Eze Ogamde Emerges Amaeffia Unit Chief

The People of Amaeffia, Ngbo which comprises 11 villages in Amaeku Autonomous Community, Ohaukwu Local Government Council, had, on the 3rd of January 2024, trouped out to elect the new Chief of the Village.

The election followed the death of the erstwhile Chief of the village, Chief Onwe Icha whose demise occurred in January 2024 after a brief illness.

The exercise which took place at the famous Obodo Inyiagu, Amaeffia Ngbo saw the creme-lade-creme in the village, including the highest-ranked police officer in Ohaukwu Local Government Council, ACP Emmanuel Dickson Obazi, Sir Clement Idoko Elom, KSJI retired Director in the Ministry of Education, Former councillor of Okposhi Eheku, Hon Chief Peter Eke Odeh, Former Councilor, Amaeku, Hon Engr Ikechukwu Odeh, Chairman, Ebonyi State Foodstuff Dealers, Association Chief Chidi Umeh, former Liaison officer to the former Governor, Comr Obed Igboji, Former Supervisor, Ohaukwu Local Government, Chief Francis Agbom, Youth President of Amaeku Community, Comr Chigbo Onwe Okoko, among others.

Declaring the results of the election, the highest political office holder (Management Committee Member) in the village who served as the Chairman, of the Electoral committee, Comr Nwede Chinonso Ede, announced Chief Chukwuma Eze Ogamde of Agbaba village as the winner of the election with 85 total valid votes, unopposed, having satisfied with the law and the electoral guideline. Chief Agbo Oke, who had earlier shown interest in the poll, declined and didn’t purchase the free expression of interest form nor showed up during the exercise.

Comr Nwede Chinonso Ede, the Eleco Chairman, commended the people of Amaeffia, Ngbo for choosing their destiny and urged them to show maximum support to the New Unit Chief to enable perform well in the office. He described the poll as the most transparent election thus far in the village, noting that it was a true reflection of democracy.

Others, including ACP Emmanuel Dickson Obazi and Sir Clement Idoko Elom KSJI, congratulated the Unit Chief, Chief Eze Ogamde, on his emergence and advised him to work in the interest of the village and justify the confidence reposed in him.

It was gathered that Unit Chief was an arrangement made by the Old Okposhi Eheku people and enshrined in the Community constitution. The Unit Chiefs are quasi-traditional Rulers in their village Unit who perform traditional duties such as the conferment of Chieftaincy Titles and settlement of disputes and conflicts arising in the village. The aim was to reduce the burden on the Traditional Ruler, dymesify the traditional institution and bring it closer to the people for effective administration and adjudication of cases and settlement of minor issues.

The Unit Chief, Chief Eze Ogamde, was coronated immediately after the poll by the elders of the village, while the Electoral committee was given the mandate to plan the official ceremony to mark his throne on the stool.

It was gathered that the caretaker leadership of the Village, led by DSP David Ali Ogamde Rtd in connivance with the Traditional Ruler of Amaeku Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Peter Awoke, allegedly attempted to stop the election on the ground that the constitution should be drafted for the village before the election takes place. The villagers saw this as a ploy to thwart the election since their unpopular candidate, Chief Agbo Oke, withdrew from the contest, having seen the support his opponent was enjoying.

The villagers and the Electoral committee defiled all odds and turned out en masse to participate in the election which saw over 120 people present.