Why The ‘Perfect Partner’ Doesn’t Exist – And What To Look For Instead

 -- In Oraeri, A Silly Rule Prevents PG From Village Which Has Traditional Ruler

By Polycarp Onwubiko 

There might be more reasons for the disgusting news of mindless slaughtering of presidents general of Town Union in Anambra state. There are a lot of crass impunity in the election of presidents-general in many communities and since money is worshipped in Anambra state coupled with the throwing of their weight by very ambitious and proud traditional rulers, the wishes of people more often than not we're thwarted. 

Those who could not stomach such brazen impunity and boasting about their wealth and connects with the security agents and Ministry of local government and community affairs might take the laws into their hands to resort to killing and maiming of people.

The importance of strict adherence to the Law and especially the provisions of the Anambra state Edicts on Town Union and chieftaincy matters will go a long way in stopping aggrieved people from seeking recourse to primitive action of killing.

For instance in my home town, Oraeri, Aguata local government area, some influencing personages came up with a silly idea that it was not good that the village where the traditional ruler came from should contest for the position of President General, PG. There was no provision in the Edicts on Town Union and chieftaincy matters stipulating such arrangement because traditional rulership is for life while the tenure of presidents general which by the Edict is ROTATIONAL among the villages in the community,is THREE YEARS OR FOUR.

The salient and reasonable question is: what problem will it cause if president general is from the village that traditional ruler hails from. Sadly the educated people in Oraeri could not enlighten the monied class who boasted that what they say could not be challenged. It was ONLY my humble self that stridently kicked against such outright primitive mindset but, being a 'poor' civil servant, my stand was not backed up by other educated public servants.

This arrant nonsense led a village which was denied President General to go to court and sought for autonomous status to opt out of the Oraeri community and the Court granted it , that was during Dr Mbadinuju administration. The problems it created are still lingering up till today and joint community development which the community was known, was stalled.

Let me use this platform to appeal to the Hon Commissioner for local government and community affairs, to caution the Oraeri development Union, ODU to immediately rescind the unlawful Rule because it is out of sync with the Edict on Town Union and chieftaincy matters.

Polycarp Onwubiko, Media Commentator writes from Awka,  Anambra State.