TRADITIONAL RULERS SHOULD BE NEUTRAL DURING ELECTIONS -EZE UDE
The Ezeogo-elect, His Royal Highness, Eze Aloysius Ndem Ude, Osisioma 11of Umunna Autonomous Community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has advised traditional rulers not to be involved in politics. Instead, he said they should play the role of peace makers in their respective domains during political period.
He insisted that royal father should not be card carrying members of any political party, but should rather act as fathers where they see all the political parties as their own.
Asked how he handles the tradition of the people when it comes in conflict with religion, Eze Ude in an interview with Daily Sun, said: 'This time we believe in modernization, we don't begin to give chance to this conflict rather we think of integration. The good aspects of culture are being integrated into religion while the bad aspects are being dropped. That is what it should be.'
Challenges faced as the traditional ruler
It is very high demanding, but it is only God that can see me through. I wouldn't say I will do this and that, but I believe that once God is behind me and he has been behind me I will scale through.
Traditional rulers as sycophants to state governors
This traditional ruler-ship is supposed to be a recognition from the ruling government just like you are an employee, somebody employed you therefore you tend to dance to the rules and regulations of your employer. So, you will try to safeguard your seat somehow. Yes, the people have given you the mandate then it is left for the government to recognize it.
Message to my subjects
My message to my community in this political dispensation has been to actually recognize the government in power and then maintain peace; this has been my major message, a situation whereby a particular community invokes a minority party there will be marginalization, so we have to integrate the community with other communities within the state.
Role of traditional rulers
I believe with the short time I have stayed here I have seen some degree of significant roles of the traditional rulers. For one reason, we have been having traditional rulers meetings and in the meetings we are told that we are supposed to be advisers to the government. Advise the government where there is problem and where there is not, so we are on advisory role.
How I ascended the stool
I ascended the throne on the consensus of the community. We have nine villages that make up the community and the Ezeogo-ship is rotational and it has now come to my unit, Isiamaise and my own village Ukwuma which happens to be the head of Isiamaise. So, this village was given the chance to choose who would be the traditional ruler. However my selection was as a result of the demise of the traditional ruler because his demise ended his tenure and the Ezeogo-ship of his unit.