Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano yesterday supervised oath-taking for Umunya community indigenes, in Oyi Local Government Area of the State, during a peace parley to settle rifts that had torn the community apart.
The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Kris Onyekwuluje had called a meeting of members of the community and also brought the community’s god, Oji to oversee the settlement of a rift that has torn the community apart, leading to protests to the government house by various factions.
The Chief priest of Oji, who presented the community’s offor at the meeting venue instructed that all respondents must remove their shoes before speaking, while also warning that anyone who spoke falsehood would die after seven days.
Senior special adviser to the governor on traditional institution and community matters, Mr Benjamin Umerah who represented Governor Obiano at the function said there was need to seek peace in the community to ensure development.
He said, “Without peace, your community can not attain development. You already have a highly respected king in the person of Igwe Kris Onyekwuluje, and in my estimation he has been doing well, and the governor, Chief Willie Obiano regards him highly.
“It would only be good for you to support your king to continue to discharge his duties creditably instead of distracting him with protests and accusations.”
The oath-taking ceremony and peace parley, which was widely attended by indigenes of the community, including its town union branches in several states across the country also led to a resolution by all that the king had discharged his duties in the community creditably, while also acknowledging that some bad elements were bent of ensuring his reign was rubbished.
The king who was also at the meeting said that he was compelled to call a meeting of the community because some moneybags in the community were instigating members of the community against him.
He vowed to continue to pursue peace in the community, while elders of the community led by the Chief Priest of Ojiana threatened to banish anyone who caused trouble in the community henceforth.
The community had been in turmoil with one faction of the community protesting to the government house to call on the governor, Chief Willie Obiano to de-robe the king on allegation of highhandedness and sales of community land. Another group had also insisted that the king was doing well, during a solidarity march at the government house, insisting that some unscrupulous persons were merely envious of the king.
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