Eze OLIVER OHANWEH, who was dethroned as the traditional ruler of Ihim in Isiama Autonomous Community in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State in 2007, tells Senior Correspondent, ISHAYA IBRAHIM, the scheme leading to his ouster and how those who plotted his removal are now entangled in their own snare
Ilomuanya’s role in your dethronement in 2007
Eze-OLIVER-OHANWEH
Yes, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya was then the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, having occupied the same office and position during Governor Achike Udenwa’s administration. In normal setting, he should have vacated the position for Owerri Zone. He initiated my dethronement by setting up an illegal panel to try me in absentia. He recommended my dethronement without giving me opportunity to be heard on the manufactured charges against me. I went to court to challenge my removal. Ilomuanya is the first defendant in my court case, followed by the governor, the attorney general and members of the panel. And in the court case, a ruling was given prohibiting the setting up of any panel for my removal. Ilomuanya disobeyed and ignored the order. He even appointed and installed another Eze for my Isiama Community in Isiala Mbano. He schemed my being exiled between July 2007 and 2011. His roles in my ordeal were too many to mention, as he enjoyed the protection and support of Ikedi Ohakim’s government. It was unfortunate that traditional rulers were not allowed to challenge him. He terrorised other traditional rulers in the state to pave way for his life chairmanship, while doing the bidding of the administration.
Personal interest
He had a personal interest because he was threatened by my vocal, truthful nature. He felt that I was a threat to his ambition of becoming the life chairman of Imo Traditional Council and his intention to enrich himself with funds meant for Imo State Traditional Council. He supported the rough side of that administration and created many enemies for the government of Ohakim who is my kinsman. We (Ohakim and I) are from the same village and clan. So his interests were selfish. He used his position to sponsor a bill to the Imo State House of Assembly to perpetuate himself as chairman of the Traditional Council, which was normally a four-year term, against the turn of other zones. He had it during Udenwa and Ohakim’s administration and attempted to have it under Governor Rochas Okorocha (the incumbent). That means he has denied Owerri and Okigwe zones their right. But the fact is that a sitting governor has every right to choose who should become the chairman of his Traditional Council. So, Ilomuanya deserves his dethronement, judging from his greed and opposition to the present administration.
Nemesis
Nemesis has caught up with him. God defends and fights for the innocent like me. What goes around comes around. He should accept his dethronement as I did when he and his cohorts did same to me. Ilomuanya will now reap what he sowed. Here is a man who lives in an Abuja mansion instead of his native palace in Orlu, without minding his subjects’ traditional protection and responsibilities. Greed in Nigerian politics must not have its way in our revered traditional institution.
Status of dethronement case
I was removed despite the Federal High Court Okigwe order of July 25, 2007. It was published in states and national media. The case is still ongoing because at the end of Ohakim’s tenure, a new autonomous community was created out our old Isiama Autonomous Community where I was the traditional ruler as Obi 1. I was also elected the traditional ruler/Obi Gburugburu of new Ihim Autonomous Community. These actions showed an admission of guilt, as the administration that dethroned me without facts turned around to staff me again as the next Eze of the new created community – guilt was chasing them and today the chase has caught Ilomuanya.
Life after dethronement
My dethronement brought a serious trauma to me and our community. I was without salary and allowance from June 2007 till October 2013. However, in his candid nature and consideration for the oppressed, the present governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, resumed payment of my salary and allowances. But my denied salaries of six years by Ilomuanya’s chairmanship and Governor Ohakim’s administration are yet to be paid. Today, an old Eze as me is being classified as new one with 106 newly staffed ezes (monarchs). I am known now to be “ancient and modern” of Imo monarchs. Ilomuanya should repent, as he feels the pain and sure he will not have the goodluck to be a king of Obinugwu again, as the wound he inflicted on us has caught up with him. This administration acted in good faith to bring sanity to our highly exalted council of Ndi Eze of Imo State.
