Olisa Igbonwa was rumoured to have been buried alive for taking by himself the traditional title of Ichie Ngene
A Nollywood movie kind of scene is playing out in real life in Anambra State where a man, Olisa Igbonwa, rumoured to have been buried alive for taking a chieftaincy title by himself, suddenly resurfaces.
According to the Punch Newspaper, a viral video claimed Olisa Igbonwa was buried alive in Alor, Anambra State by the elders of his village for committing the ‘abomination’ of taking the Ichie Ngene title by himself.
The video claimed that the elders of the community met and took a decision to conduct a mock burial for Olisa Igbonwa. Rumours started spreading that he has been buried alive.
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But Olisa Igbonwa showed up at the Anambra Police Headquarters where he met the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, to deny the rumour, but confirmed that there have been threats that he should not take the Ichie Ngege title. He said he would take the title irrespective of the threat to be buried alive.
The report states that Olisa Igbonwa received the chieftaincy title from HRM Igwe Alor but was threatened by one Mr Uzoma Igbonwa and others to renounce the chieftaincy title within 30 days or face dire consequences.
But the police in a statement by the spokesperson, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, has declared the claim that Olisa Igbonwa was buried alive as false.
It said, “The attention of Anambra State Police Command has been drawn to a trending video clip and online publication credited to one Ifeoma Okeke of Umunna TV that one Chief Olisa Igbonwa was buried alive in Alor, Anambra State by the elders of Okebunoye village, Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State and that the elders met and took a decision to bury and mourn Mr Igbonwa alive for taking ‘Ichie Ngene’ title by himself in the community.
“The publication is not only false but also misleading. The Command wishes to state that Olisa Igbonwa is alive and was never buried alive as alleged in the publication.
“Consequently, the Command received a formal complaint from one chief Olisa Igbonwa that he received a chieftaincy title from HRM Igwe Alor but was threatened by one Mr Uzoma Igbonwa and others to renounce the chieftaincy title within 30days or he will face dare consequences.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police CP Echeng Echeng has ordered for discreet investigation into the matter and to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident in order to bring perpetrators to book.”
The statement added that the CP urged members of the public, especially the press to always cross-check their facts before publication in order not to mislead the public.
