-As Leaders, Stakeholders Pass Vote Of Confidence On Him
By Martin Opara
Over one thousand women from Umuihugba Umuodu autonomous community in Owerri Municipal Council of Imo State, on Wednesday August 13 2025, embarked on a peaceful solidarity march in support of their Traditional Ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Kevin Tochukwu Ihebom FCA, who they described as a peaceful, responsive and good intentioned man of integrity whose emergence has not only restored peace, unity and mutual co-existence in the community but has also enhanced the confidence of the people in the Hope Uzodinma 3R administration that deemed it necessary to give Staff of Office and Certificate of Recognition to the rightful person.
The women who stated this through their President General Dr Mrs Chidinma Ihebom, also debunked negative remarks by a set of women allegedly sponsored by those whose candidate lost in the Ezeship contest.
The women who marched to the Imo State Government House, Owerri and the the head quarters of Owerri Municipal Council, while singing solidarity songs were addressed by officials of respective offices. They displayed placards with inscriptions like, “We love HRH, Eze Kevin Ihebom”, “We pledge our unalloyed support and loyalty to our performing Governor, Dist Senator Hope Uzodinma for handling Umuihugba Umuodu Ezeship matter transparently”.
“Thank you, Gov Uzodinma for appointing the rightful person as our Traditional Ruler”, “Eze Kevin Ihebom’s emergence has restored peace to the Umuihugba Umuodu community”, “We say “No” to purveyors of falsehood” among others.
Some of them who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity expressed gratitude to the Governor for doing the right thing by by upholding the candidacy of Eze Ihebom who they described “as not only the rightful person for the position in line with the constitution of the community and it’s age-long traditional and cultural norms but also because he is the most qualified in all ramifications.”
Speaking on the issue of dominance by a particular family, the women said, ” it is instructive to note that the Legal Adviser of the community Bar G.O.C Ihebom PhD, the President General of Udo Diri Ndom Umuihugba, Dr Mrs Chidinma Ihebom, the President General, Youth Chairman and other leaders in the community were not appointed by Eze Ihebom. They were already in office before he became the Traditional Ruler of the community. Hence he had no option than to continue with them, pending when elections will be conducted for a new set of executives. It is also false that any person that bears Ihebom is the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the community.”
Addressing the women in front of the palace after their solidarity march, the Chairman, Council of Elders Sir Ferdinand Anoruo KSJI MNIS, stressed at co-existence in the community. He urged the women to always seek and pursue peace despite the level of provocation.
He commended the State Governor, Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma for wisely and transparently ensuring that the rightful person emerged as the Traditional Ruler of the community and urged the people “to key into the vision and mission of the Governor’s 3R administration by supporting his programs and policies because he has performed excellently”
The Traditional Ruler of the community, HRH, Eze Kevin Tochukwu Ihebom FCA who also aligned with Surv Anoruo’s submission thanked the Governor for his wisdom, transparency and forthrightness that have restored peace and harmony to the community. He pledged to carry everybody along, do the needful to sustain peace and unity in addition to liaising with relevant authority to ensure the security of lives and property in the community.
The President General of the community, Sir Osita Udemba, and Youth Chairman, Prince Obinna Anoruo, in their separate speeches commended Eze Kevin Ihebom who they said emerged through a credible and transparent process that is line with community’s constitution and age-long cultural and traditional norms. “That is why we, on behalf of ourselves, families, the youths and the entire community pledge our unalloyed support and loyalty to him. He is indeed the community’s choice as Eze, despite the fabricated stories being peddled by the purveyors of falsehood in their desperate attempt to create confusion and heat up the polity in alliance with their sponsors who have refused to accept that the Ezeship contest is over
“The shops at the Relief Market that they are talking about were allocated to the women of our community by the state government as compensation for our land that was acquired for the construction of some of the shops in the Free Zone area of the market. But the other faction forcefully held on to the shops and was illegally collecting rents until recently that the women group that it’s executive is recognized and documented by the Owerri Municipal Council and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs rightfully took possession of the shops . They have also been using the revenue accruing from there prudently for visible projects unlike the former group that had no verifiable record of income and expenditure.
In summary, HRH, Eze Kevin Tochukwu Ihebom, has the collective mandate of all well meaning people of Umuihugba Umuodu Autonomous community in Owerri Municipal Council. He is a man of impeccable character and unblemished track record. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) who worked and retired meritoriously as the Bursar of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. We are solidly behind him. There is peace, unity and adequate security in our community now.”
Others who spoke in the same vein are, Elder Ogu Mere, Special Adviser, Comrade Kanayo Igwe, Protocol Officer and Osuji David (DON ONE)
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