By Tony Adibe
Apparently tired of waiting endlessly for the police, kinsmen of the late Barr. Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party (LP), Candidate for the 2023 Enugu East Senatorial District election recently murdered by gunmen, on Monday converged at their ancestral square, in Amuri Ancient kingdom, Nkanu West Council Area and placed curse on the killers. Also, the kinsmen invoked the spirit of their ancestors to avenge for them.
The late Chukwu was brutally shot dead and his corpse set ablaze alongside others with him in the vehicle while returning from a political campaign on February 23rd, 2023 in Enugu South Local Government Area of the State.
Natives of Amuri from the four communities that make up the Ancient Kingdom, led by the oldest men in the locality and two traditional rulers, Igwe Charles Nwoye and Igwe Fidelis Nsiegbu, had gathered at the popular Obodo Okolo Chukwu ancestral square as early as 9:00a.m., with one voice to place curses and invoke the spirit of their four fathers and gods of the land to go after those behind the barbaric act.
Igwe Nwoye and his colleague, in their different remarks, said as a people, they believed strongly in natural justice and philosophy of ‘live and let live’, appealing to their ancestors to rise and bring justice to their late son.
The native rulers also prayed the gods of the land to ensure that “any one involved, directly or indirectly in the unholy act, young, or old is made to face the consequences of their nefarious conduct”, adding that “he who kills by sword, must surely die by sword.”
Speaking with Newsmen at the event in an emotion-laden voice, younger brother to the late Barr. Chukwu, and Senator-Elect for Enugu East Senatorial zone, Sir Kelvin Chukwu, expressed appreciation to their kinsmen for the love and solidarity they have continued to show to the family since the ugly incident occurred.
He specifically thanked the two monarchs present and elders of the land, stressing that the performed traditional ritual aimed at seeking natural justice for their deceased brother has never failed the community from inception, especially when such present calamity falls on the locality.
The Senator-Elect said that the family was yet to recover from the rude shock of the gruesome “murder of our late brother, late Barr. Oyibo Chukwu, who was shot dead, and his corpse burnt by his killers.
“So, what our people are doing here today is important because it is in consonance with the tradition of our community, it’s our way of seeking justice through traditional means. His spirit, and those of our ancestors will definitely find the perpetrators and make them pay dearly for their wicked and barbaric act.”
But a crown prince in the community and immediate past Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who moderated the ceremony, later told reporters: “Amuri is a great kingdom, and we are descendants of warriors. And in Amuri, the gods of our ancestors guide everything we do.”
Nwoye also said, “We are spiritual people, we don’t engage in war without a just course. We don’t spill blood, but due to the last election, the blood of an Amuri son was spilled.
“So today, we have gathered here in our village, community square to invoke the spirit of our ancestors to speak justice to the spirit of our son, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu. We have come to ask all the gods of Amuri Ancient kingdom to avenge for us.
“You can see that all the elders from the kingdom, both those who can walk and those who can’t walk, some are above one hundred years of age, have all come out to invoke the spirit of our ancestors, the warrior spirit to come and fight for us so, that all those who joined in the conspirial meeting to eliminate Barr. Oyibo Chukwu for political gains and their generations will get the justice they also deserves.”
Immediate younger brother to the deceased politician, Barr. Lucky Chukwu, who is also a former member of Enugu State House of Assembly, in an interview, also expressed appreciation to their kinsmen, traditional rulers, and more especially Dr. Nwoye, for being there for the family particularly “this period of sorrow and mourning.”
He said: “I am the immediate younger brother to Barrister Oyibo Chukwu, and like my brother, the Distinguished Senator-Elect, said, it has not been easy for my family to bear. In fact, I don’t pray that my worst enemy in life will undergo such torture and trauma.”
The former member of Enugu State legislature said up till the moment he was speaking, “the family was yet to inform their 88 years old aged mother of the terrible demise of their brother, “Because we know the consequences of such information. We are indeed grateful to Amuri people for this show of love and solidarity to our family, and I know that our coming here today will not be in vein.”
NewsBits reports that apart from the traditional aspect of the ceremony, a clergyman, Rev. Ikechukwu Aniodo, of the Methodist Church Nigeria, who hails from the community, had earlier offered prayers to God, asking him to “expose those behind the callous act, as well as comfort the bereaved family.”
Rev Aniodo advised the Senator-elect to ensure that he upholds the dream and aspiration of his late elder brother, Barrister Oyibo Chukwu, whom he described as a good man, positing that no matter what has happened, the family and Amuri Community should keep trusting God as God Almighty makes impossible things possible.
However, the Natives had during the exercise, offered prayers to God for the protection of the Senator-Elect, as he prepares for his sojourn to the National Assembly NASS.
