Awarra Court Area- Ohaji/Egbema Council Chairmanship: A Plea For Understanding

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We, the political stakeholders of Awarra Court Area in Ohaji district, are aware of the regrettable plethora of rejoinders that have  dominated the media space in recent time. As critical/political leaders of the Court Area, we held a well attended meeting on Thursday June 20, 2024, and after intense deliberations, resolved as follows:

  1. We do not intend in this write up to flame up the already tensed situation and our position here is to point out to our fellow Local Government indigenes to hear us out and find reasons to align with our case.
  2. For a start, local government administration as we know now, effectively began in 1976 with the Local Government Administration Laws of that year which set up Local Government Administration and the conduct and composition thereof. Prior to this, we had, during the colonial era, Native Authority Administration which gave some Autonomy to the District of Ohaji and Egbema. Ohaji had her Native Authority administration which was supposed to take off at Ohoba but was shifted to Umuokanne. This was Ohaji alone.
  3. From 1976, the Local Government which was Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta began with the following Council Chairmen: HRH Late Chief K.O. Ekwueme, to Chief R.I. Amadioha, Hon Chief F.N. Chimaokwu- all of Egbema extraction.
  4. This was the position until 1990 when General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida(IBB) reformed the Local Government system and Chief Eugene Amadi of Oguta became the Council Chairman until Oguta was carved out. In 1992, Chief P.A. Oparaji of Awarra Court-Area became Council Chairman until his tenure was terminated in 1993. Nze H.C. Ihueze of Umuapu Community in Umuapu Court Area became “Appointed” Caretaker Chairman of the Council. He was succeeded by Nze Amunwa of Obosima Community in Ohoba Court Area, Ohaji, which eventually handed over again to Chief P.A. Oparaji(Awarra Court-Area in 1997).

Within this period, the House of Assembly had the following distribution:  In 1979, Ohaji was a District Constituency and Chief P.A. Oparaji represented Ohaji from 1979-1983. Chief F.N. Chimokwu represented Egbema bloc   within the same period.

In 1993, Chief JohnBosco C. Ben of Umuagwo Community in Ohaji represented Ohaji while Late Arch. Vena Nzeoma represented Egbema.

This time, Hon. Lucky Ekeordu of Umuokanne Ohaji went to the House of Representatives for Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta. He handed over to Late Hon. Tony Okere of Obiakpu in Egbema.

Eventually, Ohaji and Egbema became one State Constituency and Hon. Esom Goddy Obodo of Amafor- Umunwaku Community in Ohoba Court-Area in Ohaji, represented the Ohaji/Egbema State Constituency. Rt.Hon. Goodluck Opia from Egbema took over from Hon. Esom Obodo and went for two terms (8 years), Hon. Luke Chukwu from Umuapu Community in Umuapu Court Area took over and spent only one term, he handed over to Hon. Emma Orie from Umuokanne in Ohoba Court -Area who handed over to Hon. Heclus Okoro of Egbema. Hon Heclus Okoro handed over currently  to Hon. Francis Osuoha of Mgbuisi Community in Umuapu Court Area.

As at the time Hon Emma Orie handed over to Heclus Cyriacus Okoro, Hon. Goodluck Opia was representing Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru -West Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives. Hon. Andrew Chidi Azunna Nwokotubo(Voko) was the MD ISOPADEC, while, Hon. Kingsley Chima Uju, was in the Federal House of Representatives respectively. All of Egbema extraction.

For the Council Chairmanship, Chief Hon. C.O. Uwakwe of Egbema succeeded Chief P.A. Oparaji in 1999.

  1. The spread of appointed and elected positions from 1999 when Nigeria returned todemocracy is therefore as follows:
  2. CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL

(a) Chief C.O. Uwakwe -Egbema -1999.

(b) Hon. L.O. Chukwu- Umuapu- Umuapu Court Area- 2002.

(c) Late Hon. Chy Ikeguruka – Mgbirichi -Ohoba Court Area

(d) Chief Felix Ogbuka -Mgbara -Egbema

(e) Hon. Barr Greg Anyanwu Ohoba- Ohoba Court-Area, Ohaji.

(f) Nze Dimkpa Enyia- Awarra Court-Area, Ohaji.

(g) Hon. Gideon Mefor- Mgbara -Egbema,

(h) Hon. Dr. Nicholas Okwuordu handed to

(i) Hon. J.C.N. Harcourt – Egbema

(j) Hon. Stanley Peters- Egbema

(k) Hon. Amadi Ebenezer – Mgbisi Ohaji

(l) Hon. Damian Ezeruo-  Egbema

(m) Hon. Marcel Amadioha  -Egbema

(n) Hon. Princewill Onyeaju  – Egbema

It is noteworthy that before VOKO as MD ISOPADEC, HRM Nzeobi of Egbema had held the position of Chairman/ MD of ISOPADEC before Hon.  Iyke Uwakwe and Isdom Nwabali.

As at when J.C.N Harcourt, Stanley Peters, and Damian Ezeruo were chairmen, Egbema held the House of Assembly. It’s further noteworthy that while Egbema held these positions, they also held the MD of ISOPADEC. Only Chief Charles Orie has held that position in Ohaji except for the two-month stint by Hon. Chief Emeka Benjamin.

Therefore, we are of the opinion, that the persuasion and line being  drawn between “APPOINTED CHAIRMAN and ELECTED CHAIRMAN “is not only glib and pedantic, it is inappropriate.

We plead with our brothers of other Ohaji Court -Areas and Egbema to give heed to the Awarra-Court-Area to produce a credible person to become chairman of the Council.

We further urge followers of our leaders: Chief Charles Orie and Rt.Hon. G.N. Opia to be more restrained in their choice of language capable of impugning our revered leaders.

THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND REMAIN BLESSED

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