His Royal Majesty, Igwe Spencer Ugwuoke, is one of the oldest traditional rulers in the South-east, having reigned as the monarch of the highly-populated Obimo Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State since the last 35 years. In this interview with Christopher Isiguzo, Ugwoke talks about the National Conference and the place of traditional rulers in the country. Excerpts

How would you assess the ongoing national conference?

My people say it’s not killing an animal that is the problem, but dividing it. The intention of the national conference is good but as it is, it will end up diverting the minds of the people over the present political challenges in the country. I am happy that the South-east realised that they were being marginalised and that every other zone has six states except the South-east and for once the ongoing conference has agreed that one more state should be created. My worry is that it is not agreeing but how will such be with a conference that lack constitutional powers.

Here in the South-east, there are contentions but in other zones, if you ask them to give you one state, they will meet and give it to you. Who are the representatives that we have at the conference? Enugu State, for example, who are the people representing Enugu North there? Let us come to the South-east, how many Anambra people are there today? Look at the appointments being made. I know that Enugu North is not as lucky as other senatorial zones in the South-east. How many ministers since 1999, there has been none from Nsukka. Go to Anambra and know the number of people they have appointed there. Almost all the areas of Anambra have produced ministers. The national conference is nice but not well streamlined.

Are you saying that Enugu North is not well represented at the conference?

Yes

Who is the traditional ruler from Enugu North at the conference?

The area is not well represented. Guidelines should be given to produce those who should represent, whether on zonal basis or others. If the South-east is to produce 15 persons, what it means is that each state should produce three persons and if each state is to produce three persons, it means that each senatorial zone should produce one person. That is equity.

How do you think this conference would affect the unity of Nigeria?

The country is united. Don’t mind what you are seeing and hearing now. What brought about divisions was that when you go to the Niger Delta where this oil is produced, you pity them. Oil has covered the whole land; the fish is no longer available. They deserve to be compensated. Think back about when we were producing groundnut, it was meant that an area will produce its own thing. Today the Boko Haram is killing people, but I tell you that this issue emanated from outside to cause confusion here.

What I said earlier is that can the outcome of this conference be implemented. They are now trying to abolish the third tier but I say it will be worse. Let us retain the local government system and rather create a fourth tier. When there is crisis in the community, you want to find out why it is so from the traditional ruler even when you did not give him powers to act. Go to my community, there are schools with only one teacher and one headmaster to a school, yet there is a traditional ruler in the community who does not have the power to go in there and ask questions, because there is no law covering him. So I have said that the conference is good, what they are discussing is good, but no matter how sweet this might be, without the necessary backings it will end up like previous exercises.

Nigeria will be going into a major election any moment from now and we are seeing defections and other challenges here and there. What do you see of the country in the coming election? Those things you call challenges are what makes the process sweet. Why child bearing is sweet is because the woman must undergo the process of labour. It is not anything bad, there is unity in the country. Go to America and see what politics is.

Don’t you see the insecurity in the country as a threat to 2015?

It is a different thing altogether. What caused insecurity is unemployment. Look at our children who go for youth corps and while there, they are paid and after one year service it ends there and you come home and remain idle. Is it for your father to bring out money and start taking care of you once again? If you don’t remedy unemployment, you cannot remedy crime. The idle mind is the devil’s workshop. What remedy are we putting forward for unemployment? When we have our people employed, it will reduce the level of crime.

Ahead of 2015, the governorship has been zoned to your area, Enugu North senatorial district, but how can the people get the best from the growing number of aspirants?

It is good that many people are aspiring. What we should do, because we do not have constitutional powers, is to advise the government on this. Government should set up a committee to nominate from among the lot the person that can serve the interest of the state. Some who have come out are not serious, some are contractors who have nothing to offer and some are merely indicating interest so as to be remembered when the election is over. There are serious ones like the party chairman; he has maintained discipline in the party. The speaker in the Enugu House of Assembly is holding the state Assembly intact; legislators in the National Assembly are also intact and doing well.

Some persons feel that Chime’s successor should not come from Ukehe because the area has held most positions due to Enugu North. Some people are saying that some sections of Enugu North should not aspire for the governorship, but I say that anybody is free to come out. Let anybody who has programme come out and if at the end of day, it is only people from Ukehe, then Ukehe people should get it. Anybody saying that because the speaker is from Ukehe, he should not get it is being naïve and unfair to democracy.

How would you assess the three arms of government in Enugu State in the last seven years?

Let me start with the executive and to say that the governor has done very well with his urban renewal programme. There is also discipline and good security network in the state. Come to the legislature, there is no legislative arm in the South-east that is as disciplined as the Enugu State House of Assembly under Eugene Odoh. He has exhibited leadership in the past seven years, making sure the House is intact and helping the executive to enthrone good governance. The speaker has set a good example for the House of Assembly in the state. Remember when our governor was not feeling well and travelled overseas, the speaker withstood the pressure and ensured the continued unity and peace of the House of Assembly. I would prefer the governor to express some form of gratitude to him for others to emulate because if not for that uncommon courage, some persons would have capitalised on the situation to cause crisis in the state.

Look at the ESWAMA bill passed, the Enugu Capital Territory bill also passed, these are today helping to restructure and revitalise Enugu State. This unity has spread to all local governments in Enugu State. Then the judiciary has done well with speedy dispensation of justice, establishment of customary courts, and new buildings at the state headquarters of the judiciary.

What are the characteristics you would like to see in the person that will take over from Chime?

Let me make a general statement, somebody that is better than him. We cannot know that person until he comes on board, but by imagination we have some persons that are good. A confirmed report told me that Vita Abba, the chairman of the party, is contesting, that Speaker of Enugu House of Assembly is contesting, that member of House of Representatives Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is contesting, that Professor Osita Ogbu is contesting, among others. These persons are all ripe in their own ways and are very qualified to lead the state after Chime. I would, however, suggest that the chairman of the traditional rulers’ council here should inaugurate a committee for us here for the purpose of selecting candidates and we shall have basis for our selection and we will present this persons to government. This is because we are at the grassroots and know the good candidates. We want one who is disciplined, respectful and mature enough to handle issues. He must be someone who is open to consultation. Sometimes, the silence of our governor remedies events and spoil events sometimes. We don’t want the one that will spoil events. When you see something, say it immediately and not something that will wait. We want someone who is better and we are silent because we have tasted two soups and Sullivan’s own is better than the last one, but we want someone that is better.

What is your advice to the federal government on the more than 200 girls that are being held by Boko Haram?

Boko Haram is an outside force backed by some top people, otherwise, how can you tell me that without our support you came here and kidnapped someone and took them to where? What I advise is that we should man our borders. We can also invite them for negotiation. It is not only President Jonathan that should be held responsible but all Nigerians should play a role in it.

Source; ThisDay