The family of the first Traditional Ruler of Ukwulu, in Dunukofia Local Government Area (LGA), has praised the Anambra Government for the suspension of the community’s traditional ruler, Chief Peter Uyanwa.`His suspension will pave way for a return of peace in the Ukwulu Kingdom,’’ declared Prince Tagbo, a Petroleum Engineer, on behalf of the family while being interviewed at the Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment.
I am here at the Ministry to pay a courtesy call on the Information Commissioner, Mr C Don Adinuba, to deliver a letter to the Governor, thanking him for the steps taken to forestall trouble in Ukwulu land. On behalf of the Tagbo (Ezeukwu Royal Family) and indeed the majority of Ukwulu people to specially thank the Governor for the right decision taken in suspending Chief Peter Anaukwu Uyanwa as Igwe Ukwulu in Dunukofia LGA.
This bold step taken is a soothing balm to the long-suffering people of Ukwulu, who have been living in bondage as orchestrated by Chief Uyanwa.Our ordeal started in 2015 when this man 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 in which he exhibited a false invitation card purporting it to be the invitation card of the last Ofala of Igwe T.C. Tagbo. The last Ofala has not taken place to 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 a breach of peace in the community.’’ He continued: “It is on record that Chief Uyanwa and his other co-accused have not appeared in court to date, even after eight court sittings in the Federal High Court, Abuja’’. Prince Tagbo insisted that Chief Uyanwa’s collusion with some compromised law enforcement agents led to the inability to arraign him and that this 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.’’ He appealed to the Government of Anambra to alert the Federal Government that “the suspended Chief Uyanwa is a threat to peace in Ukwulu’’.
