The Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Honourable Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, has described the recognition of four new traditional rulers by Governor Chukwuma Soludo as a testament to transparent governance and due process.
Speaking at the Light House, Awka, where the certificates were presented, Commissioner Nwabunwanne said the newly recognized royal fathers – Igwe Chinonso Ezeokafor of Ikenga, Igwe Austine Chinedum Emelobe of Oba, Igwe Sunday Ozoemena of Ifite Anam, and Igwe Ifeanyi Okonkwo of Ichi – emerged through a rigorous but seamless selection process.
“These recognitions represent our administration’s commitment to strengthening traditional institutions while ensuring that every step of the selection process meets constitutional requirements,” Nwabunwanne stated.
The Commissioner revealed that his Ministry conducted extensive consultations with community stakeholders and verified genealogical claims before presenting the candidates to the governor for recognition.
According to him, the recognition ceremony aligns with Governor Soludo’s vision of reforming the Traditional Rulers Council to make it more effective in contemporary governance.
“His Excellency’s reform of the Traditional Rulers Council has enhanced the capacity of our traditional institutions to contribute meaningfully to the administration’s agenda of ethical and value rebirth,” the Commissioner explained.
Nwabunwanne charged the newly recognized rulers to work closely with their town constitutions and serve as moral compasses for their communities, particularly in engaging the youth population.
He emphasized that the recognitions were not merely ceremonial but reflected the administration’s belief in the crucial role traditional rulers play in grassroots development, conflict resolution, and cultural preservation.
The Commissioner assured all traditional rulers in Anambra State of continued government support, promising that the Ministry would maintain the institutional framework that enables royal fathers to discharge their duties effectively.
“We remain committed to preserving the sanctity of our traditional institutions while adapting them to meet 21st-century governance challenges,” he declared.
The ceremony, which took place at the Light House, Awka, was attended by members of the State Executive Council and the Chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Chidubem Iweka.
Governor Soludo had earlier tasked the new traditional rulers to become the conscience of their communities and help drive the government’s crusade for ethical and value rebirth, particularly among the youth.
