In a significant development, Mburubu Community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, has put to an end the recent dispute surrounding its traditional stool, with the adoption of rotational system among the seven (7) villages in order of seniority.
Also the people of the community including elders, women, youth and other stakeholders disassociated the community from the recent protest against Engr. Prince Lawrence Ezeh, the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology over the traditional stool, insisting that the protest was orchestrated by “power scavengers” who want to “promote anarchy and sever Mburubu rotational governance, including the traditional stool which is held for life and rotates among the seven villages in the order of seniority.”
The community has suffered from a fit of trouble times and crisis, over who ascend the throne. However, it is believed the rotational system as adopted will mitigate violence, foster reconciliation and restore peace in the community.
Chairman, Mburubu Town Union, Hon Chief Emmanuel Edeh in a press conference in Enugu said the protest was sponsored by “power drunk scavengers” who want to “protect their entrenched fraudulent motives aimed at buying over the traditional stool for self aggrandizement” and urged the public to disregard the said protest.
Hon Edeh clearly stated that the issue of order of rotational of the traditional stool is sacrosanct and undebatable.
He pointed out that the community would not allow any body to outsmart the kingship succession.
According to him, “Mburubu practices a unique rotational system of all social, political and traditional positions, in which the seven villages take turns in order of seniority.”
In the light of the rotational arrangement, constitutionally gazetted, the President General said, Uhuegbe Village which is next in line in seniority arrangement will produce the next traditional ruler.
He said that penultimate, marking the end of two-year mourning period of the late King, His Royal Majesty, Igwe E. M. O. Ezeh (Ozulumba I of Mburubu Kingdom) who dead in December 2021, the community officially signaled Uhuegbe Village whose turn it is, to start the process of nominating candidates for the election for the vacant stool.
Urging Uhuegbe Village not to present any candidate with questionable character to stand for the election, Chief Edeh said whoever would emerge as the new traditional ruler of Mburubu must be accepted by the indigenes. He said the order of rotation as originally determined by seniority and the rule has never changed.
Speaking about the protest, the President General said: “We make bold to state that the misconceived protest before the Enugu State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has further exposed and confirmed by the protesters themselves to be for the selfish personal interest of their sponsor, self-imposed Igwe-elect in connivance with some mischief-makers to buy-over the crown.
According to him, “The protest was not and cannot be in the interest of the Mburubu Community and, therefore, does not have the support of the Mburubu people”.
“The personal failings of their sponsor are by now well-known, especially his pervasive desperation to sow social discord in Mburubu. It should have behoved on him and others in his immediate circle to have developed more critical perspicacity with regard to his insidious; yet, treacherous incitement of hatred among the people of Mburubu who has lives together for over a century.
“Their claims and sheepishly unguarded utterance against Engr. Prince Lawrence Ezeh revealed their sponsor’s deplorable desperation and indeed his irritating puerile birdbrain.”
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs which is mandated to handle chieftaincy matters is now expected to put up a memorandum to Governor Peter Mbah who will give the go ahead to the ministry to observe the election of the next king, declare an Igwe-elect for crowing and issuance of State certificate of recognition/ Staff of office. The Mburubu Town Union has the constitutional power to conduct the election.
With the rotational system now settled, it is believed that turbulent time over the community’s constitution and succession of the traditional stool has been put to rest.
The stool had placed the community on war path by causing ripples among them, but the Town Union had vowed not to consent to wrong choice.
“We have to show regard to the voice of peace, equity and good conscience and be ready for the consequences,” the Town Union President said.
In apparent jubilation, the people of Mburubu have since thrown their weight behind the adoption of the subsisting rotational/zoning system in the order of seniority.
When contacted, a source from the Ministry, said “I want to appeal to people of Mburubu to maintain the rotation system of the Igweship stool in the order of seniority.”
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