Imo Traditional Rulers Protest Colleague Kidnap, Rain Curses on Perpetrators

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Owerri

OWERRI, IMO STATE, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Angered by the recent abduction of one of their colleagues, a traditional ruler of Nguru Nweafor community,in Aboh Mbaise Council Area of Imo State, Eze Oswald Anyanwu, Monarchs in Owerri geo-political zone have staged a protest on the development.

The Royal fathers, had during the exercise rained curses on perpetrators of the unholy and criminal act.

African Examiner reports that the aggrieved royal fathers had during the protest moved peacefully in groups to various road junctions within and outside Owerri, the Imo state capital.

Speaking to newsmen, Head of Traditional rulers in Owerri Zone, Eze Chidume Okoro, said they received the news of the kidnap of their brother traditional ruler with deep shock.

He said: “The current kidnapping of Eze Oswald Anyanwu, adds to the growing list of monarchs abducted in the state, in the past few years, in what now looks like a declaration of war against the revered traditional institution and the foundation of our cultural heritage”.

According to him, the kidnapping of traditional rulers “is not only an abomination but also desecrates the traditional institution.

Hear the Royal father: “Handcuffing, blindfolding and throwing the custodians of our tradition and cultural heritage into car booths, for whatever purpose, is dastardly and an abomination,”Okoro stated.

He further noted that “this developing phenomenon and recurring acts of humiliation, desecration and abomination against royal fathers in Igboland is obviously responsible for the denials, failures and rejection of Igbo at various levels of our society.”

The monarchs also regretted that despite efforts by the security operatives to make the state safe for all, hoodlums have turned their arsenals against the royal institution, with a view to causing confusion and fear in the entire land.

“We hereby issue an ultimatum to release Eze Oswald Anyanwu, within 48 hours or face an unending calamity in their lives and their lineage from the source of power of monarchs”,he declared.

The Imo state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, in his reaction, said that there was no report yet on whether the kidnapped Monarch has been set free by his abductors.

He stated that “The security agencies are still sniffing all the nooks and crannies for his release and possible arrest of the perpetrators,”

Our Correspondent recalled that Imo state has witnessed several cases of traditional rulers abduction in the recent past, a development that now makes Monarchs in the area to always go to sleep with one of their eyes open.