The South-East states in Nigeria were abuzz with colourful celebrations and multiple social events during the 2023 Christmas season, as it is now customary in Igboland during festive periods. In Anambra state, it was more than just Christmas but a carnival of colours, enchanting rhythms, dance steps and ululations, and expressions of very rich cultural heritage across the one-hundred-and-seventy-nine communities in the state. All these would not have been possible if not for the peace and tranquility that has gradually returned to the state. Thanks to the hardwork and efforts of the state Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, his commissioners, aides, security agencies, traditional rulers, Presidents General, and the resilient spirit of Ndi Anambra who are heeding the Governor’s call to take back their communities.
Findings indicate that flights to Chinua Achebe International Passenger And Cargo Airport, Umueri, Anambra State were fully booked during the Christmas celebrations, despite the high air fares. Even the cost of traveling from major cities to the South- East by road was not also pocket friendly, but that didn’t deter Anambra state holiday makers from returning home to join in the celebrations.
Interestingly, during the period, wherever one turned to, there were beehive of activities and celebrants at one event or the other, glowing in brilliant colours of cultural attires and glorious sounds of native flutes, gongs and other traditional musical instruments, that produce soul-lifting melodies that seemingly transformed the whole state into an open carnival, to the admiration of both residents and visitors.
individual towns and laws of the state, as enacted by the state House of Assembly. And where any town failed to conduct such election successfully, the state government would set up a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the town until a proper election is conducted.
Checks made at the Ministry of Local Governments, Chieftaincy and Community Matters confirmed that since the advent of Soludo administration, 134 town union elections have been successfully conducted, while six traditional rulers have been issued with certificates of recognition by the state government. There are many more in the pipeline.
Beyond the encouragement of transparent and credible Town Union leadership in each community, the Soludo administration, in a bid to protect and preserve the traditional institution from abuse, also insists that traditional rulers must abide by some code of conduct, especially as regards the conferment of chieftaincy titles on individuals, in order to stop the abuse of such practice by conferring such titles on only credible people of integrity who have evidently contributed to the development of the communities.
Some relevant portions of the Traditional Rulers Code of Conduct says that An Igwe can only confer title on indigenes of their community after they must have obtained security clearance from the relevant security agencies and gotten the approval of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs. If the Igwe must confer title on an indigene of another community, he must get the consent of the Igwe of the recipient’s community.
One can only hope and pray that the present sweet breeze blowing across Anambra communities continues under the administration of Professor Soludo and beyond.
Written by IFEANYI OKEKE
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