HRH. Igwe* *Alphonsus Ofobuike* *Ezeoke.* *The Igwe of* *Amichi, Anambra State
The Igwe of Amichi in Nnewi South LGA of Anambra State, His Royal Highness, Igwe Barr. Alphonsus Ofobuike Ezeoke, has given reasons why he decided not to wield the big stick in dealing with certain elements in his kingdom who are trying to usurp his throne.
It would be recalled that a few weeks back, some people from the community tried to proclaim themselves as the rulers of the town against all established norms and tradition. It was expected that the known and authentic Igwe would rave and even seek Military actions against them, but in a good show of maturity and panache, the Igwe decided to tow the path of peace and diplomacy.
The major grudge of these people is that the Igwe is always traveling out of the country and that he is not on ground to rule over his people. The Igwe who is an American Trained Lawyer with a flourishing Chamber in Houston Texas, has however declared that he has finally relocated back home.
Addressing a select group of Journalists last Sunday in his Palace, he said: “” Well, I’m back finally in Nigeria. Tell them that I’m now home. I’m now home full-time. I was in America when I was crowned as Igwe. I was a Lawyer in America before I was crowned Igwe.
I came back to Nigeria, went to Law School and was called to Bar in 2018. The reason I often go to America is because I am well established there. My Law Practice is well established there. I go there, make money and come over here. But let me shock you.
I spend #150,000 everyday while I’m here; the Anambra State Government pays #170,000 per month, so you do the mathematics yourself. I don’t go to America because I love it. People that know me in America will tell you that I go from my house to my office and from my office back to my house. I’m very busy with my work at all times. I do my typing myself. My Secretaries don’t do my work,I do all my works. It is only when I come here that I get to interact with human beings. I don’t do that over there, except clients and when they come, they come for specific purposes. It is only when I come here that I can sit with people and joke, laugh and throw banters. I don’t do that over there.
When I leave Nigeria, I feel very unhappy. Sometimes, I have to change my Flight Tickets a number of times and it costs me $ 750 just to change it. Most times, I have to really drag myself up and get into the plane to go.”” Asked what actually happened, he answered: “” I don’t think I’m the proper party to answer that question, the proper party to answer that question are the people that orchestrated whatever it is that they were doing. You can’t just do a coup, because that is basically what they were planning, a take over of Government by force, just that this particular one was abortive. In Nigeria,a coup is against the law. The only thing that this type of thing does is to cause a rift and division which is to the benefit of none. Amichi Chieftaincy is based on Progenitory. It comes from your forefathers before it gets to you. And I can trace it back to me from my forefathers. All my forefathers and my own father were Certified and they were all Obis and Igwes of Amichi. I’m the first son of my father the late Alphonsus Ezeoke who died in 1979.
After his death, the community selected me. I am the one carrying the Ofo of the town. Nobody can come and take the Ofo from me. I have my Certificate of Recognition from the then Governor of Anambra State. I did not become Igwe through court processes.” On his message to his subjects, he replied: “” I want people to generally understand that in every or town, there must be some problems and I need you to understand that resolving those problems is what makes your community a good community.
I want to advice that you should not use your wealth to flex muscle in your town in order to cause rift, because as you make your bed, you will return back to it. This Igwe that I am is the mandate of the gods. It is not my own making and if you want to challenge me, you are challenging the gods. I am not going to round you up and start using the Police to harass you, arrest you, or shoot in the air. You will be seeing our ancestors and they will ask you, ” Old boy! What is this you are doing”? My message is that peace is difficult to get. Peace is a process. It is not something you talk about,it is a process. When your brother does not agree with you, you don’t go and overthrow him just because he doesn’t agree with you. What you do is to continue to negotiate until you come to a compromise. If you don’t achieve that compromise,go back home and come back after 6 months, until you get the desired results. Also, remember that when you are playing a match, the other team is prepared just as you are prepared, but you will always believe that you will win until the game is over. It is when the game is being played that you begin to find out that the goal post that you saw as being so big when you were inside your locker room becomes so small when you come to the field. Guess what? It doesn’t get bigger! And it becomes a problem for you to score. I’m telling Anambra State generally and I’m telling everyone that I’m back. I’m going to be in Amichi and we are going to figure it out on how to make things work, because this is where I find my happiness.
This is where I stay and I’m happy. This is where the gods can hear me and I can hear them. I’m the easiest person to get along with, but you will not know it by what they are saying about me, by what they are saying, you will think that this guy is a monster. They themselves that are saying I’m a monster know me very well. They know that it’s not true, it’s just mere propaganda. Thank you””
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