Emekuku Royal Stool Tussle: Lawyer Grills Plaintiff Over Selection Process For Monarch

By Chinedu Max Egere… 

At a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Owerri last week, cross examinations made by Chris Ahumibe Esq, the lead counsel to the principal members of Obi royal family, king makers, the youths and others, all of Emekuku in Owerri North Local Government Area in Imo state who are the defendants in that particular suit were filled with questions pertaining to the selection of the Monarch of Emekuku in line with its customs, traditions and cultures.

The counsel, Chris Ahumibe Esq had grilled the plaintiff, Ejeshi Amadi Obi questioning him whether the Youths of Emekuku have any role to play towards the due process in the selection of ‘Eze’ in Emekuku community, which he responded saying that the Youths of Emekuku have no role to play in the selection of Monarch in Emekuku.

Barrister Ahumibe went further in his cross examinations, questioning the plaintiff, Ejeshi Amadi Obi, if he was not aware of the Court injunctions restraining the government of Imo state from having hands in his purported coronation and subsequent presentation of staff of office before he proceeded with his actions, to which he however denied knowledge of the piece of information.

The counsel, Barrister Ahumibe had also drawn the attention of the plaintiff to the contents of his petition to the Police, questioning him if he was not aware that the said petition clearly differed in some areas from the charges before his clients in that Magistrate’s Court.

The plaintiff, while admitting the copy of the petition as his, did not consent to the differences as spotted by the lawyer. Still during the cross examinations, the lead counsel of the defendants, Barrister Ahumibe had reminded the plaintiff of how he was welcomed by some Youths with embarrassing choruses and chantings, some of which he said were openly heard singing ”Onye Eze anyi ayomana… Eee, Onye Eze Eze anyi ayomana….” and even amazingly, taking place during the mourning period of Eze Ugochukwu Obi.

The plaintiff only agreed that the said youths had only welcomed him as an ‘ordinary person’ with their songs, but not to the extent of praising him as the ‘Eze’.

The counsel had also questioned the plaintiff during the cross examinations, if he was not aware that coronations of Eze of Emekuku are not known to be done in a clandestine manner, but rather usually made public given the traditions, customs and cultures of Emekuku community and further, that his presentation of staff of office cannot be seen to be real as it was done without Emekuku community being effectively represented.

The plaintiff, on this issue, had responded that he got his ‘staff of office’ in Government House, Owerri with some persons from the community.

The late Eze Peter Obi

It should be recalled that some time ago, a group of youths in Emekuku had gone to the old palace of the late Eze Ugochukwu Obi to meet the principal members of Obi royal family where they had, according to reports, in a non-violent and peaceful manner, raised the issue of how they have been shortchanged in the community since after the demise of Eze Ugochukwu Peter Obi over the ‘Ego Omenala’ revenue.

Media investigations have disclosed that the same Youths did not get audience where they had initially gone to as their first point of call, as shunning and ignoring them were said to give rise to their unscheduled visit to the old palace of the late Eze Ugochukwu Peter Obi.

It was right there that they were said to make further enquiries on other areas concerning their community.

It should be recalled that the late Eze Ugochukwu Peter Obi was on the revered throne as the Traditional Ruler of the ancient kingdom of Emekuku for upwards of 38 years and that during the glorious times, he was also the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers in the old Owerri Local Government Area, which as at then largely comprised the present Owerri North, Owerri West and Owerri Municipal and also Ngor-Okpala Local Government Areas and beyond for a good number of years.

In another Magistrate’s Court sitting in Owerri, still involving the issue of Emekuku Ezeship tussle, the President-General and Secretary of Emekuku Town Union, one Alex Ofurum and another, Damian Opara respectively, are reported to be currently facing the charges of alleged forgery of the signatures of Eze Ugochukwu Peter Obi, who was reported to be alive and on the throne as at the period of their alleged action of forgery, in an attempt to forcefully amend the constitution of Emekuku Town Union, especially the column for the ‘Eze’ to sign in the bid to favour their preferred person to become the Traditional Ruler of the community.

The suit was reported to be instituted by the principal members of Obi royal family, the king makers and other key stakeholders for the purposes of guarding the traditions, customs and cultures of their community.