Installation of Obosi traditional ruler challenged in court

The Imebeagha royal family of Obosi has challenged in court the nomination and installation of Mr. A. C. Iweka as the 33rd King of Obosi in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State.In a writ of summon filed at an Ogidi High Court with suit no HID/64/2001, Chief Asidanya and Chimezie Iwenofu who filed the matter on their behalf and Imebeagha Royal Family of Obosi, are asking for the perpetual injunction of the court, restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents or privies from selecting, crowning or installing any other person as the next Igwe of Obosi except their candidate.In the suit filed by the plaintiff's counsel, Mr. H. N. Ogbodo, they also demanded a declaration of the court that the purported selection and presentation of Iweka by Ezeobodo Royal sub-family of Obosi to the first to nineth defendants as a candidate for the ancient Eze Obosi Royal stool is null and void and without no effect.In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs said that Obosi has two royal families which produce the Eze or Igwe by rotation, the Umuezeagu and Okwesala Royal families.These two families, they said are made up of other royal sub-families, which produce Igwe in turn or rotationally whenever it is the turn of their family. The last Igwe Obosi , J. U. Nwakoby came from the Okwesala royal lineage and with his demise, they insisted, it is now the turn of Umezeagu royal family to produce the next traditional ruler.The plaintiffs said that the Umezeagu family is comprised of four royal sub-families, Ezeobodo, Umudike, Ikwelebo and Imebeagwu.But counting from the reign of Eze Chuke, they argued Umuezeagu has produced three out of the seven kings. Out of these three, Imebeagha royal family has produced none.The three kings, Chuke, Nwankwo and Iweka II, were all from Ezeobodo royal sub-family, while the other sub-families had their turn before Ezeobodo monopolised it.They declared 'it is obviously the turn of plaintiffs to produce the next Igwe. This is public knowledge because the descent and family of each Igwe is a common knowledge'.After the death of Igwe Nwokoby in September 2011, they wrote a letter to Umuezeagu Royal family to present a candidate for the ancient Eze Obosi royal stool, but the Ezeobodo Royal sub-family, they alleged, overrode the laid down procedure and allegedly coerced the entire Umuezeagu Royal family except the plaintiffs to constitute a committee to look into what they termed 'hitches' surrounding the selection of a candidate.However, the six-man mation, which include that he must be a graduate of recognised university, gainfully employed, own a personal house and must have taken the Ozo title for himself and one of his sons.
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