I write on behalf of Ezeukwu Royal Family and indeed the majority of Ukwulu people to specially thank Governor Willie Obiano for the right decision you have taken in suspending Chief Peter Anaukwu Uyanwa as Igwe Ukwulu in Dunukofia Local Government Area.
This bold step taken is a soothing balm to the log-suffering people of Ukwulu who have been living in bondage as orchestrated by Chief Uyanwa.
Our ordeal started in 2015 when Chief Uyanwa who served as Onowu in my father’s cabinet, started parading himself as the traditional ruler of Ukwulu without observing the customary rites of passage for Igwe (Dr) T.C. Tagbo who reigned from 1974 to his transition in 2015.
We took Chief Uyanwa to court praying that Igwe T.C. Tagbo remains the Igwe until the last Ofala is performed in Ukwulu as culture requires.
In his defence, he deposed to an affidavit and exhibited a false invitation card purporting same to be invitation card of the last Ofala of Igwe T.C. Tagbo. The last Ofala has not taken place till date.
Consequently, a petition was written to the police who after investigation charged him to court along with nine others for criminal conspiracy, perjury, fabrication of evidence and conduct likely to cause breach of peace in the community.
It is on record that Chief Uyanwa and his other co-accused have not appeared in court till date, even after eight court sittings in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
His collusion with some compromised law enforcement agents that led to the inability to arraign him emboldened him to threaten my life as the nominal complainant and the other prosecution witnesses mostly from Ukwulu in the suit: FHC/ABJ/CR/255/2019 (FRN V. HRH Igwe Peter Anaukwu Uyanwa & 9 Ors).
I have not set foot in Ukwulu since 2018 because of the threats of Chief Uyanwa who told me that he had banished me from coming to my community unless I withdraw the matter in court.
I want to use this opportunity to alert Governor Obiano and President Muhammadu Buhari that Chief Uyanwa is a threat to peace which can degenerate to communal crisis of monumental dimension in Ukwulu.
Once again, I thank you, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano, Akpokuedike, Governor of Anambra State, for taking the decision on the suspension which has allowed me, a petroleum engineer with decades of experience, to set foot on my home state.
–Prince Engr. Chinedu S. Tagbo wrote in from Ukwulu, Anambra State