Sequel to the reinstatement of 15 traditional rulers sacked by the previous administration, Igbo Elders and Stakeholders Forum has lauded the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, describing the feat as a giant stride in restoring the sanctity and dignity of the state’s cultural heritage including the tradition of Igbo nation in general.
The forum gave the commendation in a statement it issued, signed and made available to our reporter in Owerri, last week, through the National Coordinator of Igbo Elders and Stakeholders Forum, His Lordship, Bishop Justice Ikpeama.
According to the forum, “it beats the imagination of any right thinking Igbo how the very hallowed traditional institutions in Igbo could be so degraded and abused by politicians who find themselves in privileged position as governor of a state for only just a very transient period of not more than eight years.
Such level of sacrilege should never be imagined not to talk about being permitted in any sane society. How could we get to the point where politicians were allowed to defile the culture of a people by deposing their traditionally enthroned rulers just because they could not get the compromise they expected from them”.
The forum, while reflecting that “traditional rulers in Igbo are the custodians of truth, justice and rich cultural heritage of the people”, stressed that “they are therefore meant to speak truth to power, stand by the truth, without fear or favour.
Whereas their actions and inactions did not favour a particular government in power does not warrant such government to contemplate changing them, since they are the custodians of the people’s culture and heritage.
As rightly emphasized by Governor Hope Uzodimma, only the people have the right to choose their traditional rulers, government has no such powers, government’s roles simply ends with approving or recognizing whoever the people have chosen as their traditional ruler”.
The Bishop maintained that in order to move “forward the new Imo Elders and Stakeholders Forum will not sit and watch any future government play politics with the very sacred traditional institutions in Imo State. We will not hesitate to resist such actions if ever they occur anytime in the nearest future. We therefore, commend Governor Hope Uzodinma for reversing this anomaly and for his humility in apologising for the errors of the previous government where this sacrilege was carried out”.
The forum also felicitated with the traditional rulers on their reinstatement and urged them “never to relent in speaking truth to power at all prevailing circumstances. We equally wish to appeal to the newly elected Governor of Anambra State to emulate the actions of Governor Hope Uzodimma on this matter and resist any temptation of interfering with the processes of enthroning a traditional ruler by respective communities, like in the case of Alor Community. If ever a Traditional Ruler should be removed, the Anambra State Government should allow due process and the will of the people to ultimately prevail as this will strengthen the traditional institutions in the state”.
He vowed that “Imo Elders and Stakeholders Forum will always support all well meaning efforts of the traditional institutions in Imo State as we remain partners in the progress and rapid development of Imo State. God bless the Traditional Institutions in Imo State, God bless the Igbo Elders and Stakeholders Forum, God bless the Executive Governor and good people of Imo State”
