Following Chief Amaobi Uwaleke’s insistence on organizing another Onwa Oru Uratta cultural festival 16 days after the entire Uratta Clan, comprising six autonomous communities celebrated the Onwa Oru cultural festival on Tuesday, February, 11, 2007, the Imo State Police Command has, in a statement dated February, 25, 2025 barred Chief Amaobi Uwaleke and his supporters from converging and\or celebrate .any festival whatsoever at Orie Uratta square on Thursday, February, 27.
The police, in a letter signed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP Adamu Ahmadu, incharge of State Intelligence Unit and addressed to the President General of Uratta Development Association Engr (Chief) Stanley Ukaga (Dike Eji Aga Mba) and Chief Amaobi Uwaleke respectively urged all parties involved to avoid doing anything that will heat up the polity or cause a breach of the peace in Uratta clan and the state at large.
The letter captioned, “ RE: CONDUCT LIKELY TO CAUSE BREACH OF PEACE”, and copied to the Imo state Commissioner of Police, reads, “That having preliminary looked into the issue bedeviling the Onwa Oru Uratta festival billed for 27th February, 2025 and other rising issues of Obibi Uratta autonomous Community, Owerri North LGA Imo State.
The department advises for the interest of peace and towards averting any conduct likely to cause breach of peace in the community and the State at large, all parties to stay action and maintain peace, pending the outcome of the investigation.
However, should any of the parties or your proxies go contrary to this advice, especially as it concerns the interest of peace and order in the community, you would be held accountable for any untoward situation that may arise from your action(s).
Your cooperation in this regard will be highly appreciated, please”.
Sequel to the directive by by the police that no festival whatsoever should be held at Orie Uratta square on Thursday, February 27, 2025 and the need to be guided accordingly, the National President General of Uratta Development Association (UDA) Engr Stanley Ukaga (Dike Eji Aga Mba) in a public notice dated February 26, 2025 which he signed and made available to the press, said, “This is to inform the general public, particularly Chief Amaobi Uwaleke of Umuori Uratta and his Ohas, that the Onwa Oru Uratta festival for the year 2025 has been held by the entire people of Uratta at the usual Orie Uratta square on Tuesday, the 11th of February, 2025.
The Nigerian Police Force has been made aware of a planned event by Chief Amaobi Uwaleke and his Ohas to hold a festival at the Orie Uratta Square on the 27th of February, 2025.
The Nigerian Police Force has therefore, in a statement dated 25th February, 2025 advised Chief Amaobi Uwaleke and his Ohas to desist from attempting to make use of the Orie Uratta Square for any other form of festival on the 27th of February, 2025. This action is considered capable of causing a breach of the peace in the Uratta clan and the state in general.
It urges all parties to maintain peace and order in the community as anyone who goes against this advice will be held accountable for any untoward situation that may arise”.
The current development has elicited mass jubilation in all the communities in Uratta clan as most of the indigenes who spoke to our reporter who visited the area on a fact finding mission commended the police for decisively curtailing what they referred to as Chief Amaobi Uwaleke’s excesses and penchant for impunity as if he is above the law. They, however, called on the police to ensure that Amaobi Uwaleke, who has been a thorn in their flesh does not flout the directive “because he often boasts of having strong contacts in the corridors of power. Hence, he can do whatever he likes and get away with it. However, this particular incident will either validate or invalidate his boastful inclination”.
Recall that, Orie Uratta market square, opposite the secretariat of Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State was agog with captivating activities, Tuesday, February, 11, 2025 as indigenes of the six autonomous communities that makes up the Uratta clan, alongside their traditional rulers, Nde Oha, Presidents General, in-laws, friends and well wishers dressed in colour resplendent attires depicting cultural nature of the occasion converged there to celebrate this year’s Onwa Oru cultural festival, that is adjudged by many as the best in the anals of history.
The festival which unites and bonds sons and daughters of Uratta clan offered a unique opportunity for the women and youths of the different communities to showcase their cultural dances and masquerades respectively as the audience gyrated ecstatically to the sonorous music emanating from the dance groups and those rendered by the live band.
The event was indeed more like a carnival as top notch personalities including traditional rulers, technocrats, academics, government officials and business moguls from far and near came to felicitate and enjoy the Onwa Oru cultural festival with their relatives, friends and associates from the Uratta clan.
