Enemies By Design: How The US And USSR Shaped Each Other's Identity

By Polycarp Onwubiko

Anambra Broadcasting Service ABS is awash with public announcement for Yam (Iwaji) festival in communities. It needs restating that society the world over is governed by laws made by either federal or sub national governments which is mandatory for strict adherence and observance.

Going by the Anambra state Edict (Law) on Chieftaincy matters, the provisions of the Edict as clear as crystal that the annual Yam (Iwaji) is the exclusive legal mandate or traditional legal right of the State Government recognized Traditional Rulers. The Edict, by directly or impliedly did not make provision for President General (PG) of Town Union to perform PUBLIC Yam (Iwaji) festival, along with traditional chieftains with highfalutin titles.

In other words, the Edict does not make provision in a situation where the Traditional Ruler, in Igbo parlance, "has gone somewhere" (Igwe or Eze Nri) ejebego ife) for any traditional chieftain supposedly "deputizing" (whatever title designated by the community or personal acquisition by hook or crook by men of dubious past, as observed virtually in communities) for the traditional ruler, with PG, to perform PUBLIC Yam (Iwaji) festival.

In other words, where the community has lost their traditional ruler, and is preparing for a replacement, there should be no PUBLIC Yam (Iwaji) festival until a new traditional ruler is selected and recognized by the state government, it is a general prescription in all Igbo land. 

Consequently, citizens have the liberty to perform PRIVATE (Yam) Iwaji festival in their homes exclusively for their nuclear family, not even for Kindred or village because pompous and over-ambitious traditional chieftains organize hoodlums, as dubious characters with highfalutin titles have thugs who brazen-facedly carry out their nefarious and criminal biddings.

It is therefore curious that the Ministry of local government, town union and Chieftaincy matters should keep quiet while dubious characters with highfalutin titles, in conjunction with lily-livered president general, organize Yam (Iwaji) festival.

Cases abound where dubious characters with deep pockets and connection with business moguls collude with fickle and base-minded president general to campaign for the exalted position of traditional rulership, hence using the public Yam (Iwaji)festival to coax or brazenly intimidate the general public who, often times, are lily-livered and have no guts to challenge base and dubiously minded characters to ascend or covet by hook or crook, the vacant traditional stool.

It is high time Anambra state government and even other state governments in Igbo land, to be ruthlessly confront and come hard on the dubiously minded base characters jouncing and angling for the exalted position of traditional rulership. 

Kid-glove disposition of state governors in Igbo land towards the brazen infraction of the provisions of the Chieftaincy Edict and also Town Union Edict should be stopped since over-ambitious traditional chieftains can go to any length to foist themselves on the community and be at liberty to rain havoc because of the mean, congenital and despicable character they have acquired in the course of their lifestyle. 

This timely exhortation to the State Governments in Igbo land should be taken seriously to restore sanity, integrity and above all, Rule of Law in governance.