Posted by From Charles Onyekamuo in Awka on
Self-acclaimed Obi of Onitsha, Amalunweze Godwin Odu-kwe, yesterday resurfaced in his ancestral home in Onitsha and performed some traditional and customary rites presumably in his capacity as the new 'Obi of Onitsha."
Self-acclaimed Obi of Onitsha, Amalunweze Godwin Odu-kwe, yesterday resurfaced in his ancestral home in Onitsha and performed some traditional and customary rites presumably in his capacity as the new 'Obi of Onitsha."
Odukwe, who was touted to have gone into hiding following the police declaration of him and some of his supporters wanted, said amidst smiles and banters with some of his 'cabinet chiefs" that he never went into hiding.
He told his supporters yesterday in his ancestral Onitsha home that he has performed some traditional rites as the Obi of Onitsha, rites which he described as a kind of harbinger to the one he would perform today involving the slaughtering of a cow for his subjects.
The derobed 'Onowu-Iyassele" (Traditional Prime Minister), Chief Sylvanus Olisa Mortune, who crowned Odukwe the 21st Obi of Onitsha a forthnight ago, was at the brief ceremony and said at no time was he or Odukwe declared wanted. 'There was no time the police declared us wanted," he said.
Mortune along with other traditional high chiefs like Chief Gabriel Emordi, a medical Doctor and retired Colonel in the Nigerian Army whom Mortune had installed as the Ajie of Onitsha in December 2004 to replace the late administrator of the defunct East Central State, Dr. Ukpabi Asika and Chief Obiekwe Aniwetalu, also a protégé of Odukwe whom Mortune installed the 'Onya" of Onitsha later paid Odukwe homage. They all denied having gone into hiding whatsoever, even as they said their visit was to celebrate with Odukwe who turned 72 yesterday.
Mortune and the chiefs were ushered into Odukwe's ancestral home at the inland town of Onitsha with a 21-gun salute and they in turn prostrated to Odukwe in his 'palace" as a mark of honour and loyalty to him.
'It is only in the newspapers that people read that Odukwe and myself are on the run and police are hunting for us. We are in our houses and no police have come for us.
'For 11 years, I, Olisa Mortune, Onowu of Onitsha have been in my house, some say they saw me at Bridge Head, some say they saw me in Abuja, some in Lagos, but I am here in my house. I drive through the Area Command and Central Police Station, Onitsha everyday and no policeman has stopped me and I have not been arrested up till now. So where did they declare me wanted, or Odukwe.
'I am not on the run and police are not looking for me, if you want we can all go to Area Command or Central Police Station, Onitsha to see if they will arrest me or do you want me to call the Commissioner of Police so that you speak with him to be clear that I am not on the run, and they are not looking for me.
'I am tired of explaining this all the time, once you are capped by a legitimate king, you cannot be decaped, you hold the cap forever. If you have fallen out of favour with the Obi, all he does is to tell you not to participate in his functions but all your dues must be kept for you and you will perform your own functions. The controversy we have in Onitsha is ignorance of those who do not know the customs and traditions," Mortune said.
Emordi said 'three first class chiefs are here today to pay Igwe Odukwe homage and wish him happy birthday. The issue of who is the Obi of Onitsha has gone beyond controversy, there is one Obi of Onitsha and he is Odukwe who incidentally is marking his birthday today.
'As the immediate past President General of Onitsha Improvement Union, the union has absolutely no hand in traditional matters, it has no membership as all indigenes of Onitsha are members. So nobody has the right to say he is speaking for Onitsha people in the Union on traditional matter like Obiship stool," he said.