Tony Okafor, Awka
There is tension in Alor Community, Idemili South local government area of Anambra State, following the dethronement of the traditional ruler, Anthony Elibe Okonkwo by a State High Court.
Alor is the hometown of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige.
Since his dethronement in February, 2022, by the judgement of Hon Justice Pete Obiorah of the Anambra High Court, Ogidi Judicial Division, the monarch had refused to vacate the throne.
Justice Obiora said, “I grant an order that the certificate of recognition issued to Okonkwo as Igwe of Alor by the State government on June 23, 2014 is in breach of the Constitution of Alor People’s Convention (APC), then in force and Anambra State Government Traditional Rulers Law, 2007”.
“I grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining Okonkwo from further parading himself as the Igwe of Alor, carrying on any function(s) and/or duties of Igwe of Alor, occupying or using the palace of Obi Eze-Agbudugbu and generally from intermeddling in the various customs and practices, as well as administrative affairs of Alor town”.
The community had elected Igwe, Collins Ebelechukwu Chukwumesili as its new Monarch, while waiting for his recognition from the government.
Youth of the community had threatened to cause trouble in the community if the dethroned monarch failed to vacate the office with immediate effect for peace to reign.
Sequel , the community had slammed a notice of consequences of disobedience of court order (Form 48) against the monarch, based on the judgement of the court.
But one of the leaders of Alor People’s Convention (APC) , Christian Okudo, on Friday said Okonkwo remained the traditional ruler of the community.
He said the judgment had been appealed by the dethroned monarch, through his counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) at the appeal Court in Awka.
Okudo said, “They should wait for the Appeal. The Status quo should be maintained for now, until after the Appeal.
However, the President-General of Alor Peoples Convention (APC) Chief Uzoma Igbonwa, insisted that a new monarch had been elected by the community in the person of Ebelechukwu Chukwumesili.
Describing Okonkwo as a contemnor, Igbonwa said it was wrong for him ( Okonkwo) to continue to parade himself as the Igwe of Alor community, in breach of the subsisting court order/ judgement.
Igbonwa, gave an instance where Okonkwo returned from abroad recently and on arrival at Anambra International Passenger and Cargo Airport, Umeri, mounted a show of shame by addressing few rented individuals as Igwe of Alor.
He said the most annoying thing was that he told them that he was still the Igwe of Alor because he filed an appeal against his dethronement, adding that he also filed a stay of execution.
Igbonwa argued that even if Okonkwo filed a stay of execution which had not yet been determined, his actions so far indicated that he had been acting in breach of the court order, hence the Form 48.
In Suit No. HID/354/2019, the plaintiffs, Frank Nwabufo Okoye, Ifenna Okafor and Igwe Mac-Anthony Okonkwo were seeking the court’s protection and stoppage of the defendants, Incorporated Trustees of Alor Peoples Assembly (APA)and Chief Uzoma Igbonwa, from dethroning him as the Igwe of Alor.