From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The verbal war between the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Chief Priest of Owerri, Reginald Ejiogu, was rekindled on Wednesday when the royal fathers ban him from attending government functions.
Deputy Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers Eze Akujuobi Osuagwu, who was still reacting to a comment made earlier by the chief priest maintaining that no monarch should bless kola nut in any function before him in Owerri municipal added that such utterance from Ejiogu is disrespectful.
Osuagwu further reminded Ejiogu that his place remains the shrine.
“He does not have any right to bless kola nut in any government function where royal fathers are, let alone the state council of traditional rulers, he should not come out in any government function again, let him stay in his shrine,” he stated.
“He can bless kola nut in his community, not before us, he should stop embarrassing traditional rulers in the state, we’re custodians of the culture of our people, it does not show any respect both to us and our staff of office.
He can bless kola nut in his community, he should not come out to embarrass the royal father’s in the state,” Osuagwu said.
But in a swift reaction to Osuagwu, Ejiogu described his ban as laughable. “They don’t have the right to ban me, this is my territory, they know that what I’m saying is true, they’re only trying to cover up,” he said.
“How can they ban me and asking me to remain in my shrine is laughable, they should be the one to remain in their kingdom and see to the affairs of their communities instead of looking for kola nut to bless, you can ask any Igbo elder, that’s the tradition,” Ejiogu said.