Soludo reinstates monarch suspended for conferring chieftaincy title on senator

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has reinstated a traditional ruler who was suspended in the state for conferring a chieftaincy title on a Nigerian senator.

Damian Ezeani, the traditional ruler of the Neni Community had, during the Yuletide, conferred the chieftaincy title of Odenjiji of Neni on Ifeanyi Ubah, who represents Anambra South District at the Senate.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Governor Soludo, subsequently suspended the traditional ruler for conferring the chieftaincy title on the senator without authorisation from the state government and traditional ruler of the senator’s community, as required by law.

While Mr Ezeani apologised for his action, the senator slammed the governor for suspending the monarch.

Reinstatement

Mr Soludo announced the reinstatement of the suspended monarch on Tuesday during a meeting with traditional rulers in the state, according to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Christian Aburime.

A total of 94 traditional rulers in the state attended the meeting.

The governor also pardoned two other traditional rulers – Gerald Mbamalu of Ojoto Community and Ebelendu of Aguluezechukwu – accused of conferring similar chieftaincy titles without following due processes.

He said he had accepted the apologies of the traditional rulers who conferred the chieftaincy titles without recourse to the state government.

Avalanche of attacks

The reinstatement of the suspended monarch came days after the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, attacked Governor Soludo for suspending the monarch.

The traditional rulers, in a letter signed by its chairperson, Alfred Achebe, said Mr Soludo’s administration was being disrespectful, with the way it was “maltreating” and suspending some traditional rulers.

The monarchs accused the governor of “dehumanising and deprecating” traditional institutions in the state.

Another group, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, had also attacked the governor over the “maltreatment” of the traditional rulers.

Goodluck Ibem, the president-general of the group, in a statement in Awka, described Governor Soludo’s treatment of traditional institutions as “dictatorial and anti-democratic.”