The leadership and people of Obi Mbieri have in a swift reaction responded to a media report insinuating that a recent court judgement that put to an end the leadership crisis that rocked the community in the past that was reported by Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper is fake and contents not reality on ground.
In a release signed the Publicity Relation officer,PRO of the Eze’s carbinet, Chief JAH Osuji, made available to this reporter, yesterday, the community described the report as baseless, insisting that the earlier report in Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper is true reflection of what transpired in court.
The community maintained that everyone is happy with the court verdict which has returned peace to the community by recognizing Prof Kyrian Ndikom as substantive Prime Minister and Acting Traditional Ruler, pending the return of Eze Osuji, except few self-serving individuals who fed fat in the crisis.
The release reads in part, “We stand by our newspaper publication in the WATCHDOG as referenced in the Horn publication of 10th January 2024 and further state that the contents are true, genuine, and unequivocally legal.
“The fictitious lawsuit filed by Uzoma Ekeanyanwu against Professor Ndikom and Eze Josiah Osuji is baseless and lacks merit. The lawsuit is filled with ambiguous documents that are worthless and found to be fake by the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Umuahia. The said Uzoma Ekeanyawu failed to appear at the Zone 9 meeting scheduled for all Obi Mbieri titled Chiefs, village heads, and concerned citizens.
“Obi Mbieri has suffered over 10 lawsuits at the hands of these mischievous individuals. The claims of Uzoma Ekeanyanwu and his lawyers as published in the said HORNS newspaper are so watery as it does not have the seal of the President General of Obi Mbieri, Chief Oparaugo, and therefore, ridiculous. Up to date, the suit has not received the attention of the court and, therefore, could not receive the same merit as a judgment.
“The so-called Uzoma Ekeanyanwa who published a dubious reinstatement letter could not defend the source of the said letter at the police investigation section. Ekeanyanwu’s suit further shines the light on the whereabouts of our Eze, whom people claim to have allegedly abandoned his community without communication with his subjects. A dereliction of duty is not condoned by the Obi Mbieri constitution, they told our reporter.
“We want to see our Eze.
“Let us remind those on this fruitless mission that the appointment and removal of a Traditional Prime
Minister in the Obi-Mbieri Autonomous Community is not an exclusive right of the Traditional
Ruler – It must pass through constitutional and executive crucibles. Hence, Obi Mbieri does not operate in a “hire-and-fire” brigade approach.
“According to the Public Relations Officer of the Eze’s cabinet, Chief Johnathan Osuji, the meeting of the Obi Mbieri community held on January 3 rd, 2024 further affirmed the position of Prof. Ndikom as the authentic TPM acting as the Eze of the community in the absence of HRH Eze (Dr.) Josiah Osuji, it stands irrevocable.
“The meeting unanimously banned any official meetings or gatherings of Obi Mbieri citizens at the palace of the Eze pending his return to the community. This was agreed to in order to curtail the volume of worthless letters originating from that palace since April of 2023.
“It is no longer news that the Obi Mbieri people have been kept in the dark about the whereabouts of the Eze until December 24 th , 2023 when the Eze’s son, Mr. Kester Osuji informed a section of the village heads and town union that his father would not return to Nigeria.
“Mr. Kester further surprised the Obi Mbieri people at another meeting where he produced a letter purportedly written by Eze Osuji directing him Kester to rule the community in his place. Mr. Kester Osuji could not circulate the letter because he claimed that the letter was written to him alone. The Obi Mbieri people began to question the true position of their Monarch, as they positioned full support on their TPM, Ndikom , to hold the leadership of Obi Mbieri pending the return of Eze J.N Osuji.
“This information was collaborated by Chief Jeto Nwadi, a titled chief and the Chairman of the
Constitution Review Committee of Obi Obi Mbieri Autonomous Community”.
