, we got all the issues resolved, and then our people will not allow me to rest since I cleared all the obstacles,” he disclosed.

The PG vowed to intensify efforts towards the infrastructural development of Awkuzu pointing out that there should be a concerted effort between the government and the community, especially in those areas the community could not be able to do it alone.

Hinting that his priority would be security, the PG lamented that the large Community Secondary school has been abandoned stating that it is a big access to the community, Local Government and the State, and as such would not be left to rot away even if criminals have removed the roofs of the buildings.

A contestant with the PG, Harold U. M. Aniwetalu, who commended the PG for his victory, revealed that both are from the same Ihuogbo village, stating that it was because he did well as chairman of the village that his people asked him to contest with the PG to help restore peace in Awkuzu.

“The winner is my blood brother, we are from the same ward 49, when my fellow contestants wanted to protest I said no, it is a fair contest, we all saw it, it happened to live there, then I told them please let’s join hand and repair our community, that we need peace, we don’t need to bring acrimony kind of, to question our protest against the election, it was free and fair, we all saw it,” he revealed.

The contestant who said that he did not fail the election but rather made a mark, as he was not expected to win the election, revealed that he commended the winner and embraced him, pointing out that he will support him for the development of the community.