Crisis is brewing in Idume Ogwa in Mbaitoli LGA Imo State over failure by the current leadership of the town union headed by Felix Okechukwu Madu to constitute a new leadership.
According to the immediate past Traditional Prime Minister of the community, Sir D.D. Iwuoha, the tenure of the current town union president expired August 17 this year, having been elected August 17, 2021.
He, however, said to the surprise of many people in the community the current leadership is yet to constitute an electoral committee that will oversee the process of electing new executives.
Iwuoha accused the president of using delay tactics to perpetuate himself in office even when such an act is against the constitution.
Reacting, embattled town union president, Okechukwu Madu said that he was not ignorant of the fact that his tenure expired on August 17.
He, however, said that no public function will take place in the community within the mourning period of their late Traditional Ruler, HRH. Eze Alban Uzor, who according to him was pronounced dead in 2023 and was buried on December 29 of the same year.
The town union president maintained that in their constitution it was stipulated that if the traditional ruler or his wife (Lolo) dies, that the entire community will mourn their demise and within that period, no festive activity will take place till the mourning period is over.
He said that those calling for the constitution of new leadership know about the custom but that desperation had taken hold of their conscience and eclipsed their sense of reasoning.
Madu further said that when Ugoeze Grace Uzor died a few years ago, the women’s group of the town union mourned her for one year without getting involved in any festival, not even the August meeting.
“Emergency meeting was held on January 18 this year by elders of the community to reaffirm that there will be no public gathering or festivity within the on-going one year mourning period which will end on December 29 this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, the member representing Mbaitoli Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly, Innocent Ikechukwu Ikpamezie has intervened in the crisis, calling on the warring parties to seek peaceful resolution.
Addressing some of the village heads at his office in the State Assembly complex, the lawmaker informed them of his willingness to help in resolving the issue.
He told them that similar issues have been resolved at his office and that their own case would not be different.
Ikpamezie further told the village heads and warring parties to consult the constitution and apply it on the current issue.
He enjoined them to avoid actions capable of disrupting the mourning period of their Eze.
Among the village heads who attended the meeting included the former president general of the town union, Herbert Eluchie, Solomon Nwaneri, youth leader of the community, Joseph Ibekwe, among others.