Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A Customary Court sitting at Arochukwu in Arochukwu Local Government of Abia state has promised to give accelerated hearing in the Nde Akweke traditional stool tussle pending before it.
One Mazi Okororafor Nkemakolam and Chima Nwafor, had gone to court to challenge the coronation of Mazi Nwankwo Anicho-Nwosu, as the Eze-Ezi Nde Akweke compound in Obinkita Arochukwu.
In a suit No CC/AR/9/2020, the plaintiffs sought for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant or any other member of his (Nde Okoro Anige) family from claiming or parading themselves as members of the royal family in relation to the Ezeship of Nde Akweke Compound.
The plaintiffs claimed that the traditional stool of Nde Akweke Compound “is the prerogative of the thirteen families in Nde Akweke Compound and not the sole prerogative of the Nde Okoro Anige family”.
The plaintiffs also told the Court that the Eze Ezi of Nde Akweke Compound “is not hereditary and as such does not run from father to son within any of the families in the compound”.
But the defendant argued that Ezeship within the Arochukwu kingdom was hereditary and not rotational as the plaintiffs were claiming.
He explained that the founder Nde Akweke Compound Chioka, had three sons Okoro, Akweke and Abba consequently the eldest son Okoro became the Eze- Ezi and handed over the traditional stool to his son Chief Anicho-Nwosu who is his direct father.
He revealed that when his father died in the year 1968 all his son were not of age to assend the thrown as a result a care taker was appointed to over see the affairs of the compound.
He said, “We have a monarchical type of Leadership in Arochukwu and not the Autonomous type. In the case of Nde Akweke Compound after my father’s death many other people had served as Care takers of the compound and the were not crowned.
He said it was the Nde Okpankpo Arochukwu, the highest making body and his people that coronated him on May 12, 2020.
The chairman of the Customary Court panel Lady Amah Tochi, ordered the two parties to maintain status Quo pending the determination of the motion on notice.
He added that considering the nature of the matter, the Court would give it accelerated hearing.