Anambra Community Drags Fake Monarch To Court

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, April 8th, 2016

By IGNATIUS OKPARA, Awka

The people of Awba Ofemilli community in Awka North council Area of Anambra State have dragged one Chief Ezekwesili Maduagwuna, an oil magnate to a Magistrate Court in Achalla for parading himself as the monarch of the area without submitting to the laws of the land on guidelines for electing a traditional ruler.

It would be recalled that Maduagwuna was in December 2015 arrested by the police after some Indigenes of the area under the banner of concerned citizens of the community petitioned the police insisting that he was parading himself as their traditional ruler, signing congratulatory messages on national dailies and also faking the letter headed papers, which he has been using to send out letters.

He was later released on bail, after which he was said to have jumped bail and gone into hiding, making it extremely difficult to serve him court orders.

Reacting to the development, president General (PG) of the community, Mr. Chukwuma Nwankwo, said Maduagwuna may be qualified to be the monarch as he hails from the village favoured to produce the next monarch after the death of the previous one, but his refusal to subject himself to the processes, and crowning by the kingmakers was the reason for dragging him to court.

The 51 year old self acclaimed monarch, according Nwankwo, has been slammed with a three count charge in a suit; MCA/20C/2016.

One of the charges reads: That you, Ezekwesili Maduagwuna “m” between the 26th day of October 2015 till date at Awba Ofemili, within the Awka North Magisterial District did unlawfully hold yourself out to be a recognised traditional ruler of Awba Ofemilli Community.

“You thereby committed an offence punishable under section 19(a) of the traditional rulers law Cap143 of Anambra State of Nigeria.

When the matter was called up for hearing Thursday at the magistrate court, Achalla, the magistrate, Mrs Ughanze insisted that the matter could not go on as the defendant had not been properly arraigned before the court, as a result of his failure to appear before it.

She therefore, advised the applicant’s counsel to exercise patience for the arraignment notice to be served on defendant, before hearing can proceed, as hearing notice cannot be served on him before the arraignment.

The magistrate who adjourned the matter to 11th May also warned that failure to appear in court on the next adjourned date may lead to a bench warrant being issued for his arrest.

Counsel to Maduagwuna, who was in court, had submitted that his client was away in Abuja on a business trip, and could not also have been in court as the applicants had after obtaining the hearing notice pasted it on a wall at his residence, even though they knew he was not in town.

Governor Willy Obiano’s led government in Anambra state, had in October 2015 refused to issue Maduagwuna with a certificate of recognition, following the raging controversy.