Imo Traditional Ruler Attacks Okorocha On Board Aircraft; Ex-Gov Slams Him |The Source

By Charles Igbo

A drama of the absurd played out aboard an Air Peace Airline Aircraft headed to Abuja from the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, on Sunday, March 28.

A two-time Governor of Imo State, now the Senator, representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, was  attacked by a Traditional Ruler, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya.

Ilomuanya was a one-time Chairman of the Imo Council  of Traditional Rulers, as well as that of the South-east.

The ugly incident, which started as a rumour, was neither confirmed nor denied by Okorocha. But in a strongly worded statement released by his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha slammed Ilomuanya for being unruly, and praised his principal, Okorocha, for remaining calm and peaceful.

Between Okorocha and Ilomuanya, there is no love lost. Okorocha, in a manner described by many as vindictive, not only removed Ilomuanya as the Chairman of the Imo Council of Traditional Rulers, 24 hours after he was sworn-in as Governor in 2011, but also dethroned him as a Traditional Ruler, later,  installing another in his place.

Ilomuanya courted Okorocha’s anger by openly supporting the re-election bid of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, citing the Imo Charter of  Equity on the rotation of the Governorship seat among the three Senatorial zone of the State.

Ohakim, from Okigwe zone, was expected to complete a second term. But Okorocha, from Orlu zone, from where Chief Achike Udenwa who had just completed  eight years in office, swept Ohakim out of office, flying the APGA flag. Ohakim was flying the PDP flag.

A huge number of Traditional Rulers in the South-east, especially, in Imo, find it difficult to isolate themselves from partisan politics. Ilomuanya’s replacement, by Okorocha,  as the Chairman of Imo Traditional Council, Eze Samuel Ohiri, fared no better than Ilomuanya. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Ilomuanya took to legal action to reclaim both positions, including his stool. But Okorocha, as was his habit, as Governor, disobeyed all Court orders, upto the Appeal Court to reinstate Ilomuanya to his office. One of the reasons people laugh when the Governor flaunts legal papers now is that he never obeyed any while he was in office

Apparently, the bitter “fight” between the two of them, from same  Orlu zone, extended on board the aircraft.

Eye witness accounts say Ilomuanya  accosted Okorocha  who was, coincidentally, sitting next to him, with  rage,  saying he didn’t want to see him near him.

Said the account, now trending, “What started as a mellow drama, all of a sudden snowballed into a full fledged confrontation inside the aircraft.”

The Royal Father was said to have, allegedly, descended on Okorocha with his walking stick. Could be an exaggeration there, because that would be a criminal assault. But the quick intervention of  the crew, led by the Captain, it is  reported, saved  the ex-Governor from an outright assault.

Okorocha was said to have been shaken by the incident, and quickly relocated to another seat.

Eze Ilomuanya  warned  him to “stay away from Orlu if he truly wants peace to reign.”

But in the  strongly worded Press Release Onwuemeodo entilted, Re-Breaking Sunday News, Senator Okorocha Humiliated Aboard Aircraft he  said the person who posted the story on the Social media, ended up  maligning the Traditional Ruler instead of Senator Okorocha.

“In trying to malign Okorocha, he succeeded or ended up crucifying Cletus llomuanya.”

Excerpts from the statement:

“There has been a trending trash with the Referenced title or caption.

“Unfortunately, everything has become breaking news,  with the advent of the social media.

“While others were in the Church worshipping the Almighty God, one of the  “Sadducees” was busy posting or circulating what he felt was a breaking news. And his target was Okorocha.

“But in trying to malign Okorocha, he succeeded or ended up in “crucifying” Cletus llomuanya.

“Again, ( emphasis),  in their sleepless or relentless attempts to get at  Senator Rochas Okorocha, they  succeeded in inflicting deep cuts on  Cletus llomuanya.

“We would not have bothered for a reaction,  if llomuanya or any of his aides,, had swiftly reacted to say,  whether the reported incident happened or not . And if it happened , what really transpired.

“The little minded element behind the story,  wrote, ‘….Eze Cletus llomuanya aboard Air Peace flight to Abuja this morning, accosted Sen. Rochas Okorocha sitting next to him, and  exploded with so much rage and royal anger against Okorocha’ .

“If Senator Okorocha had seen his brother llomuanya, and chose to sit close to him , that action should be highly commended and applauded. It showed that Okorocha had behaved not only as a Christian,  but as a Statesman . lt showed  that he had nothing personal against llomuanya.

“And if llomuanya had paid Okorocha  back, or had negatively reacted to such kind gestures ,  by “accosting Okorocha and exploding with so much rage and royal anger”, one would not  be wrong to describe  such attitudes  as disgraceful, unfortunate, condemnable , embarrassing, ungodly, indecent and unexpected from someone who had led the lmo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

“ln other words, he had showed he was not a good Ambassador of the state

“Part of the report or story was also that llomuanya, ‘confronted Okorocha and also  descended on Okorocha with his walking stick…and Okorocha hastily relocated to another seat ‘.

“Again, if  llomuanya could confront Okorocha to the  extent of hitting Okorocha with his walking stick and Okorocha not retaliating, but hastily relocated to another seat, we would only say that, Okorocha had acquitted himself very well as a two term former of lmo state,  now a sitting Senator and a worthy Ambassador of the state and the nation. He had shown character worthy of emulation .

“And while llomuanya’s actions,  could again  be described as disgraceful, unfortunate, regrettable and thuggery on Air. And should be condemned by all men and women of decency.

“The whole scenario had,  once more , confirmed Okorocha’s peaceful dispositions. His penchant or love  for peace . His principle of live and let others  live. And that was why,  as lmo Governor for 8 years,  he never had any personal confrontation with any one . He never  chased or pursued or chastised his critics.  Rather, he loved them .

“llomuanya could also appreciate the maturity Okorocha exhibited and apologise to him since by  ‘strength shall no man prevail’

“We are also  aware or not unmindful of the fact that,  those who want appointments in the camphope government in the state or those who want to be reinstated as traditional rulers or those who want to return as chairmen of the state council of Traditional Rulers,  have told themselves that the easiest way or method to adopt to achieve their aims or ambitions,  would be to insult or attack Okorocha, leveraging on the hostility of the government in the state now ,  against Okorocha and his family.  But time is of great essence in human endeavours. ln other words, time will tell”

Okorocha has been embattled, almost, from all fronts since he left office as the Governor of Imo State on account of alleged unprecedented, brazen looting of the State.