OWERRI MUNICIPAL GETS FOUR NEW TRADITIONAL RULERS

Governor Rochas Okorocha has given certificates of recognition and staff of office to seven Traditional Rulers in Imo State. The communities where the new Monarchs are to rule include four Autonomous communities carved out of Owerri Municipal namely, Umuonyeche, Umuororonjo, Umuodu and Umuoyima. The other three communities were created out of Ideato North Local Government namely, Umuezumezu, Umuago and Umuakoli Autonomous Communities.

Speaking during the installation ceremony of the new Traditional Rulers held at the Government House, Owerri yesterday, Governor Rochas Okorocha warned Monarchs in the state that they would be held responsible for any anti-social activities including kidnapping that takes place in their respective communities and charged them to discharge their duties honorably.

He said the communities and their Traditional Rulers had met all the conditions stated by the law guiding the creation of Autonomous communities, adding that the government had granted the concerned communities autonomy in line with the policy of the Rescue Mission Government to encourage people to have their freedom.

He remarked that both Owerri Municipal and Urualla in Ideato North from where the new Autonomous communities were created are ancient communities that needed to be redesigned for development and peace.

Speaking further at the occasion, Governor Okorocha said that the State government would soon embark on recertification exercise of all Autonomous Communities to find out those not qualified to be granted autonomy but were given autonomy by previous administrations probably out of political sentiment. Such communities, said the governor, will be taken back to their parent community where they were carved out from.

The names of the newly installed monarchs who received staff of office from Governor Okorocha yesterday are:

1. with Eze Linus Ihebom - - - Umuodu Community

2. Eze Theophilus Ubah - - - Umuoyima Community.

3. Eze Rowland Clinton Ibegbulam - - Umuororonjo Community.

4. Eze Uche Austine Possible - - Umuonyeche Community

5. Eze Aloysius Igbojionu - - - Umuezumezu community.

6. Eze Ogbonna Obioha - - - Umuago community.

7. Eze Martins Aladi - - - Umuakoli Autonomous Community