APGA chairman, Ezenwankwo, Soludo's aide, others felicitate Onitsha LG mayor, son over Ozor title
By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
It was a roll call of creme de la creme in Igbo land as the Onitsha South Local Government Area Mayor, Hon.Chief Emeka Orji and son, Armani Nnanyelugo Orji, were conferred with chieftaincy titles of Ozo "Nwajiofor Nna Ya" and "Okpala Nnanyelugo," respectively, by the Ozor Society of Isuofia community, Aguata local Government area, Anambra state.
Among those present to felicitate with the mayor and son on the occasion included, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Barr, Sly Ezeokenwa, former member representing Orumba North/South in the Green Chamber, Hon.Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, Deputy Chief of Protocol to Governor Charles Soludo, Hon. Chinedu Nwoye, (a.k.a. Glamour), and Mayor, Oyi Local Government area, Hon. Emma Nweke, (a.k.a. Iga).
Others were the Mayor, Ihiala Local Government, Chief Hon. Anayochukwu Orjiakor, Onitsha South APGA Chairman, Chief Uche Umeh,Ochanja Market Stakeholder, Chief Clifford Ilodiuba, Hon. Chimezie Offor, Chairman Ojoto Youths Association, Chairman Onitsha Market Drug Dealers, Chief Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, among others.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the former Green chamber member, Chief Ezenwankwo described Ozo title in igboland as a great honour in the whole of Southeast, and disagreed with speculation in some quarters that Igbo culture and tradition are going into extinction.
"We are encouraging the tradition as far as we know. What we are doing today is joining culture with tradition, Ibobo, Okeite are not tradition, that is cultism, tradition is clear. Okeite is a modern way of cultism, we support Governor Soludo going against them.
"I advise the youths to be hardworking, they should not fold their hands and wait for manner to fall from heaven, you must work for God to bless your work, what they do is magic, go to their families, some of their families are poor, so we support the governor in doing that" he said
Contributing, Hon.Nwoye insisted that tradition can not go into extinction rather it is the fake ones like Okeite, Ibobo, among others that must definitely exit adding, "We have seen evolution, development, taking Ozo title is a good one. We encourage it".
On governorship race come November 8, Nwoye maintained that Governor Charles Soludo is a consensus candidate for every political party, stating that all other candidates for gubernatorial poll are just coming out to exercise their legitimacy.
"If you go to the street every Anambra person would tell you that nobody is dragging it with Governor Soludo, that translates to being a consensus candidate for 2025 governorship election," he stated.
He advised Ndi Anambra to come out on November 8 to vote for the Anambra candidate, Soludo, who has done wonderfully well on infrastructure, human capital development, health and every other sector of the economy, disclosing that All progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, members are working together, stating that APGA is number one while APC is number two.
According to him,"We are working together and the All Progressives Congress,APC candidate would vote for Soludo, he knows he would vote for Soludo come November 8, he would be one of the polling unit agents, he worked for us in Orsumenyi in his polling booth, he worked for Soludo", Glamour disclosed.
Speaking Ihiala council Mayor, Orjiakor, stated that Ozo titleship these days is strict like the olden days where the Ozo title holders were known as "Ozo I ka Mma N'Ire", where Ozo title holders were known for truthfulness, stating that, "In those olden days, the land will hold any Ozo title holders that goes contrary responsible.
According to him, "Nowadays, there are religious Ozo and traditional one which made Ozo title to be less strict unlike then, stating that any Ozo title holders are mandated not to eat outside, to always stand by the truth and live by the truth.
He advised Emeka Orji whom he said is a very good friend of his to always maintain the core values of Ozo title, follow the footsteps of his father and pray for God's protection on him and the family.
Speaking, APGA chairman, Onitsha South, Chief Umeh, said that the Ozo title bestowed on Chief Orji is a good one as he is doing well and maintained that no candidate would do what Governor Soludo is doing in the state and advised Ndi Anambra to come out en masse and vote Soludo come Nov 8 gubernatorial election.
Contributing, Ochanja market stakeholder, Chief Ilodiuba said that Ozo title was an Igbo culture which every community in Igboland imbibed with, lamenting that these days it is less strict to the holders, recalling the time of his father when one is taken to a place if he lies or bear falsehood.
According to him in that place if you eat kola or food given to you, you would be infected by all illnesses if guilty, saying, it is odinani, tradition, and can not go into extinction.
"So I am happy to be here because Mayor Orji is doing well in Onitsha South, he represents his community, Isuofia very well because whenever one does well where he resides, he is as well representing his family and community. I came to give him remark for his good work and other things he is doing", he revealed.
The Chairman of Onitsha drug dealers, Chief Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, stated that Ozo title is a welcome chieftaincy title in igboland, maintaining that Igbo culture will not go into extinction but rather it is being revived today by Ndigbo.
He urged the youths to be gainfully employed or engage themselves to be self reliant and desist from this get rich quick syndrome saying, "if you work you eat".
The chairman of Ojoto Youths Association, Hon Offor, on his part stated that as a youth leader in his community, they guide the younger ones, see that their youths are responsible and not to be wayward and condemned Okeite as fake Igbo culture.
"We perform annual Youth Conference in Ojoto where we counsel the youths on the need to live responsibly, to be gainfully employed, be self reliant, among others," he revealed.
In his post conferment speech, the host and Mayor of Onitsha South council, Emeka Orji, who was conferred as 'Nwajiofor Nna ya', said, "Today is my coronation day, I am overwhelmed with joy .You can see I wear my red cap and hold the offor (staff of my father)".
He thanked God for a successful conferment and commended all who physically and spiritually contributed to the successful occasion and prayed God to replenish and bless them.
In a similar development, son of the council boss, Armani Nnanyelugo Orji, who was also conferred with a chieftaincy title of "Okpala Nnanyelugo", a day after that of his father, by the Ozor Society of Isuofia, described the conferment as a very big accomplishment for someone to be an heir.
"Igbo culture is a very rich cultural heritage, interesting compared with other ethnic cultures. I am very happy to be associated with our Igbo culture and honoured by the Ozor society of Isuofia.
"I thank my father for initiating me into the Ozor society of Isuofia and I commend our relations, friends and well wishers who despite their tight schedules were physically present", he stated.
Present at the occasion included, chairman of Ochanja Central Market, Chief Bonaventure Muo, deputy Mayor of Onitsha South council area, Hon. Onyebuchi Obi, council secretary , Barr Paul Onuachalla Esq, council legal Adviser, Barr. Sunday Okafor, Head of Local Government Administration, (HLGA), Victor Orji and Chief Stanley Nnamdi Efobi.
