ANY Imo State monarch, who speaks English in any public forum in the state, risks losing his traditional stool. This was the directive given by governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha last week in Owerri while inaugurating the state’s Imo Traditional Rulers Parliament and Community Government Council.
At the occasion, which saw the emergence of Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri as the elected chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, Okorocha urged them to use the forum to project the ideals of Igbo language and culture.
The governor insisted that the native language and traditions must not be allowed to go into extinction, adding that the parliament would afford the monarchs opportunity to deal sincerely and creditably with the issue of customary cases and matters in their various domains according to the rule of law.
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Chief Benjamin Uwajimogu, used the forum to present the Community Government Council Law Number 1 of 2012. Uwajimogu said before it was passed, it went through the rigorous legislative process, including receiving public hearing.
In his remarks, the new Commissioner for Community Government Council and Public Utility, Prof. Chima Iwuchukwu, said the inauguration was one of the best things that have happened to the state. Okorocha was later conferred with a traditional title of Eze Gburugburu of Ndigbo (ruler of all Igbo people).
I'm finding new respect for mr Okoroocha. This is something that has worried me most of the time. How is it possible that traditional leaders who were supposed to be custodians of the traditions are the ones destroying it. It's not like anyone of those can actually speak good English. But his name is correctly spelled Okoroocha the final O should come with a dot underneath. We should start to learnfrom there.
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