By Alfred Amos
Prince Ibenye Ugbala Silver, the son of the late Eze Ibenye Ugbala of Amanator Okporo Autonomous Community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State is facing serious trouble for parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community.
This follows the recent unvacated court judgement which hitherto ruled that the Ezeship stool of the community is rotational.
Aside the subsisting court judgment, the Traditional Chief Priest, the three Presidents-General, the oldest men and youth leaders of all the Autonomous Communities that are still under Okporo Traditional Society such as (the Isiala Okporo, the Amanator Okporo, the Udogadi Okporo Autonomous Communities) had warned that the son of the late HRH, Eze Ibenye Ugbala should Obey the Court Order and desist from causing commotion in the community by trying to hold unto the throne which has constitutionally been shifted to the rightful village called the Umuebele village.
According to reports, the recent peaceful High Court Judgment that upholds the existing rotating kingship as enshrined in the Amanator Okporo constitution, the sons of the late monarch are fingered to have reneged and renewed the tension in the area by plotting to organize the community new yam festival when there is an official order that has transferred royalty to another village where a traditional ruler has constitutionally emerged and has been crowned.
This situation which is considered as unusual, may according to grapevines compel the three communities in Okporo to disassociate themselves from both the Ibenye Ugbala Sons and whoever that fans their embers.
On what led to signing the attached Communique mandating Ibenye Ugbala sons to stop further court actions and embrace the Umuebele village, where the new traditional ruler has rightfully emerged, the Presidents-General of the three communities, Hon. Emeka Oguaju, Chief Sir John Egeolu and Engr. Nwaugo told newsmen that the duely signed communique, was subjected to rigorous processes before its signing by the Okporo clan heads, the apex Traditional Chief Priest.
Therefore, all the elders, the Traditional Chief Priests, as a condition, took an excursion into the history of Okporo Traditional Society, the Ezeship structures, including when the late Eze Ibenye Ugba assumed the kingship throne in 1978 through a popularly contested election.
Moreover, the man who started with the Late Monarch in the same year, serving him as the palace Secretary for twelve years, and still living as one of the oldest men, came and narrated to the entire community that there was nothing like an agreed or constitutional hereditary kingship.
He further stated that like the two other sister Communities (Isiala Okporo and Udogadi Okporo) with rotating kingship, Amanator Okporo never dreamed of any hereditary kingship
Also proven was the fact that prior to the division of Okporo into three parts, the communities have shared everything in common.
Meanwhile, the Community of Amanator Okporo through their leaders, challenged the kingship staff which the late Ugbala son, was alleged to have illegally received.
The Orlu High Court in its recent un-ostentatious judgment, via suit No: HOR/35/2025, stated that the plaintiffs have proven their case on a preponderance of evidence and the court declared that Amanator Okporo has a Constitution which must be respected and enforced.
It was also gathered that the court ordered that Ibenye Ugbala’s son is not qualified to be presented or issued a staff of office as the Eze because he did not participate in the Ezeship election conducted by Amanator Okporo Town Union.
The Court restrained the Imo State Government, the Attorney General, Imo State, the Hon. Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from issuing or endorsing the issuance of the staff to Ibenye Ugbala’s son or any other person who did not take part in the Ezeship election of Amanator.
