Oraifite in Bondage Under Daniel Udoji, Says Chief Chukwujekwu

By Felix Oti, Awka

Oraifite town has been under bondage for the past eighteen (18) years under the self acclaimed traditional ruler, Igwe Daniel Udoji , according to High Chief Stanley Okwudilichukwu Chukujekwu, a stakeholder and an illustrious Son of the town.

High Chief Chukwujekwu who stated this during a press briefing over the weekend at Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local government Area of Anambra state alleged that the Dan Udoji is not supposed to be addressed as their Igwe in the first place as he is not eligible.

Chukwujekwu, who frowned at what is currently happening in his town (Oraifite) stated :

“Oraifite which is made up of four (4) villages namely : Ezumeri, Unodu, Irefi and Ifite was a peaceful and lovely town from inception before Dan Udoji made himself the Igwe of the town.
He said “while Obi is hereditary, Igweship is political and rotational.

“Before the inception Late Gregory Ude Ubaka as Igwe Oraifite, we had adopted Rotational Igweship style among the four quarters of Oraifite.

According to Oraifite Improvement Union (OIU), an Igwe must be someone that is educated, a sound minded person, must have connection to be able to attract development to the town. The aspirant has to hail from a royal family. However, if there is no one interested from the royal family, anyone else who is above 21 years of age and who meets the aforementioned requirements can contest. That is how Late Gregory Ubaka became our Igwe years back and there was a constitution during his time that backs the rotation.This constitution was adopted and endorsed by the four quarters of Oraifite.

“During the time of Late Gov. Chinwoke Mbadinuju as the governor of Anambra state, a certificate of Igweship was bought for Dr. Daniel Udoji in absentia by Late Ben Aghaeze (Bentraco) because he (Dr. Udoji) was based abroad as at the time of the certificate purchase. He returned afterwards and started parading himself as the Igwe of Oraifite without the Oraifite people’s mandate.

“However, we the Ezumeri people believes in due process, so we proceeded to court with Daniel Udoji. The court proceedings lasted for 18 year but judgement came out in favour of Ezumeri village

A High Court sitting in Nnewi restrained Dr. Daniel Udoji from parading himself as Igwe of Oraifite and I assure you that Ezumeri will produce a monarch that the whole of Oraifite will accept and be happy with.

Atrocities have been on the increase all these period. Imaging on December 29, 2023, the said Daniel Udoji was collecting money from people and given out chieftaincy titles and the worst part was giving women title which is an abomination in our land.

However, he is not a proud (bonafide) son of the soil perhaps that explains why you will see in his entrance gate is “Igwe Anumanu kingdom and not Igwe Oraifite”. Anumanu kingdom is not in Oraifite. He knows his origin. He came from Delta state according to history which is the fact.”

Furthermore, one of the title holders who stands on the side of truth, Nze Godwin Ubabuko (Dunu Eze Ugochukwu of Oraifite) who hails from Ifite Oraifite said: “I am one of the people that elected Late Igwe Ubaka at our central School Oraifite using Option A4 in those days

“The late Igwe Ubaka contested with his brother David Udoji and won.

In truth, there has been a written constitution in that stipulates that Igweship will be rotational amongst the four villages of Oraifite which the majority accepted.

“After the death of Igwe Ubaka, one Ben Aghaeze (Bentraco) went and bought Certificate for Daniel Udoji in absentia because he was not in town. Udoji’s return from abroad marked the beginning of the problem of Oraifite.

If an Igwe dies, there will be a day a community will assemble and crown another Igwe but there was never a day Oraifite Improvement Union came out and said Daniel Udoji is our Igwe.

This is the reason there is no peace in Oraifite and it is now necessary for Oraifite Improvement Union to look into this issue if we want peace.
We have buried late Igwe Ubaka but a ceremony for new Igwe has not been done and we will not do it unless we elect and coronate a new Igwe .

If you are not a title holder you can not be an Igwe, he concluded.”

Efforts by www.odogwublog.com to reach out to the traditional ruler of Oraifite, Igwe Daniel Udoji proved abortive but sources close to him said the battle isn’t unconnected with superiority battle in the community.