By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Stakeholders and respected leaders of Umuchu community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State have categorically dismissed as false, malicious, and misleading, the recent allegations of corruption and misconduct levelled against the State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne.
This is coming on the heels of a petition addressed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, which is currently circulating on social media and other platforms, and in which the author, one Ichie Paul Okpara, accused the Commissioner of manipulating chieftaincy processes, extorting money from title recipients, meddling in the community’s internal matters and instigating divisions in the community.
Reacting to the allegations, stakeholders of the community described the allegations as baseless, mischievous, and the handiwork of frustrated detractors who failed in their bid to destabilize the community. They further set the records straight and exposed what they described as the ulterior motives behind the spurious claims and allegations. Also included in their clarifications is the position of a legal luminary, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, against the actions of some of the “detractors”.
Speaking in an interview with this reporter over the weekend, the Chairman of the Prestigious Council of Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu, Chief Sir Nze Chinedu Ezeoha (Ijele Nze) who also doubles as the Chairman of the Umuchu Ofala Committee and New Yam Festival Committee appointed by Igwe Umuchu, H.R.H. Igwe Godson Ezechukwu for over a decade, provided a detailed account of what actually transpired. He explained that the accusations against the Commissioner were orchestrated by those whose sinister motives failed and who are now hell-bent on tarnishing the image of the Commissioner and creating unnecessary tension in the community.
According to him, the chieftaincy conferment saga dates back to 2024 when the Igwe, as tradition demands, forwarded names of deserving sons of Umuchu to the President-General for clearance to take chieftaincy titles during the community’s annual Ofala Festival, normally held every December 30. He said the PG cleared the nominees and wrote back to the Igwe, affirming their eligibility. He narrated that plans were on course for the conferment until the sudden death of the Igwe’s wife at the end of October 2024. And, following this, the Igwe decided to suspend the Ofala and chieftaincy conferment until after his wife’s burial.
Chief Ezeoha revealed that while the Igwe told him to communicate this postponement decision to the Ofala Committee via internal memo; the Palace Secretary (in connivance with other elements)—acting without the Igwe’s knowledge and consent— wrote a letter to the Commissioner using the Igwe’s letterhead to formally request a suspension of palace activities pending the burial of Igwe’s wife. Acting on this letter, which appeared authentic as it bore the palace letterhead, the Commissioner, unaware of the intrigue, responded appropriately, approving the suspension to respect what appeared to be the Igwe’s request.
According to Chief Ezeoha, things took a different turn when some detractors, sensing that their manipulation of the situation was failing, falsely informed the government that the Igwe and Ofala Committee defied the suspension and went ahead with the chieftaincy conferment on December 30, 2024. In reality, no such event occurred at the palace. Based on these false reports, the Commissioner, in good faith, wrote to the PG on February 19, 2025, nullifying any purported chieftaincy titles that may have been conferred in defiance of the suspension directive. However, no such conferment actually took place at the palace during that period.
However, following the burial of the Igwe’s wife on February 8, 2025, the Igwe formally wrote to the Commissioner on February 26, seeking approval to proceed with the chieftaincy conferment, noting the unauthorized activities of some detractors earlier writing to the government without his consent to lie against his throne. Chief Ezeoha said the Commissioner approved the request through his own letter of reply, dated February 27, after understanding what transpired and also verifying that the reason for the earlier suspension had been addressed.
He said that with the Commissioner’s approval, the chieftaincy conferment ceremony eventually took place on first week of March 2025 at the Igwe’s palace. He added that some “detractors” also attempted to get court order to stop Igwe from proceeding with the ceremony, for reasons best known to them; but could not succeed.
Further setting the record straight, Chief Ezeoha emphasized that at no point did the Commissioner demand or receive a single kobo from any title recipient or community member. He maintained that the entire list of those honoured was drawn up solely by the Igwe, in line with Umuchu’s chieftaincy constitution, without any input or recommendation from the Commissioner.
He said the allegations that the Commissioner listed 21 names for chieftaincy and collected ₦2 million from each recipient were, according to him, fabricated by frustrated individuals who failed in their bid to halt the conferment or impose their parallel structures on the community.
On the polarisation of Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu, Chief Ezeoha recounted how a certain individual, one Bonaventure, after being elected Chairman of the Ihite Assembly (one of the three sections of Umuchu), began to fan sectional interests above community unity.
Chief Ezeoha, while shedding light on the developments, explained that shortly after Bonaventure’s election, Mr. Bonaventure wrote to the Igwe, citing the Umuchu Chieftaincy Constitution and claiming that the position of Chairman of Ndị Ichie ought to be occupied by the Isiobi (Head of Ndị Ichie) from Ifite village, rather than the person who was temporarily appointed by the Igwe to hold the position following the exit of the previous Isiobi who had no immediate successor. According to Ezeoha, Igwe himself was unaware of this move. It was, in fact, the Igwe’s son, in collaboration with the palace secretary who had received Bonaventure’s letter, that orchestrated the next steps without the Igwe’s knowledge or consent. He said, acting together, the duo issued a letter in Igwe’s name, sacking the Chairman of Ndị Ichie duly installed by the Igwe, and claimed it was in line with the constitution.
Ezeoha further narrated that Bonaventure did not stop there, as he later sent another letter to the palace, this time contending that the office of the Onowu (traditional prime minister) and other key chieftaincy titles were not provided for in the Umuchu Constitution. Once again, the palace secretary —still acting without the Igwe’s authorization but in connivance with the Igwe’s son — issued another letter announcing the sack of the Onowu, purporting it was sanctioned by the Igwe. This action, Chief Ezeoha revealed, was strongly contested by Onowu’s legal counsel, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), who wrote to the authorities, arguing that the Onowu’s position is entrenched in both the Umuchu chieftaincy system and the Anambra State Chieftaincy Law, citing paragraphs 27 and 28. He said Ikpeazu even emphasized that the Onowu, by law, should be the Chairman of Ndị Ichie in every community.
He said despite the clear legal stance, they went ahead to hurriedly pick another person from Ihite as Chairman of Ndị Ichie, although even the newly chosen Isiobi said he would consult his kindred before responding to the position. Eventually, he declined and instead presented someone else, who had not previously been an Ichie, to assume the role — an appointment they rushed through.
Adding to the turmoil, Ezeoha disclosed how one Mr. Marcel, who had denounced his ọzọ title years ago, dramatically returned to the fold and began collaborating with others to create a parallel Nze na Ọzọ group, which they codenamed Indigenous Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu.
He said there had been only one Nze na Ọzọ in Umuchu community, known to the Umuchu constitution, which was later incorporated.
According to him, this group that now emerged, unknown to the Umuchu constitution, went about inducting people village by village — an action the recognized Ozo body saw as a dangerous attempt to polarize and balkanize the long-standing unified Prestigious Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu Association.
He said the PG reported the illegality of the so-called new Indigenous Nze na Ọzọ to the state authorities, prompting the Commissioner to nullify the parallel group in a letter dated June 25th and warn its masterminds to desist from such or be ready to face sanction.
He revealed that some of the people who were lured and inducted into the illegal ọzọ group have begun to renounce their membership, realizing they were misled.
According to Ezeoha, it was this frustration, borne from the nullification and the failure of their plot to destabilize the Ozo institution, that led one of the key actors, one Okpara, to write the now-viral letter leveling baseless accusations against the Commissioner and calling for his sack. He further re-emphasized that the Commissioner is free of the allegations levelled against him in the letter, noting that they were all baseless and unfounded allegations fabricated by a group of frustrated elements who are failing in their attempts to destabilize the community.
Corroborating Chief Ezeoha’s account, the President-General of Umuchu Improvement Union, Nze Sir Charles Ezenwabasili, also speaking in an interview with this reporter, provided further breakdown of the traditional structure of Umuchu and affirmed that the entire crisis was instigated by individuals prioritizing sectional interests over community harmony.
In his explanation, Nze Ezenwabasili outlined that Umuchu is composed of three major traditional sections: Ihitenato, Amanasaa, and Okpu-na-Achalla. Each of these sections, he said, is made up of villages that trace their ancestry to distinct roots. Ihitenato comprises Ugwuakwu, Umugama, and Ozara-Akukwa; Amanasaa is made up of Osete, Ogu, Umuilo, Umubogu, Umuojogwo, Umuojum, and Amihe; while Okpu-na-Achalla comprises Ibughubu and Achalla, making up the 12 villages that constitute Umuchu.
He further explained that as stipulated by the community’s constitution, each village is represented in the Igwe’s cabinet by two persons— an Isiobi and a cabinet chief — while other chiefs are honorary and not part of the cabinet. These positions, he said, are constitutionally distributed among the villages, ensuring fairness and equal representation of every village at the traditional level.
However, he lamented that after the election of a sectional leader from Ihite, focus seemed to shift from the collective interest of Umuchu to advancing sectional agendas. This, according to him, led to some individuals, in connivance with the Palace Secretary, writing letters allegedly endorsed by the Igwe, sacking the Chairman of Ndị Ichie (who had been appointed by the Igwe from another section to hold the position temporarily) and also sacking the Traditional Prime Minister (Onowu) from Amanasaa, claiming the Onowu position is unconstitutional. He stressed that these letters did not have the genuine endorsement of the Igwe, and both the Onowu and the Amanasaa people challenged these actions legally, seeking constitutional clarification, with the matter still pending in court.
Nze Ezenwabasili attributed much of the crisis to the illegal formation of a parallel Ọzọ association in the community, driven by sectional interests. He noted that this group had been unlawfully inducting and conferring Ọzọ titles on individuals, contrary to Igbo culture, where only one Ọzọ society exists per community.
He also dismissed as baseless the allegations that Commissioner Nwabunwanne collected bribes or fueled the crisis in Umuchu. According to him, the crisis was self-inflicted by certain elements in the community bent on creating division.
On the chieftaincy conferment issue, Nze Ezenwabasili affirmed that the Commissioner acted appropriately by approving letters from the Igwe’s palace that suspended chieftaincy conferment and palace activities pending the burial of the Igwe’s wife. He explained that some deserving sons of the community, especially those based abroad who had made travel plans, received their chieftaincy certificates at their residences due to the suspension of palace activities. These certificates, he explained, were meant to ease their scheduling challenges, while the official decoration ceremony was slated for after the burial. He emphasized that the Commissioner collected no money from anyone throughout this process, contrary to false narratives being peddled by those opposed to the conferments and the unity of the community.
His narrative was corroborated by the Onowu of Umuchu, Chief A. O. Obidike (Dikeanagbaraizu Onowu Umuchu), who reaffirmed that no illegality was committed in the handling of the chieftaincy certificates and that no money exchanged hands, let alone involving the Commissioner.
The stakeholders jointly condemned the petition being circulated against Commissioner Nwabunwanne as a product of frustration and desperation by those who failed in their illegal bid to create confusion and division in the community. They described as laughable the claim that the Commissioner imposed a Supreme Ọzọ Council on the town for purposes of extortion, stating that the said Supreme Ọzọ Council exists only in the imaginations of those making the allegation.
They further called on the general public and the state government to disregard the mischievous petition, affirming that Umuchu remains united under its age-old traditions, and that the Commissioner has acted honorably and professionally throughout.
In conclusion, the elder statesmen urged all well-meaning sons and daughters of Umuchu to remain steadfast and reject divisive antics that seek to fuel disunity, drag the name of the Commissioner and the community’s heritage in the mud; but to focus on the progress and development of Umuchu.
Similarly speaking when contacted by this reporter, the State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, affirmed that he never knew, met or interacted with any of the said people he was accused of extorting, let alone having any dealings with them.
According to him, he only acted on the letters written to his office and in accordance with what the laws say, without having any illegal engagement, negotiations or dealings with the people as alleged.
Contributing, the Chairman of Nze na Ozo Aguata and Orumba, Nze Umennayelugo Ezenwinya, also authoritatively confirmed that there is usually one Nze na Ọzọ in every community in Aguata and Igbo land by extension. He also affirmed that Umuchu has had only one Nze na Ọzọ — Prestigious Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu.
According to him, from time immemorial and even under the Old Aguata, Nze na Ọzọ Aguata (now known as Nze na Ọzọ Aguata and Orumba) had been in existence and got incorporated since 1971 — even before he became the Chairman of Nze na Ozo Aguata and Orumba. He further explained that the Prestigious Nze na Ọzọ Umuchu Association (which is a member of Nze na Ozo Aguata and Orumba) has been the only Nze na Ọzọ group Umuchu has been known for, from time immemorial, just as every community in the area is known to have only one Nze na Ọzọ; and not more than one.
He further joined voice to speak against the polarization of the prestigious nze na ọzọ Umuchu association, while also warning those behind the move to desist from such, as every community has only one Nze na Ọzọ group.
