Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has narrated how victimization and intimidation from his village people forced his father into hard work and polygamy.
His father, Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwankpu, was on Saturday crowned as the first traditional ruler of Oferekpe Agbaja autonomous community.
The community is in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
It is one of the six autonomous communities newly created by Nwifuru’s administration.
Speaking at the event held at Oferekpe Agbaja Primary school 2 field, Governor Nwifuru narrated how his village forcefully deprived his father of a large part of his land and demolished his house for no reason.
He expressed joy and gratitude to God that his father, in spite of all his travails in his village, has become the pioneer traditional ruler of the entire community.
Nwifuru said: “I am so happy and excited today because my father has suffered in so many ways in this village.
“My father who was treated as a slave in this side of the state is today the traditional ruler of this community.
“My father suffered a lot of humiliation; he suffered a lot of intimidation.
“This field we are in here today belonged to my father.
“Late 70s and early 80s, we used to farm here and there were lots of palm trees here.
“But we were chased out of this place and my father’s house here was demolished and taken to the end of our land in my father’s compound by the village, for doing nothing.
“My father then told us a story of how to be patient, focus on God and work hard.
“If I begin to narrate all he passed through to where he is today, everyone here will shed tears.
“But I thank God that in spite of all the intimidations, my father, His Royal Highness Eze Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwankpu is today, the traditional ruler of this community.”
The Governor narrated that the ill treatment meted out against his father’s household by his village people made him not to join any social club in the village or participate in most social events, but was always concentrated in his farm where he often found solace.
He alleged that his father’s elder brother died in the hands of his village people and regretted that nobody in the entire village has ever laid any charge against his father which could have justified the ill treatment.
“It got to a point that nobody in this village could speak to my father’s favour, including his brothers and step brothers.
“His offence may have been that he worked hard to become a rich farmer unannounced, who knows?
“Up till today, nobody can rise up in this village and name the offence that my father committed to attract such treatment.
“Because of his experiences, my father made us not to belong to any group, club or association in this village, including his wives.
“We were always working round the clock, from January to the next January.
“But God Almighty has been very merciful.
“My father never rested; every blessed day, he must be in his farm, and he did that and succeeded.”
Governor Nwifuru further narrated that it was the loneliness and despondence emanating from his experiences that made his father marry many wives so that he could have a large company to share moments with.
“My father was compelled to marry many wives because he was alone and wanted to have many children.
“My grandfather married about five wives and my father was the second son from his mother. His elder brother was brutalized by the villagers in our village square, and before my father could take him to the hospital, he died.
Governor Nwifuru charged the royal father to use his position to strengthen the unity in the community and to be fair, just and pursue peace and truth in all his dealings.
He prayed to God to grant his father wisdom to administer his kingdom.
Nwifuru’s father, Eze Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwankpu, is married to 19 wives and has over 108 children at present.
In their separate remarks at the event, the Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Moses Odunwa and the principal Secretary to the Governor, Matthias Adum, who spoke for the Ministry of Local government and Chieftaincy matters, said the new community and its traditional rulership came in exercise of the powers bestowed on the Governor by the Ebonyi state Additional Communities Law 2004 and Cap 146 vol.6, Law of Autonomous Communities and Chieftaincy Matters.
Others who spoke, including the Chairman of the event, Godwin Ogbaga; Chairman of Southeast Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Charles Mkpuma; Senator representing Ebonyi North senatorial district, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi and former Governor Martin Elechi who spoke for all former Governors of the State, commended the people of Oferekpe for being peaceful in the choice of their traditional ruler.
While Ogbaga called on all and sundries to unite to promote the community and the traditional stool, Elechi cautioned the royal father to exhibit a high degree of wisdom in selecting his cabinet and advisers.
In his address, the event’s Planning Committee Chairman, Elias Nwibo, appreciated Governor Nwifuru for his approval to grant their request for an autonomous Community of their own.
He said: “This good gesture attests to the fact that the role and importance of traditional rulers in our society cannot be overemphasized.
“They are the unifying agents of mobilization, growth, peace and grassroots development which would bring about the needed unity, peace and progress among neighbouring cCommunities and Ebonyi State in general.
The event which witnessed massive attendance was a roll call of who is who in the state and beyond.
