The people of Okaiuga-Alike Kingdom in Ohuhu clan of Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State have urged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to resist any pressures to balkanise their kingdom but to present the staff of office to their Eze-elect, Chief Innocent Nwigwe.

Baring their mind in a three-page petition following the suspension of presentation of staff of office to Chief Nwaigwe alongside 16 newly recognised traditional rulers in the state, stakeholders of Okaiuga-Alike Kingdom accused elements of the government of trying to sow seeds of discord and disharmony in the kingdom.

Presidents-General of the two communities that make up Okaiuga-Alike Autonomous Community endorsed the petition. They maintained that the people of the kingdom “have unanimously adopted” Chief Sir Nwigwe as their Eze-elect (Traditional ruler) and “have also presented him to the Government of Abia State through the Umuahia North Local Government for official recognition as the next Traditional Ruler of Okaiuga-Alaike Autonomous community.”

The Presidents-General are Chief G. C. Ashiegbu (Ekeokwuru Improvement Union-Federated), Chief Akujobi Echeta (Umukabia Progressive Movement) as well as Chief K. O. Igwe, the President General of Okaiuga-Alaike Welfare Association). The petition is entitled, “Re- Presentation of Staff of Office to Sir Innocent Nwaigwe as the Eze-elect of Okaiuga-Alaike Autonomous Community and Objection to the Balkanisation of Our Autonomous Community”.

The petitioners described as a big embarrassment, an announcement that two new autonomous communities have been purportedly carved out from Okaiuga-Alaike which purportedly led to the suspension of the presentation of staff of office to their Eze-elect.

Stating their position, they said: “The leaders, chiefs, and stakeholders of Okaiuga-Alaike people which is constituted by Ekeokwuru and Umukabia communities have never discussed, applied for, nor even agitated for the creation of any other autonomous community out of the present Okaiuga-Alaike kingdom.”

They added: “By the mutual agreement between Umukabia and Ekeokwuru people, Ekeokwuru community is to produce the next occupant to the stool following the demise of the late Eze Nwaubani in 2012, who hails from Umuakabia. This is well known to well-meaning people of Umukabia and Ekeokwuru communities and the two have no issues on this in any way.”

The petitioners described as strange, how two autonomous communities, namely Umule-Okpuala and Umule-Obiohuo, were purported to have been carved out of the present Okaiuga-Alaike, whereas Umule Okpuala and Umule Obiohuo, both in Ekeokwuru, are also an integral part of Okaiuga Alaike Autonomous community.

Rejecting any moves to balkanise their kingdom, the stakeholders said: “We want to place it on record that the purported carving out of the above named strange autonomous communities was done without the knowledge and consent of stakeholders of the area

“We believe this is the handiwork of mischief makers who are out to create confusion in our autonomous community and Ohuhu clan in general, thereby, embarrassing your god-sent and people oriented administration in the state.”

According to them, the development is not “an ordinary error,” adding: “We suspect a foul-play masterminded by some powerful but disloyal functionaries of your administration with a hidden agenda which needs to be investigated before more harm is introduced into the system of your governance.”

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.