His Royal Highness Eze (Rev) Jude Uwalaka (MSI), Ihie 111, Umuihi Autonomous community, Ancient Kingdom, Ihitte Uboma, is presently the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Institution community policing, Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area, Imo State. He became a royal highness in 2017. He served as a soldier in the Biafran Army, an aide to Col. Achuzia. In this chat with our editor, Afam Echi, he states that traditional institution predates the world.
As a traditional ruler and pastor, do you not experience any conflict performing the two roles?
As far as I am concerned there is no conflict. There is none. In the first place both activities are to serve man and God. The issue of traditional institution is something that started before the world began which God himself is the King of Kings. Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and if you look at the bible very well majority of the people that held prominent positions in the bible like Moses, Josephat, Aaron, they were Kings and they were prophets too.
What matters is how one goes about it-what a man has in mind. Some people can be King and not worship idol. There is nothing wrong for a pastor to be a King. It is better for some of us for the pastor to be a King because he is going to handle the issues in the land with the fear of God. Read Deuteronomy Chapter 1:17 for what it says about leadership.
What is the name of your Church?
I am worshipping with the Blood of Jesus Christ Ministry
Are you the founder of the Church?
I am a messenger of God.
Meaning that you are the shepherd there?
Of course
In which group is your church, Pentecostal, orthodox, spiritual or which?
Every church is spiritual, every church is Pentecostal. Every church that exists on earth came out from Pentecostal and Pentecostal came out from Judaism. Jesus Christ was not a Christian. He was a member of Judaism,
The church and traditional institutions are stakeholders in the governance of Imo State. Majority of the victims of bad governance belong to these two groups. Virtually everyone hails from a community or attends a church. Why is it that the leaders have remained so silent on the issues of bad governance in the state? Why is it that we have not heard traditional rulers speak about the salaries owed their subjects?
As far as I know we have the three arms of government namely the executive, the judiciary, the legislature. The traditional institution does not belong to any arm of government. We are to support any government in power to succeed. We are under them. We cannot take decisions for them. They are the ones wearing the shoe and know where it is pinching them. We don’t know what they have and what they don’t have.
They know when they have the money to pay or when they don’t have. We know that in the government of Senator Hope Uzodimma, (Onwa Oyoko), the executive governor of Imo State, he is doing his best. The money generated by the state cannot be used in one department like in road construction, health, schools etc. He has to make it go round. For instance if he has one million naira, he has to share it to accommodate all needs until another one comes. Imo State is not like Lagos State or Rivers or Anambra State that have big industries that can generate monies to pay workers easily.
Some people hold the view that the reason traditional rulers are not speaking out is that they are appointed by the government and are under their payroll. If so, do you think it is right for them to sacrifice their subject?
No, we have been advising government. We can talk to the government but we will not force them to do what they don’t want to do. They have to pay the workers when they have money. If they don’t have money what should they do?
If you notice Sir there is this continued wave of violent attacks in the South East region against the police where policemen are killed and their stations burnt. A police station in Ihitte Uboma was recently affected during which two police men were killed. What actually do you think that is happening because all the cities in the South East are now affected?
We the traditional rulers condemn the burning of police stations, killing and kidnapping people. We are never in support of that. It is evil. It is abominable. What do they gain burning police station, high court, killing people?
Looking back over your childhood days what are the experiences that helped to shape your life to grow to a responsible citizen which is missing among our youths today?
Most of the issues we are grappling with today among youths are caused by us. Some parents have failed to teach the youths the way of the Lord. They don’t read bible, they don’t go to church, they only believe in their bible, and some belong to secret societies. When I was small, my mother use to take me to church. When I became a youth and got married and had children I have continued to take them to church and I am still teaching them about the way of God and that is the only way to move forward. Children of today are not like in the olden days when kids respected elders and any one senior to them. Children of today no longer respect and honour people because of education or what I don’t know of. Education I guess is part of it, some go there to learn good some bad.
Gov Hope Uzodimma few days ago celebrated his one year in office. How would you describe his performances so far?
We have had many governors and today he is the present governor contributing his own quota to develop Imo State economically, educationally, socially and politically and in other areas he thinks the state needs development.
You said earlier that it is the failure of parents to take the children to church that is behind indiscipline. But today there are numerous churches dotted here and there why are we not having their impact on our behaviours?
Yes, it is this many churches that are helping us to stem the problems. Are you hearing of what is happening in the north? Are you hearing that?
Yes, but what is happening in the north also happens here?
You cannot compare what is happening in the North to what is happening here. What is happening in the North is completely different. There you see small boys carrying AK-47 killing people because of their cows. Here you only see sometimes they rob, kidnap, once or twice in a month. But in the north it is everyday occurrence. Don’t you listen to your radio?
Are you insisting the reason crime level is low in the South is because of Christianity?
Yes. People here are educated, They are Christians. They are wise. When they want to do something they use to have some consideration. Have you heard that students of any school in the South East here were kidnapped in groups? Have you heard that?
As the chairman of the Imo State Traditional Institution Community Policing in Ihitte Uboma can you tell us how the program has fared in your community in checking insecurity?
We are trying our best. We are making sure that nothing is happening in Ihitte Uboma. It must be a misunderstanding that occurred that led to the burning of police station or killing of somebody. Ihitte Uboma is a beautiful place. We don’t have problem there.
You have served as an Eze of your community since 2017. What can you identify as your greatest achievement since assumption of the throne?
When I was born I was told that our people had this Osu Caste System. Immediately I was crowned I abolished it and brought some of those involved closer into my cabinet. Some I made chiefs. I separated from that old covenant or bondage. We conduct deliverance prayers from time to time that involved the two communities around me.
As a pastor how do you handle cultural practices of making offerings to the Gods as well?,, cuts in here
Oh Oh Oh are you asking me how I worship my God or how I worship demon?
Are you saying that when you are doing those things as a traditional ruler that you are worshipping demons?
I don’t do that. And my community knows. I told them what and what that I don’t want. And they accepted it my own way. I don’t have to do that. I am a pastor. Any time I want to break the Kola I consecrate it and cover it with the blood of Jesus. No need of bring stones, no need of bringing sands. Do you know what you are talking about?
But the Catholic Church in the Christendom also worships the graven image of Virgin Mary. How about that?
Every church can design its own way of worshipping God but I don’t want to go into that.
But is that not equivalent to what you are condemning?
I can’t say that. I have no right to condemn any church.
Thank you so much.
