By Fortunate Chukwuka
The women of Ihie autonomous community in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have warned against reported attempts to desecrate the sacred traditional institution in their community by any group or individuals.
This came on the heels of an alleged plot to defile the palace of His Royal Highness, Eze Gabriel Uzoma Okoro, the Odu II of Ihie Autonomous community by some hoodlums who were allegedly being sponsored to assault the king.
It would be recalled that the chairman of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Emmanuel Ajah, had last week strangely announced a ban on all forms of public gatherings in Ihie Autonomous Community alleging rising cases of insecurity in the area of which has rather been very peaceful.
In the media reports and public service announcements ,the Council Boss had informed that the five-day ban on public gatherings would last between 26 to 30 of September 2024, the same period the community planned to hold it’s annual New Yam festival, claiming it was to safeguard lives and properties of the community.
However, following the quick intervention of the peaceable and peace-loving Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, the ban which was targeted at stopping the New Yam festival celebration of the community and also coronations of some illustrious sons of the community and Ishiagu in general was graciously lifted and the event successfully held.
The protesting women in their 50s, 60s and some above 70s who bore various placards and chanted solidarity songs from strategic parts of the community to the Eze’s palace warned those sponsoring crisis in the area to desist from such act and support the reign of the monarch as the ordained and people-loved traditional ruler of Ihie Autonomous community.
The placards which read; “Do not TOUCH or harm our ODU II”, “There’s no crises in Ihie”, “Chairman, Emmanuel Ajah (of Ivo LGA) stop inciting crises in Ihie Community”, among others were strategically displayed by the protesting women.
While reaffirming their support and loyalty to the reign of the Odu II, the women also used the medium to extoll the traditional ruler for the peace and unity he had maintained since he came on board as the Odu II of Ihie Autonomous community.
Speaking on their behalf, one of their leaders, Mrs. Philomena Ngozi expressed joy over the peaceful and successful organization of the New Yam festival events.
“I thank the Eze for his numerous achievements which among others include: the construction of Afikpo farmland road with seven concrete Bridges with his personal resources, maintenance of peace, law and order and observance of the people’s culture and traditions among others.”
She called on those instigating crises to refrain from such behaviour, noting that their own time shall come.
Addressing the women on behalf of the Traditional Ruler, a native Obuegu Ihie, High Chief Gilbert Okoro thanked the Governor and other relevant stakeholders for their interventions and particularly for prevailing on the Council Chairman to reverse his media announcements of a ban on public gathering during the New Yam festival events.
He also joined in further plea on the Governor to call those behind the dastardly attempt to desecrate their sacred traditional institution to order.
“Ihie Autonomous community has been very peaceful until certain individuals wanted to impose themselves on the community as town union leaders against the wishes of the majority of the people. Since they were stopped, they have been troubling our community. They even planned to hold their own New Yam festival separate from that of the community. Do communities hold different New Yam festivals?, he queried.
Okoro added, “But we stopped them through an understanding with the government. Till now, they have continued to dish out threats to our peace-loving people of Ihie Community and our Eze in particular. In fact, we heard that they are planning to sponsor some women to come and urinate on the Eze and the palace. We ask them to stop any evil plans against our Traditional Ruler because our community loves and respect him”.
Sources within Ihie Community had hinted our correspondent that the major cause of the crises in Ihie Autonomous community is the alleged refusal of the immediate-past caretaker chairman of Ihie Autonomous community, Mr. Orji Elijah Okechukwu to give account of the proceeds he reportedly realized from selling of several plots of communal land belonging to Ihie community.
According to an impeccable source in Ihie who pleaded anonymity, “Sometime in November 2023, the Ihie traditional ruling council summoned Mr. Orji Elijah Okechukwu to give account of his stewardship and transactions performed by him while in office, but instead of answering to this call, he turned round and starting mobilizing his cronies and allies to start plotting the removal of the Odu 2 in order to keep secret all the ills he perpetrated while in office.”
The source further claimed that the Local Government Chairman of Ivo LGA is a beneficiary of the alleged action of the said Orji Elijah Okechukwu, hence his reason for supporting him.
Efforts to get reaction of the accused local government chairman of Ivo was not successful at the time of this report.