An acclaimed Owerri Nchi Ise born social critic and public affairs commentator, Prince Bob Njemanze has refuted publications in some newspapers credited to the traditional ruler of Amawom community in Owerri Municipal Council, Eze Peter Njemanze (Ozuruigbo VI) wherein he and other illustrious sons of the state were accused of being behind the Eze’s illegal ejection from the palace among other issues.
Prince Njemanze in a release he personally signed and made available to Community Watchdog Newspapers, stated that contrary to the contents of the publications in question, the palace of late Eze Emenyonu Njemanze (Ozurugbo V) was gutted by fire before his death and Governor Rochas Okorocha relocated him to an adjoining guest house and promised to rebuild the burnt palace, with a guest house at Mann Street Primary School.
According to Prince Njemanze, when the late monarch and some members of his cabinet resisted the Governor’s attempts to acquire and appropriate some lands of Amawom people, he suspended the traditional ruler and reneged on his promise to rebuild the palace, in addition to splitting the monarch’s domain by creating four additional autonomous communities where he enthroned puppets, including the present traditional ruler of Amawom, Eze Peter Njemanze (Ozurugbo VI) who he referred to as an impostor.
The acclaimed social critic also accused the former Governor of desecrating the culture and tradition of Owerri people by building a palace for the traditional ruler of Orodo community in Mbaitoli LGA at Mbari Owerri, and allowing him to pour libation on Owerri soil, “simply because he supports and aligns himself with all illegalities perpetrated against Imo people”.
Prince Njemanze urged Imo people and the general public to ignore and discountenance the contents of the said publications as they are false, lack merit and are products of the jaundiced imagination, of those who do not have followership and cannot influence opinion in the community.
