Nanka community crisis deepens as group dissociates self from peace moves

Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, Sept 18, 2020

ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – The protracted leadership tussle in Nanka community of Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State turned messier during the week as Amakaor, one of the seven villages in the community has rejected claims by its traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Ezeilo that peace has finally returned.

Amakor Njikoka Development Union, an umbrella body for Amakor Village, in a press statement on Thursday said the claims by the monarch that peace has returned to the town was false, and meant to deceive the people of Nanka.

The chairman of Amakor Njikoka Development Union, Mr Obinna Ilo who signed the statement said that peace cannot return to the community by mere decree, but by doing the right thing .

“It is obvious that in Nanka, some individuals have hijacked the peaceful community and introduced divide and rule kind of disorder that is rocking the boat of the town for years now. They suppress accountability and stifle opposition to suite their misadventure”, it stated

The community in the statement said Amakor Village has borne the brunt of the evil machinations of the community leadership, saying that they were supposed to produce the traditional prime minister (Onowu) of the community by order of seniority, but a few cabal bypassed her to select a prime minister from a junior village.

According to the statement, the village head believes in Igwe Godwin Ezeilo as the monarch of the community, but disagreed with his use of what they called an alien constitution to administer Nanka.

A week ago, another group, Umuokweghi/Ezeofor Royal family of Enugwu Nanka had rejected Ezeilo as the monarch of the community, describing him as an impostor. The family had said that the late monarch of the community, Igwe Gilbert Ofomata was yet to be accorded his final rite, and that no one can elect a new monarch until that is done.

Nanka community has in year past been associated with violence that led to several deaths, leading to the imposition of curfew in the community. Amakor Village chairman, Ilo therefore appealed to the Anambra state government to wade into the crisis in the community before it escalates.

Reacting to the allegations, Nanka Patriotic Union (NPU) led by Igwe Ezeilo had recently stated that peace had returned to the community, stating that only a few people were still opposed to the peaceful atmosphere.