Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has called for closer collaboration between the government and traditional institutions to tackle insecurity and restore communal harmony.
The governor announced the suspension of planned prosecutions against individuals linked to the protracted Awka traditional leadership crisis in favour of dialogue and reconciliation.
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Speaking during a meeting with the Ozo Awka Society at the Government House in Awka, Soludo said the state government had sufficient evidence to pursue legal action against those involved in the dispute but chose restraint to create room for peaceful resolution.
The governor described the intervention as a strategic move to restore harmony in the state capital and reinforce collaboration between the government and traditional institutions in maintaining law and order.
“Our responsibility is to preserve peace, security and stability in every community,” Soludo said, stating that the government’s involvement in the dispute was driven by constitutional duty rather than political interest.”
He said findings by a state Commission of Enquiry recognised Obi Gibson Nwosu as the only legally acknowledged traditional ruler of Awka, effectively invalidating rival claims to the throne.
Soludo warned that Anambra laws prohibit the installation of parallel traditional rulers and prescribe sanctions for violators.
He traced the roots of the crisis to disagreements surrounding burial rites and alleged breaches of the community’s zoning arrangement for succession to the traditional stool.
According to the governor, the established succession structure under Awka’s traditional constitution indicated that the next monarch should emerge from Nkwelle village, but the process was allegedly disrupted by vested interests and internal disputes.
The governor also linked peace-building and traditional governance to his administration’s wider security strategy, stressing that communal stability remained critical to combating criminality and insecurity across the state.
Highlighting ongoing urban renewal efforts, Soludo reiterated his administration’s commitment to transforming Awka into a modern metropolitan city.
He cited major infrastructure projects, including the newly completed 57-building Light House complex and the Solution Fun City project, as evidence of rapid development under his government.
Landmark Project
He further proposed the construction of a central palace for the Eze Uzu Awka, describing it as a landmark project that would elevate the status of the state capital and strengthen the cultural identity of the Awka people.
Soludo urged residents to embrace Awka’s transformation into a modern capital city and abandon what he described as outdated rural perceptions of the community.
The governor also called for a review of the scheduled date for the forthcoming Imo Awka Festival, noting that another major state event fixed for May 23 would overstretch available security resources and logistics.
Responding on behalf of the delegation, the leader of the Ozo Awka Society, Ozo Sir Chukwujekwu Eze, commended the governor for extending what he described as an olive branch to the community and pledged continued consultations aimed at resolving the crisis peacefully.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including Secretary to the State Government Chiamaka Nnake, Chief of Staff Ben Nwankwo, and Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Tobechukwu Nweke, alongside prominent Awka community leaders.
