HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS IGWE ANTHONY EZENMA OF EZIANI BECOMES CHAIRMAN OF NSUKKA TRADITIONAL RULERS COUNCIL

By Chris Ugwuja

It was a breath of fresh air in Nsukka LGA Traditional Rulers’ Council as, HRH, Igwe Anthony Ezenma, of Eziani Kingdom, Takes Over as, Chairman of the apex traditional institution.

Friday June 14 2024, became, indeed, a red-letter day in the annals of the history of Nsukka Local Government Area (LGA) Traditional Rulers’ Council, as, His Royal Highness(HRH), Igwe Anthony Ezenma, the Ezeani 1 of Eziani Kingdom, also known as ‘Ntu Magburu Enyi’ by his subjects, innumerable loyalists and allies far and near, ascended to the exalted office of the Chairman of the apex body of the traditional institution in the elite Council area, in a most modest ceremony that could well be described as eventful, memorable and pomp. This development injected a new lease of energy, life and zest in the traditional rulers’ institution to the elation of his colleagues, friends and well wishers.

Coordinating the handover proceedings, the former Chairman of the Traditional Council, HRH, Igwe Anthony Ochike, who held sway for four years as Chairman of the esteemed body, announced the emergence of the new leadership to the house.

Announcing that HRH, Igwe Anthony Ezenma had emerged as the new Chairman, he also disclosed that the Council had also gotten new Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Patron in the persons of HRH, Igwe Daniel Ugwuanyi, HRH, Igwe Simon Ugwu and HRH, Igwe Barr. Fabian Ogbuabor, respectively.

And, in what could be called his valedictory speech, the outgoing Chairman lauded His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State for finding, in his own words, some of the most vibrant Traditional Rulers of Nsukka LGA extraction, worthy of occupying the lofty offices both at the south east, zonal, state and Local Government levels. Praying God to give the new leadership the requisite wisdom to steer the ship, he expressed absolute confidence that Nsukka LGA and, indeed, Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Councils will henceforth move forward given the calibre of persons at the helm of
affairs, expressing optimism that these great individuals will take the Council to the next level.

Among other things, he, also, said, “In my four years on this seat, I have experienced very serious problems within the communities; problem of insecurity; problem of Neighbourhood Watch; problem of stakeholders going about causing trouble for the Town Unions and the Neighbourhood Watch groups.”

He, however, expressed hope that God will provide the new leadership the wisdom to tackle the challenges, charging them to run their offices with transparency, accountability and openness.

Done with his address, the former Chairman in a solemn exercise, which evoked nostalgia, officially handed the reins of power over to the brand new Chairman, HRH, Igwe Anthony Ezenma.

In his maiden spirit-lifting address as the Chairman of Nsukka LGA Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRH, Igwe ‘Ntu Magburu Enyi’,motivated his colleagues, reeling out a number of life-changing agenda that would form the thrust of his administration.

He began by thanking and appreciating the outgoing Executive, saying, “let me start by thanking you all for the good work you people have done. I believe so much that you have done your best. Some might be satisfied with your work, some might not be satisfied, but, I know too well that you did your best. If anybody feels that your best was not good enough, that is the person’s problem.”

Continuing he said, “Let me thank God for this opportunity because I know too well that if not for God, there is no way this can be possible. That is why I am here now standing as the Chairman of Nsukka LGA Traditional Rulers’ Council.”

“Let me also thank His Excellency, Dr. Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the Governor of Enugu State, for giving me this opportunity. It is not an easy job. It is a big task. But I know very well that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. “I appreciate His Excellency and also appreciate God for making our own, HRH, Igwe Samuel Asadu, Ogadagidi 1 of Edem-Ani ‘Ogwugwu’ Ancient Kingdom, the Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council and South East Traditional Rulers’ Council. It is not easy”.

Describing the rare feat as an uncommon grace, he urged his brother and colleague, Igwe Ogadagidi to guard the grace jealously. “I have given these things a thought, day after day. This man you see here, I don’t think he has been an Igwe for up to two years now and he is now the Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council and the Chairman of South East Traditional Rulers’ Council. It is an uncommon grace. Like him or not; an uncommon grace it is. So, my advice to him is that he has to hold this grace and carry it like an egg.” He advised Igwe Ogadagidi to be strong and courageous. “I have already pledged my unalloyed support to you. Call me any day, any time” he added.

Calling on his colleagues to rally their support around him to enable him, (Igwe ‘Ntu Magburu Enyi’), succeed, he prayed, ‘Ndi Igwe’ saying, “it is said, ‘Nwa lekwa nne gi; nne lekwa nwa gi’. No man is an island. Don’t just sit down and say, ‘Ntu’, we know what you can do. No! It is not like that. Come up with your ideas. Put them together and then, we work together”. He continued, “I know I am a strong man. That one is indisputable. But I need more wisdom to add to the one I already have for us to move on together. I believe we shall get to where we are going. One thing I know is that we can never slide back. We will build this house. That is certain. I know that,” he noted.

The fearless, Ezeani-born Royal father pledged his unalloyed support to His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State. “We have to key into his developmental plans, the royal father added He needs our support. We have to support him. He means well for Nsukka people. He means well for Enugu State. Let us give him time”.

On what will form his administration’s agenda, he decried the situation where traditional rulers are treated derogatorily in police stations when their subjects petition them. He said, “My first agendum is the welfare of you people here. I think the time that an Igwe will be going to the Police Station and be walking about because a subject of his wrote a petition against him is over. We are going to negotiate with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), the Area Commander (AC ) or even the Commissioner of Police (CP), as the case may be to find better ways of handling matters concerning the traditional rulers. We are going to appeal to them, using our friendship with them to achieve that. Trust me, we are going to look into your welfare. Is it not about negotiation? I can negotiate and dialogue with any person. You negotiate, you lobby to get what you want. That is what we are going to be doing day after day to see that all of us here are comfortable and respected in our different communities because it is like the respect for Igwes is reducing. We have to now differentiate between the politicians and the traditional rulers”, he said.

Furthermore, the hugely successful traditional ruler revealed that his administration would drive the institution’s leadership in Nsukka LGA which to him has been rudderless and with neither credible leadership nor direction of late. He said, “Another agenda is that I want to unite all the political elites in Nsukka LGA. It is like Nsukka is just hanging in the air. No leadership. No leeway. We Igbos do say, “Gbuo dike, gbuo dike n’ogu ulo, Ngbe ogu ama ruru achoba dike. Since Senator Okoro’s death, we don’t have a leader in Nsukka LGA. Take it or leave it; like the man or hate him, he was doing something for us. “We have to find a way to call all these our sons and daughters to sit them down and find a way to move ahead. Our Chairman, the Chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, will lead the way” he concluded.

The high points of the epoch-making event, was perhaps when the Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, HRH, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, who is also a member of Nsukka LGA, Traditional Rulers’ Council, took the stage to present his goodwill address.

He thanked God, the Nsukka land, His Excellency, the Governor, the incumbent Chairman of Nsukka LGA Traditional Rulers Council and his outgoing counterpart, urging all neither to be afraid nor despair, expressing confidence that God almighty would make him and other leaders succeed.

HRH, Igwe Hyacinth Ifeanyichukwu Eze, the Traditional Ruler of Ibagwa-Aka, who, also, doubles as the Patron of Enugu North Senatorial Zone, Traditional Rulers Council, during his goodwill message, described Nsukka LGA Traditional Rulers’ Council as blessed, saying , with the array of men of timber and calibre in it, you are favoured.

The event witnessed a good turnout of members of the Traditional Rulers’ Council. Some of the notable traditional rulers on hand were HRH, Igwe Dr. Emeka Ugwu; HRH, Igwe Moses Edoga and HRH, Igwe Ambassador Patrick Okolo. Others were HRH, Igwe Pius Agbo, HRH, Igwe Prof. Felix Onah, to mention but a few.

At the end, as usual of him, HRH, Igwe Anthony Ezenma, treated all and sundry to a sumptuous meal that elicited pomp, pegeantry and conviviality. He gave out to all who participated in the auspicious event, souvenirs comprising interestingly valuable items, etc.