Anambra Monarchs, Ogbunike Indigenes Pay Last Respect to Demised Igwe Umenyiora

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Traditional rulers in Anambra State and members of Ogbunike community in Oyi Local Government Area at the weekend paid respect to the demised traditional ruler of the community, Igwe John Ositadimma Umenyiora.

Umenyiora, who reigned for 46 years after he was crowned in 1976 as the first monarch of the community, was 79 when he passed on.

Monarchs from different parts of the state attended the event, which was celebrated as the last Ofala festival of the monarch.

Several traditional rulers in the state paid glowing tribute to Umenyiora, who they described as a first-class monarch in the state, who reigned with dignity and respect.

The President General of the community, Mr. Gozie Ikegulu, while speaking on the monarch, said: “What we are doing today is to pay our last respect to our monarch, and to celebrate him for what he stood for throughout his lifetime.

“In our culture, it is believed that the Igwe does not die, rather he only travelled. Our Igwe has travelled, and what you see here is the rite which we usually hold each time an Igwe travels.

“The culture is that the first son of the monarch will wear his father’s cloth for 28 days, after which he will show himself to the people. That is why you have seen the son of the Igwe coming out today to show himself to the people after wearing his father’s dresses.

“He (son) has engaged in procession three times today, and now is the time to receive visitors who have come to pay homage to his father. That is the tradition of our people.”

Another respondent, a title holder in the community, Ogochukwu Onyekwuluje, said the throne of Ogbunike community is not hereditary, so, after six months of his travelling today, we will commence the process of choosing our next monarch, and the person must be well screened.

The demised monarch was credited for building the communities town hall, founding the town biggest market, Oye Olisa, and also founding the oldest boys secondary school in the community.