By Moses Akaigwe
In Anambra State, as in most parts of Igboland, town or development unions have gradually become the fourth tier of government, which provide very vital administrative links between the state and local governments on one side and the communities, on the other.
And though there have been minor frictions between the town unions and traditional institutions in some areas, both have largely been collaborating to provide that linkage between the government and the grassroots towards developmental goals, maintenance of peace and ensuring that the pulse of the people is constantly felt.
In Abagana, the town that hosts the headquarters of Njikoka Local Government Area in Anambra state, the development union system exists through Abagana Welfare Union (AWU).
For many years, AWU had a smooth ride, with its activities impacting on development and engendering peace in Abagana Ebo Teghete (Abagana, a town of nine villages). But, with time, the union’s vibrancy waned as contentious issues, some of them externally influenced, reared their heads.
It didn’t take long before the welfare union leadership and the tenuous peace it was grappling with, gave way to a caretaker committee headed by Hon. Linus Okafor-Okunwa, in January 2021, particularly because a general election scheduled for December 2020, was stalled.
The caretaker arrangement was an interim measure consented to by all, approved by the administration of the then Governor Willie Obiano, through the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Town Union Matters, Mrs. Veraqueen Ebele Okonkwo, and had the blessing of the traditional ruler of Abagana, Igwe Patrick Mbamalu Okeke.
It was against this backdrop that an unprecedented high level of interest and a vigorous campaign ensued when the caretaker committee released a transition timetable for the emergence of a new, democratically elected AWU national executive committee. And, predictably, the intense interest reached fever pitch on the day of the election proper.
Not only was the atmosphere so thick with a mix of excitement, anxiety and expectation it could almost be cut with a knife, there was heavy presence of detachments of the police, Department of State Service (DSS) and Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG), at the Abagana Civic Centre venue.
To everybody’s relief, a new President General (PG), Engr Benjamin Okongwu was elected in a keen but brotherly contest against another prominent son of the town, Dr. Chike Ezejiegwu.
Also elected into the new AWU national executive committee are Barr. Maduabuchi Akudu (MC 1 – 1st vice president); Nnamdi Okonkwo (2nd vice president); Chinedu B. Anaekwe (secretary general); and Obiora Okpaneje (assistant secretary).
Others are Edochie Ikegbunam (financial secretary); Dr. Prosper Uchenna Okonkwo (treasurer); Bonav Uzuegbunam (public relations officer) and Uche Okafor (PRO 2).
Okongwu, who is currently the President of AWU, Lagos branch, hails from Amaeñe, while other members of the exco are from Umudunu, Orofia, Akpu, and other villages.
It did not come to anyone as a surprise that at the swearing in ceremony on September 3, the euphoria was still palpable, but by now, the anxiety that characterised the election had completely disappeared while conviviality enveloped the AWU Secretariat, venue of the inauguration.
This explains why the colourful event attracted the presence of dignitaries from the town, including the special adviser to the Gov. Chukwuma Soludo on security, AVM Bernard Chiobi (retd); former secretary to the government in Anambra State, Chief Victor Osita Ezenwa; and former chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area, Chief George Ozoh.
Also present were many other prominent indigenes, including Chief Wilson Emenari, Humphrey Ilo Añunobi, Ikenga Abagana, Chief Ralph Okakpu, Barr. Fred Obuka, Cyprian Aniagor, Chief Benjamin Ejiofor, Chief Uche Achusi, and Chief Emma Okafor.
Just before the swearing in, Okafor-Okunwa, whose caretaker committee was being wound up at the inauguration, delivered his valedictory remarks, detailing the highpoints of his team’s 18-month stewardship.
He expressed gratitude to the people of Abagana for entrusting them with the responsibility of steering AWU through challenging times, the Anambra state government for insisting on town union elections must be democratised and Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), for their support.
ASATU PG, Barr. Titus Akpudo, who was highly commended by the outgoing committee, was represented by Chief Emma Nkwuaku, former PG of Enugwu Ukwu.
Featured on the caretaker chairman’s score-card were the sustenance of peace in collaboration with Onowu Abagana, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, who reconciled all the Ichies: reinvigoration and equipping of the town’s vigilante group as well as “dedicated pursuit of land matters and surveillance on our borders to ward off further encroachment.” Remedial action to the erosion-ravaged parts of Abagana Girls Secondary School, Abagana, was also highlighted.
Okafor-Okunwa and his committee, consisting of Hon. Chukwudi Nzeakor, Chief Emma Okafor, Ifeanyi Aniagoh (secretary), Chief Fidelis Ugha, John Oraka, Deacon Francis Nezieanya, Michael Nkwo Mbanefo and Barr Okey Ikegbunam, were appreciated with a loud laudation.
With the caretaker committee’s farewell speech done with, members of the newly elected executive council were sworn in by a legal practitioner, Fred Obuka, followed by the oath of allegiance.
In his acceptance speech immediately after the oath, the new president general unveiled a seven-point agenda to be implemented by his administration.
Amidst intermittent applause, Okongwu listed the agenda as production of a constitution that would accommodate the interests of all; enthronement of peace and reconciliation; emphasis on quality education; physical development; taking vigorous measures to reclaim Abagana lands encroached on by trespassers; and attracting democratic dividends from government, in addition to streamlining political structures.
He described their election as “a call to service,” disclosing that to achieve the set goals, the new AWU leadership would be setting up various committees to work with, even as he implored Ndi Abagana at home and in Diaspora to contribute their quotas towards the task of making the town great again.
Okongwu stressed: “The task ahead is indeed very arduous. We can only surmount it with your maximum cooperation. We, therefore, urge us all to close ranks bearing in mind that we are one body, one soul, one spirit.
“Let us translate the zeal, vigour, interest and dexterity with which we pursued the election into service to Abagana.
“We crave for maximum cooperation of all and sundry in the journey that is starting today. Abagana is one indissoluble entity. Overall interest of Abagana will, therefore, be paramount to us, rather than sectional or selfish consideration.”.
Many of the guests at the inauguration believed that the good old days when Abagana was one of the most respected towns in Anambra with the revered Igwe Angus Ilonze as the monarch, may be on the way back.
It was the era that produced the Igbo literary icon and founder of Society for the Promotion of Igbo Language and Culture, Mazi F. Chidozie Ogbalu; an educationist and former deputy governor of the old Anambra State, Agbalanze Austin Ezenwa; the former federal director of public prosecution, Chief Ben Nwazojie; Chief JSPC Nwokolo; and the industrialist/businessman, Sir Joe Nwankwu.
From the venue on the day of the inauguration till days after, Ndi Abagana have continued to celebrate the development, with some prominent indigenes, like Chief John Emengini, Chief Dennis Amobi and Emenari (who witnessed the ceremony), describing the successful handover as a representing a new dawn in the town.
Elated that the transition to a substantive AWU exco was smooth and without acrimony, Emengini tasked the new leadership to unite the various components of the town.
Emengini described Okongwu as a perfect choice who has what it takes to lead Abagana.
The traditionalist said one of the major tasks ahead of the new exco is to motivate the indigenes, especially those of immense means, towards bringing physical development to the town as is being done in many nearby towns.
“I support Okongwu 100 percent, and I pray for him and his exco members to succeed by bringing unity and development to Abagana,” Ozo Omenyiriora remarked.
Another prominent ‘son of the soil’ and Lagos-based businessman, Chief Dennis Amobi, agreed that the president general needs everybody’s prayers for God to see him and his colleagues through the tasks they have been saddled with, which he admitted, “is not going to be easy.”
Setting an agenda for the new exco, Amobi advised them to prioritise the drafting of a generally acceptable constitution and take advantage of the mandate generously given to them, to enthrone unity.
He argued that unity and rekindled confidence among the people, would pave the way for physical development to take place.
Moreover, not only would well endowed Indigenes now be willing to support or sponsor projects, that is “when you will be able to attract the government,” Chikeluba Abagana stressed.
Amobi also lauded the caretaker committee for a very transparent and successful election, even as he assured that Okongwu, whom he confirmed is known to him personally, would live up to expectations.
He was also confident that the new rotational arrangement whereby the villages would take turns to produce the AWU President General on a one-term basis, would engender peace, equity and a sense of belonging.
Like Amobi, Wilson Emenari identified the drafting of a new constitution as a project that should be placed on top of the priority scale by the PG and his team. His reason: “There are so many versions of the constitution of Abagana currently flying about, and nobody knows which is the right one.”
Emenari was, however, glad that the issue of constitution is first in the seven-point agenda enunciated by Okongwu at his inauguration, which to him, is a strong indication that he {Okongwu} is good material for the position of PG and is prepared for the job..
He drew the attention of the new AWU national leaders to other matters needing urgent attention: “The issue of court cases over Abagana land boundaries, particularly the ones between Ukpo and Abagana, Enugwu-Ukwu and Abagana, etc, should be addressed. Abagananians need to know the current situation of things.
“There are many issues bedeviling village units in Abagana, such as internal squabbles. They need to be addressed.
“There are supposed to be streamlined modus operandi for the operation of various AWU branches all over the country. In the United States, there are various versions of AWU exco. The issue needs to be addressed too.”
Not a few Abagana people believe that there are indeed a number of issues that have been lingering for some time, that now need to be dealt with as soon as possible.
However, all agree that the new president general and the executive committee are equal to the task, especially given that there is already a visible relationship between them and the traditional ruler.
“I have no doubt that the new PG and the Igwe will cooperate with each other,” Emengini told The Sun. “Igwe gave him the much needed support.”
And, there was no better proof of this other than the fact that after taking the oath of office on the day of inauguration, Okongwu led the exco on a courtesy visit to Igwe Mbanalu’s palace in Akpu village, where they received royal blessings.
It was almost like the tradition in Britain when a new prime minister emerges and pays a visit to Buckingham Palace.