Impunity as Uzodimma Aide forces a traditional ruler on community

Wonders, they say, shall never end. The quiet Mbutu Nwenkwo Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise LGA of Imo State is yet to come to terms with the impunity of Chief Kenneth Ihonunekwu,

Special adviser to  Gov. Hope Uzodimma on Ease of Doing Business, who forcefully crowned and imposed a new traditional ruler for Mbutu Community with over 40 armed security operatives against the wishes of the entire nine villages that make up the autonomous community.

With the body language of acting on behalf of the State Government and against all known traditional culture and norms, Chief Iheonunekwu took Mr Collins Anyanwu, a retired Police Officer to the Village square and by himself pronounced him Eze-Elect of the Community.

In a grand style he paraded his acclaimed new traditional ruler round the village with a rather questionable very few number of boys, who appeared to have been hired for the job.

It is reported that the Eze stool of Mbutu Nwenkwo autonomous community in Aboh Mbaise LGA was declared vacant in December 2022, one full year after the demise of the late traditional ruler late Eze Stephen Ugochukwu, who hails from Ozara Village. Following the rotatory practice in the Community, Aronta Village was asked to present candidate as new traditional ruler or Eze-elect pending confirmation by the State Government.

After a painstaking process by the Community, Dr Ikenna Nwachukwu was selected by the entire four kindreds of Aronta Community without objection from any of them. Subsequently, Dr. Ikenna Nwachukwu was presented to the entire nine villages of Mbutu Nwenkwo. After his confirmation he was duly crowned on June 21, 2023 by the nine village led by the Eze-in-Council. He was also presented to the Local Government Authorities by the entire community on July 12, 2023.

In a Rambo style to establish that he is the only appointee of the Governor in the Community and should be in charge, Chief Kenneth Iheonunekwu mobilized and got one of the candidate who was not selected by the selection committee, Mr Collins Anyanwu and personally crowned him Eze elect against the culture and tradition of not only the community, but Igbo land in general.

He has threatened to deal with anybody who believes otherwise.

The elders of Mbutu Nwenkwo do not believe that what Chief Kenneth has done has the approval of Governor Hope Uzodimma whom they say is a product of pure traditional igbo culture. They belive that Chief Kenneth, who actually has a questionable character haven ran away from plethora of illicit cases in Abuja where he was residing before he relocated to Imo some years back.

The acting Traditional Prime Minister, Oke Nze John Onyeneri has called on the Governor to call Chief Kenneth to order because they do not believe that he is acting on behalf of the Governor.