By Osita Nwiphe, Abakaliki
The Six Traditional Prime Ministers of six autonomous communities of Iseke Mgbomeze in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have passionately called on the Peace Loving Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr Francis Nwifuru to come and rescue the communities from the looming security breach being championed by Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr. Patrick Nwajioha and Mr.Stephen Nwele, all from Ndebor Iseke autonomous communities.
The Six Traditional Prime Ministers : Chief Alo Itumo, Uke, Agelegu Iseke Autonomous Community, Elder Chief Akata Iboko, Uke Iseke Autonomous Community, Chief Emmanuel Ogbo, Uke, Ndebor Iseke Autonomous Community, Chief Michael Ede, Uke, Mbeke Iseke Autonomous Community, Chief Solomon Ekperebe, Uke, Ndegu Iseke Autonomous Community and Chief Eze Innocent Ishi Uke, Onuenyim Agalegu Iseke Autonomous Community jointly said if nothing is done, the actions of the trio earlier mention above, might lead to state of anarchy and lawlessness.
This was contained in the petition written to Governor Francis Nwifuru by Anmeke Kindred read by the traditional ruler of Agalegu Iseke Autonomous community, Eze Paul Egbe at Odomoke primary school in Ebonyi local Government Area of Ebonyi State during the event.
The Traditional Prime ministers urged Governor to redirect the his Principal Secretary, Chief Mathias Adum to use his good offices to extend the already existing peaceful atmosphere you have established instead of using it to allegedly fomenting and sponsoring troubles in Iseke Mgbomeze.
“We joyfully join other numerous sons and daughters of Izhi Clan to felicitate His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on the immediate past 2025 Ojiji Festival. We further commend His Excellency for his laudable achievements in all spheres of governance just within two years in office, especially in maintaining peace and security across entire Ebonyi State.
“We particularly thank His Excellency for the utmost peace being enjoyed by the people of Iseke Mgbomeze Communities in Ebonyi Local Government Area.
Regrettably Sir, we humbly wish to notify you that there is a current move being championed by three (3) persons from Ndebor Iseke Community which is capable of truncating the existing peace in entire Iseke Mgbomeze Communities.
“These three persons:Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr. Patrick Nwajioha and Mr.Stephen Nwele have been holding meetings with some elders and some Traditional Rulers, making consultations with elders and Traditional Rulers both within and outside Iseke Communities in Izhi Clan, and visiting Ishi Uke Amegu to persuade them to come to Iseke to reverse the age-long cultural
eldership status in Iseke Mgbomeze which holds that Anmeke sub-Clan is senior to lzhida sub-Clan.
“It is however, worthy of note that some of the Traditional Rulers and elders they consulted totally condemned the move and dissociated themselves completely.
“Nevertheless, Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr.Patrick Nwajioha and Mr. Stephen Nwele persisted in their move and visited the Izhi Traditional Rulers Council and Ishi Uke Amegu, to convince them to come to lseke for the purpose stated above, with the pretext that both Anmeke and Izhida sub-Clans have agreed to reverse the eldership status in Iseke Mgbomeze.
Accordingly, Amegu people have agreed to come to Iseke (at Odomoke) on Wednesday,10″ September,2025 in response to the request made by the trio.
“Reliable information equally has it that the team from Amegu will come to Iseke with selected Traditional Rulers across Izhi Clan for that purpose.
FACTS OF THE MATTER
“Your Excellency Sir, we know you as a peace-loving Governor and a father of all your subjects; and we humbly hereby state the facts of the matter as follows:
That Iseke Communities are currently enjoying utmost peace; That in Iseke Mgbomeze, the cultural structure, which is immemorial,has Anmeke and Izhida as their sub-Clans with Anmeke being the senior (elder), without anyone having any knowledge of how it came to be;
That the issue of Anmeke sub-Clan being senior (elder) to Izhida sub-Clan in Iseke Mgbomeze Communities is an age-long fact which has remained so for generations before we were born;
That it is difficult to understand why any move should be made to reverse the cultural structure and eldership status only in Iseke Mgbomeze Communities without anyone talking of reversing the structure in other communities of Izhi Clan.
“That the cultural eldership status in Iseke Communities is not in contention and has never caused any problem between the sub-Clans; That the past great leaders of Iseke such as Late Chief Nwiboko Obodo,Late HRH Eze Iteshi Nwenu, Late HRH Eze Nwodo Oku, etc.never saw the need and therefore never made any attempt to reverse the cultural eldership status in Iseke Communities.
That an attempt to reverse the eldership status in Iseke Mgbomeze Communities now is obviously with an ulterior motive which only those championing it know.
That there was never a time Anmeke sub-Clan ever agreed that the eldership status in Iseke Mgbomeze should be reversed;
That a few individuals led by Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr. Patrick Nwajioha and Mr. Stephen Nwele from Ndebor Iseke Community are simply deceiving unsuspecting Traditional Rulers, elders and Ishi Uke Amegu, and luring them into a matter that is capable of causing security breach in Iseke Communities; and
That Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr. Patrick Nwajioha and Mr. Stephen Nwele from Ndebor Iseke Community have no constitutional right or authority to speak for the six (6) communities in Iseke Mgbomeze as they are not holding any leadership position, politically or culturally”. They added.
The said based on the facts stated above, “we humbly plead as follows:
That the existing peace in Iseke Communities should not be allowed to be truncated by a few individuals whose interest is unknown; That the cultural eldership status in Iseke Mgbomeze Communities is an age-long standing culture and should not be reversed or tampered with under any guise; That Chief Boniface Okpete, Dr. Patrick Nwajioha and Mr. Stephen Nwele should be called toorder to desist from moves or actions that are capable of destabilizing the existing peace in Iseke Mgbomeze Communities”
“That the Ishi Uke and Amegu elders should be advised to avoid entertaining frivolous requests from individuals, especially issues that are capable of causing crisis in Izhi Clan;
That the Traditional Rulers should be restricted to matters under their respective domains and desist from interfering in the affairs of other communities, especially where peace is reigning supreme; and
That Anmeke sub-Clean totally reject any plan, move or action to reverse the cultural eldership status in Iseke Communities as it has been so for generations before we were born”.
On his part, Chief Boniface Okpete of Alibaruhu Ndebor Iseke autonomous community who spoke on behalf of the people mentioned in the above petition said his intention was never to cause crisis or insecurity as alleged but to ensure that the culture of Iseke Mgbomeze is put straight in accordance with the tradition of the land.
“It is not true that I am bringing divisive means among Izzi people, they turned everything to politics, they are combining the tradition of our land with politics, I can never be part of people who are causing trouble. They mobilized to come and destroy what we have planned to do today, that was to do something that can unite Iseke people together but as you can see, it has been disrupted”. Okpete added.
He said everything sourdough how Anneke people of Iseke Mgbomeze because the eldest instead of Izhida was a long story which he cannot tell there. But everything about it was politics.
Earlier, the Chairman Izhi traditional Council, Eze Fidelis Nwonumaru, President General of Ohaizhi, Eze Sunday Oketa in their Speeches said the traditional institution of Izhi will handle it in such a way that it will not bring crisis.
In appreciation, one of the stakeholders of Iseke Mgbomeze, Mr Chamberlain Uchaji appreciated the Amegu people who refused to be used in fomenting trouble in the Land.
