From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
The people of Alor community in Idemmili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have called on some of their kinsmen working against the peace moves initiated in the town to have a rethink.
The community has been polarised over issues surrounding their traditional stool; and the tussle has so far generated 52 court cases which are gulping millions of naira from them.
Alor Concerned Citizens made the call during a press conference held at Godwin Ezeemo International Press Centre, Awka, the state capital.
Spokesperson of the group, Rev. Chukwudi Peace-Udochukwu, lamented that the money spent on litigations would have been more useful in empowering their youths and executing people oriented projects instead of spending it on a matter they could resolve as brothers.
The group said that the “recent allegations being spread by some persons” that their monarch, Igwe MacAnthony Chinedu Okonkwo, Ezedioramma III, had been dethroned was “false and misleading”; revealing that the matter was still in court.
“Their attempts to sow discord and deceive others through false testimony are not only damaging to our social fabric, but also a violation of the values and principles we hold dear.
“We are also here today to show solidarity to our Igwe and to make it clear that all well meaning Ndi-Alor stand firmly behind our monarch and denounce the efforts of a few individuals who have taken it upon themselves to always deceive the public through evil propagandas in order to create unnecessary crisis and if possible undermine our community.
“This conflict has deep roots, dating back to about nine years. And it’s driven by a small group of individuals who seek to gain power and influence by sowing division and discrediting the monarch despite every effort made to reach a peaceful resolution to the unwarranted crisis.
“We are using this medium to call on the courts to fairly and expeditiously resolve this matter, and we urge all members of our community and indeed friends of Ndi-Alor to reject the misinformation being spread and to support our monarch during this challenging time”, they said.
The group asked the public to ignore a recent statement by the “disgruntled individuals” indicating that the monarch had been dethroned, saying that “the court case is still ongoing at the Court of Appeal and no ruling has been made.”