Aguleri Royal Dynasty Not At War, Says Odili   

Raymond Ozoji, Awka

The Chief of Staff to the Governor of Anambra state, Mr. Primus Ugochukwu Odili has stated that the Idigo Royal Dynasty in Aguleri Anambra-East local government area is not at war with itself.

Odili maintained that there are no squabbles within the royal family, except that some individuals within the Idigo royal family, who he described as disgruntled elements, were hell-bent on thwarting the decisions of the people and fulling their inordinate ambitions and self-aggrandizements.

The Chief of Staff who spoke with our correspondent at Amaigwe Aguleri during the 2020 Ovala festival of Eze Michael Idigo, Eze Aguleri the 5th, said a few individuals of the community cannot upturn the collective resolve of the people who he said, have found perfect choice of a traditional ruler in Eze Udo Aguleri, Eze Michael Idigo.

He said, “There is no trouble in Idigo’s family. In every family there must be one or two disgruntled elements. The Iruokechi family have decided who they want to be next Igwe of Aguleri. The decision was taken and Eze Udo was chosen.

“So it is not for a few disgruntled individuals to decide out of their own volition that Eze Udo will not be the Igwe of Aguleri and against the wishes of the Iruokechi family.”

Odili further disclosed that the presence of the Ndi-Ichie Aguleri, Ojiana Aguleri and a host of other people at the Ovala Ovu Obi, lent credence to the fact that the entire Aguleri community accepted Dr. Michael Idigo as their traditional ruler and custodian of their culture and tradition.

According to him, “If there is squabble in the royal family, you will see the cabinet divided, you will see Ndi-Ichie divided, you will see Ndi-Ojiana divided, you will see the followers of the king divided but we are not seeing that because the town accepted their Igwe wholeheartedly.

“Kingship is for the community and not for a particular family. So there is general acceptability of Eze Udo as Igwe of Aguleri. There is no dissenting voice, except one disgruntled family within the Iruokechi royal family that is saying no; we are the ones that are supposed to bring our brother as the Igwe and not this other person.

“So what is one family compared to millions of families in Aguleri? So there is no squabbles within the royal family. I am a member of the Iruokechi family and our family accepts Eze Udo. If that is not the case, you wouldn’t have seen this kind of massive turn out for the Ovala festival.

“Before Eze Udo became the Igwe of Aguleri, we looked up to him as palace secretary because he participated in virtually everything done in the community.

“The person that they want to be Igwe Aguleri has not entered the palace for 5 years, has never attended cabinet meetings for 5 years, has not participated in the Ovala festival for 5 years before the death of Ogalagidi.

“He has not spoken with the last Igwe for 5 years before his demise. So how can you succeed a king in a throne that you were not on speaking terms with for 5 years before his death?

“Eze Udo has called on every warring faction  to sheathe their swords and embrace peaceful dialogue but because these people didn’t want to do that, they preferred to use force but of course, the wishes of the people must prevail.”