HOW JAMES NNAJI EMERGED TRADITIONAL RULER ELECT OF AMAECHI IDODO COMMUNITY

In the year, 2016 when HRH, Igwe Stephen O. Edenweze of Eziogbodo village in Amaechi Idodo Community, Nkanu East Local Government Area died, the generality of the people of Amaechi Idodo mourned him for a period of twelve whole months, which is the complete cycle required by the custom for a community to mourn the demise of their traditional Ruler.

Some years later, the people saw the need to institute a new Traditional Ruler so as to fill the vacuum  in Amaechi Idodo Traditional Rulers stool.

According to their constitution, the election of a traditional ruler should be rotatory between the two villages of Obinagu and Eziogbodo. The late Igwe Edenweze hails from  Eziogbodo, so it falls on the people of  Obinagu village to produce the Traditional Ruler.

Based on that and in line with their request through their letter to the then Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters, in 2022 and 2023,  election was scheduled for former Commissioner, Chief COC Egumgbe were both Chief James Nnaji and Prince Ajaegbu son of late Igwe Ajanwaokpube expressed their interests

However for the reasons best known to him,  both elections scheduled were stopped following court actions by  Prince Ajaegbu and his supporters.

Meanwhile, the present administration of Governor Dr Peter Mbah, in his quest to ensure peace and development of grassroots deemed it right to break the eight years vacuum. This the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs Deacon Okey A. Ogbodo took by the horn and launched fresh conflicts resolution meetings as well as pre- election  meetings where it was resolved that all court cases be withdrawn and agreement was also reached on when and how to conduct the election in line with their community traditional Ruler’s constitution gazetted by the state government.

To ensure peaceful and successful election, an Electoral Committee chaired by Chris Mbah and representatives of the three contestants was set up .

As it is the mandate of the Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs to observe the election process to ensure equity and fairness, the Hon. Commissioner was there to observe and monitor the election.

According to the team leader, Mrs Ogochukwu Ozoagu, Director Chieftaincy Affairs Department, who called on the people to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and ensure they vote to elect a credible person that has their interests at heart. When they got to the venue , they observed that the Electoral Committee Chairman hired three non indigenes from Ezeagu LGA to assist him which they objected to and the three persons left.

Mrs Ozoagu stressed that the election went smoothly and peacefully until it came to counting.

The supporters of Chief James Nnaji who had the majority and Junior brother to his opponent who led the counting started under counting after seeing the large number of people. Despite  his undercounting, Chief James Nnaji scored the highest votes count of 543, Prince James Ajaegbu scored 352 votes while Chief Emmanuel Edenweze scored the list votes of 101 which  led to the declaration of Chief James Nnaji as the traditional Ruler-elect as announced by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Chris Mbah.

One of the aspirant, Chief Emmanuel Edenwaoze had since congratulated Chief James Nnaji as the Traditional Ruler Elect but Prince James Ajaegbu and his group refused to accept the election results, just as they had earlier gone to court for the past 8 years stopping the said election until this present  administration of Governor Dr Peter Mbah who is poised to establish peace, security and development across all communities.

However, most times for a community to benefit from government provisions, there has to be Traditional Ruler and President General in the community. Absence of one or the two automatically disqualifies them from benefiting in government provisions. It so disheartening that rather than creating an enabling environment for the development of one’s community some persons prefer to achieve their personal and selfless interest at the expense of their people’s welfare.They go ahead holding their community in captivity for years.