…Not true, cabinet
By Ovat Abeng
Anambra High Court sitting at Nnewi local government area of the state has sacked the traditional ruler of Oraifite town in Ekwusigo local government area, Igwe Dr. Daniel Udoji for lacking constitutional backing to mount the throne.
The sacking information was disclosed to Journalists by High Chief Stanley Chukwujekwu, a stakeholder in the community, during a press conference he organised at his country home, Ezumeri-Oraifite recently.
Chukwujekwu described the Judgement as a welcome development to the good people of Oraifite town.
He noted that there was no selection, election or any form of Traditional gathering that produce Dr. Udoji as the Traditional ruler of Oraifite town. The Crown was bought for him by Ben Aghaeze (Bentraco) while he was in America at the sum of five hundred thousand naira (500,000) during late Gov. Mbanunuju administration.
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The judgment was delivered on the 5th July, 2023 by the presiding judge, Justice Dennis C. Maduechesi in a suit No. HN/216/2006 brought before the court by the people of Ezumeri quarter of the town challenging the self acclaimed Igwe who parades himself as monarch of Oraifite town and the issuance of certificate of recognition by the Anambra State government under Gov. Chimwoke Mbanunuju (late) on 20th May, 2003 without due process.
According to him, Oraifite have four villeges; Unodu, Ezumeri, Irefi and Ifite that constitute the town and it was the turned of Ezumeri village to produce the Traditional ruler after the demise of late Igwe Gregory Ude Ubaka.
We have been on the matter for good 18 years but today, we are victorious.
He quoted the Court as declared that the purported recognition of Igwe Udoji as the Traditional ruler of the town by the Government of Anambra State is null, void and inoperative on the ground that the said recognition was obtained or procured by the Monarch fraudulently without due process of law, particularly, the Constitution of Oraifite and method of the selection of her Igwe and other Chiefs, otherwise known as the Chieftaincy Constitution of Oraifite which was made and adopted by the people in 1977.
The recognition was also made without regard to due process of law most particularly, in the total violation of sections 3, 4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,13 and 14 of the Traditional ruler’s law of Anambra State, Nigeria. And that the Court has ordered Igwe Udoji to restrain from parading, holding himself out and or in any manner whatsoever acting as the traditional ruler of Oraifite town forthwith.
“The Monarch should deliver up the certificate of recognition and other instruments of recognition to the people for cancellation. He should pay a sum of one million (N1,000,000) to the Plaintiffs (Ezumeri) as cost of his action.
Chief Chukwujekwu while thanking the Judges for standing on the truth, alleged that the embattled Monarch has never attracted any development to the community since he took over the throne.
Finally, he also commended Sir Emeka Offor, an indigene of the town for his continuous contributions to human capital development in Nigeria.
Responding in a telephone interview, the legal adviser to Oraifite Igwe-In-Council as well as legal adviser to Oraifite ancient kingdom, Barrister B.Ikenna Chukwuma who spoke on behalf of the traditional ruler, said all the claims by Ezumeri quarters were all lies from the pit of hell, Igwe Udoji remains the valid Traditional ruler of Oraifite community.
According to Barrister Chukwuma, the people behind what I called fake rumour are all doing this to cause chaos in the community.
“I know that the matter is in the Court, but no such order has been given.
He warned the people of Oraifite community, Anambra and the public at large to disregard the sack information.