Willie Obiano, His Rising Craze and The Defiling of Our Traditional Institutions

• By Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu

As our elders will always say, whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad!

It is very sad and shameful that my state Anambra that is meant to be the light of the nation is fast degrading into a community of deceit, bad governance, pomposity and suicidal political propaganda. The main target of any serious and focused government should be on how to silence critics through massive provision of social amenities but unfortunately, my state led by Chief Willie Obiano who parade himself as Akpokuedike is busy buying chieftaincy titles from various communities of the state and this calls for total reform of our traditional institutions.

In spite of the fact that both the blind and deaf can testify that Governor Obiano has totally abandoned Nnewi the economic heartbeat of the state, the governor shamelessly went there today to ‘purchase’ another chieftaincy title instead of apologizing to Ndị Nnewi and ụmụ Anaedo. The most annoying part of this is that the event took place on a day that supposed to be sacrificed and honoured in memory of Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Ikemba Nnewi) who died on a day like this few years ago. Recall that late Ojukwu was the patron of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which is the ruling party in the state but instead of remembering their patron in a special way, the party led by Chief Willie Obiano preferred acquiring chieftaincy title on Nnewi soil a day like this. By the way why must the well respected Igwe Kenneth Orizu III (Igwe Nnewi) involve himself with the affairs of politicians? Why did he confer a chieftaincy title to a very controversial leader that has proven to hate Ndị Nnewi and their environment with passion? Can our well respected Igwe and his cabinet convince Ndị Nnewi and ụmụ Anaedo with a reason why Chief Obiano should be honoured in a land that he has neglected? What really brought us to this stage?

The funny part of the whole drama is that the governor allowed himself to be deceived by few individuals who are less than 0.1% of Nnewi voting population. Why should Obiano believe that Ndị Nnewi have endorsed him for second tenure just because a middle sized red cap was placed on his head by an individual that may not even possess a voters card? The governor should have utilised these time he wasted seeking for chieftaincy titles and ceremonial endorsements to apologise to Ndị Nnewi, ụmụ Anaedo and Ndị Anambra, and commenced massive provision of social amenities as those are the only things that can guarantee him a second tenure in office. However, he can keep parading himself around sycophants and see how his political life will end.

Our Traditional Rulers should focus on promoting our values and cultures as well as promoting peace in the society and stop involving themselves in politics.

God save Ndị Anambra.

- Chukwuemerie Uduchukwu