BY Stella Njemanze-Neboh
As I was reading my published Article on the Nigeria Newspoint of 07/07/2025, I could not help but read another Article titled, “In my own thinking” by Afam Echi. “Traditional Rulers: Whose Interest Do They Serve, Govt or People”?. In my own personal opinion I congratulate the author for the article, it was well articulated and written. He pulled a lot from my thinking and asked the question which several of us, Imolites in the USA are asking.
I can proudly and correctly speak on the issue of Ezeship in Owerre pre Gov.Rochas Okorocha regime. I was there and watched my late dad ,HRM Eze Igwe Alexius Anumaku Njemanze, Ozurigbo IV of Owerre lead, defend, protect, and fight the government when his subjects were oppressed and treated without respect. The quotation, “Na Kwa Echeki” was not said during peacetime. It was said by my late dad in defense of his people against a governor that disrespected him while taking the lands of his people without compensation. Thank God dad was not appointed by that governor. My late dad was not afraid to tell the former President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, IBB about his ongoing conflict with the Imo State Governor then, while the Governor Amadi Ikwechegh was sitting in his palace along with the President of Nigeria.
It was very disappointing to see the picture of several hundreds of the autonomous Ezes in Imo State. What is going on in our beautiful state, I may ask? Why do we need over 700 Ezes all on Imo State payroll? While looking at that picture of Imo state Ezes I couldn’t help but remember the conversation I had with an Eze over the telephone last year. This Eze was from outside Owerre and rightfully inherited the ezeship from his late dad who was duly crowned by his people. He practically called me to vent about his frustration with what was going on with the selection and appointment of autonomous Ezes by the Governors. He painfully told me that the eEzes in Imo State have no respect when they are in the midst of other Ezes from outside Imo State. The Eze told me that Imo State Ezes were disrespected, neglected, and are usually made to sit in the very end of the building sometimes without adequate air conditioning. He told me our Ezes could never be seated with Oba’s, Emirs, Sultans, Obongs, etc, because they were in a lower class compared to the above mentioned rulers that were not Balkanized. The Eze reminded me that my late uncle HRM Johnson Osuji Njemanze, Ozurigbo II of Owerre, my late dad HRM Eze Igwe Alexius Anumaku Njemanze Ozurigbo IV of Owerre and my late uncle HRM Emmanuel Osuji Njemanze Ozurigbo V of Owerre were all members of the elite club of Nigerian traditional rulers association. My late uncle HRM Emmanuel Osuji Njemanze before his death, was in direct contact with these elite rulers and some of them attended his book signing ceremony that allegedly was interrupted by ‘you know who’.
My humble question for several years now is, who is representing and speaking for Owerre Nshi Ise? Who is the direct representative of Owerre Nshi Ise with Governor Hope Uzodinma? We have neither Ezes nor Ozuruigbo. The autonomous Ezes of the 5 compounds of Owerre are not in existence. They have been disarmed, weakened, and sent to their respective rooms for time out like a 3 year-old baby. Umuonyima’s autonomous Eze passed away about a year or two ago and this village has no Eze, present ly. So, who is their voice and who can take the issues affecting this village to the Governor? Umuodu Village is divided into two with the smaller faction recently given the Staff of Office by Governor Uzodinma and the larger group went to Owerre High Court to protest the atrocities in the form of a lawsuit.
My question is, on whose side is the Governor ? Are we just handing out Staff of Office? Let us discuss the Imo State Council of traditional rulers. How are the members selected and how many of Owerre Nshi Ise’s autonomous traditional Ezes are members of the council? Who is representing Owerre Nshi Ise in the Imo State Council of traditional rulers? How do Owerre citizens benefit from issues discussed in the meeting by members of this council? How will Owerre Nshi Ise know or be educated on what is discussed in the traditional rulers’ council meetings? Are we not part of Imo State?
Can you all now understand the need for Ozurigbo of Owerre? The Capital of Imo State the last time I checked was Owerre and yet Owerre is not represented nor do we have a traditional ruler as a member of the Imo State Council of traditional rulers. Is that fair to Nde Owerre Nshi Ise? We need Ozurigbo of Owerre and we now see the evils of Balkanization. What is the function of “Eze Imo” introduced by the Ex Governor, Okorocha? What is Eze Imo and how is he selected? Is he a person? Is Eze Imo the high priest of all the autonomous Ezes? I honestly do not understand. My fellow Imolites, we are indeed the laughing stock of the country and the world to be exact. Do our neighboring states have Eze Anambra, Eze Abia, Eze Rivers, and Eze Enugu like we do? Ezeship in Imo State has been so diluted to a point where our Ezes are ridiculed and laughed at.
Governor Uzodinma we know you did not create the Ezeship mess but you sure can help fix it and not continue with this dangerous and shameful walk down a very slippery slope. Come on, my Governor you can do it, fix it please!!! None of these autonomous Ezes has the full respect of their constituents because they are political appointees. They allegedly work for the government that gave them Staff of Office. Why is Cross River’s State or Kano State not Balkanized? The answer is very simple. Cross River State, Kano State, and Owerre Nshi Ise as a municipality cannot be Balkanized. Smaller villages that went to court and challenged the government won their balkanization lawsuits. Owerre Nshi Ise also went to court in 2015 to reverse balkanization but 10 years later the lawsuit is taking a nap handled by attorneys that call themselves “Njemanzes”. No real Njemanze would allow this balkanization lawsuit to linger for this long, it’s been in court for 10 years now. A full blooded Njemanze like me would be knocking on every door in Owerre court rooms to make sure the balkanization lawsuit is handled quickly and resolved. But no, they are sitting down on the case just to punish the Njemanze family and are hence exposing themselves to the world. It shows they are clearly not Njemanzes. They are incompetent; period. The Owerre Nshi Ise balkanization case should have been settled many years ago. Most of the people listed on the lawsuit are dead for God’s sake. At the rate the lawsuit is going, everyone might be gone before a verdict is achieved. It is disgraceful, shameful, and despicable.
I am today humbly calling on the Judges with the Owerre Nshi Ise Balkanization case to resolve this 10 year old case while the petitioners are still alive. No case with such importance should last 10 years. Owerre people are totally ignored and forgotten, they need a leader. Owerre Nshi Ise needs a Royal father that will work closely with this governor to better their lives, protect their land, and provide them with representation in the Imo State council of traditional rulers. Owerre Nshi Ise demands representation.
Today, my Governor, Owerre needs their Ozurigbo who per our tradition, custom, and culture is the Royal father of the five compounds. My late dad played that role as I watched him growing up. My late dad was on call 24/7 and was ready to open his door anytime to attend to the needs of his people. He was their powerful voice in the community, state, and the Nation.
Respectfully Sir Afam Echi, the powerful traditional rulers you mentioned in your beautiful write up like the Obong of Calabar, Oba of Benin/Lagos, or Emir of Kano, are in the same class as the Ozurigbo of Owerre. Check our history. The British archives are there for all to visit, research, and read more about the Ozuruigbo of Owerre and the Njemanze Royal family.
Governor Uzodinma, Nde Owerre have been ignored, oppressed, neglected, and written off for far too long by the Imo State government since the years of Ex Governor Okorocha. Owerre Nshi Ise voted and supported you my Governor, because we believed you would see Nde Owerre as part of Imo State and not abandon us under the supervision of some greedy, selfish, and pompous APC politicians that used our toll money to better their luxurious lifestyles. These same people are the ones that sold us to Ex Governor Okorocha, and they will always make you believe that they have the full support of Owerre Nshi Ise in all their activities. My Governor, it’s a lie. We are tired and enough is enough. ! We are just tired of fighting to exist in our own State. Please, the Governor called Hope, help Nde Owerre.!
I remain as always,
Stella Anumaku Njemanze Neboh
(The People’s Princess)