Umuopara Clan Honours Mayor Enwereuzo With Vote Of Confidence On Service Delivery

By: OBINNA MOSES IBE, Umuahia.

It was indeed a red letter day for the people of Umuopara Ahia Asaa on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at Umuabali Primary School, Ezeleke when the traditional rulers alongside the people celebrated their 2025 annual Iwaji New Yam Festival with fanfare and panache.

The clan used the occasion of Iwaji 2025 as usual to showcase its rich cultural heritage with different cultural displays that the people are known for that spice up the historic celebration.

Though Iwaji Umuopara 2025 has come and gone, the sweet memory of the said event will continue to linger in the minds of those who witnessed and participated in the epoch making event that made it a huge success.

As predicted, nonetheless, Iwaji Umuopara annual festival also attracted array of personalities from all walks of life, ranging from political class, traditional institution, business tycoon, clergymen etc.

Some of the eminent dignitaries that graced the occasion included, the honourable member representing Umuahia North, Umuahia South and Ikwuano Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon Obinna Aguocha, the Executive Mayor of Umuahia South, Hon Engr Chinedu Enwereuzo, the leader of Umuahia South Legislative Council, Hon Engr Ngozi Emmanuel Ebenezer, Hon Dennis Anokwuru, Vice Chairman, Abia Warriors Football Club and Coordinator of Abia Arise Political Structure, Chief of Staff to the Executive Mayor, Dr Callystus Akozie Agomoh etc.

Other personalities of note that attended, included, the traditional rulers from the clan ranging from their Chairman, HRM Eze Engr Wisdom Ekueku, Deputy Chairman, Umuopara Council of Chiefs, HRH Eze Akpunku Echehieuka Iheuwa, HRM Eze Stephen Ihuoma, immediate past former LGA Chairman, HRH Eze Lazarus Okezie Okonko, HRH Eze Roland Osuagwu and HRM Eze Kingsley Emekobum, the traditional ruler of Okpu Isingwu Autonomous Community, also former Chairman, Ohuhu Council of Traditional Rulers who visited to celebrate with his colleagues traditional rulers from Umuopara, Umuahia South.

The environment was charged with solidarity songs, shouts of capacity mayor rented the air the moment the Mayor of Umuahia South with his entourage accompanied by the member representing Ikwuano Umuahia Federal Constituency arrived the venue of Iwaji Umuopara ceremony at Umuabali.

Truly, the people of Umuopara really loved the people’s mayor as crowd besieged him and Hon Obi Aguocha with Odumodu songs as he moved round canopies to greet his people.

It was really a red letter day given the red carpet reception extended to the mayor and his entourage and also to the people of Umuopara Ahia Asaa who also used the occasion to prove that their own brand of Iri ji is violent- free, an occasion used to showcase the culture and hospitality of the people, a time of thanking God for rich harvest of yam from planting season who made it possible.

Afterwards was the presentation of kola nut to welcome the mayor and his team to the arena of the event as the custom demands which shows acceptance and appreciation of his coming by the celebrating clan.

The traditional rulers of Umuopara Ahia Asaa led by their Chairman Eze Wisdom Ekueku led the council boss and Hon Obi Aguocha to go and cut the traditional roasted yam and eat signifying the height of the occasion.

Speaking shortly after conferment ceremony of royal award certificate of vote of confidence by the Umuopara Council of Traditional Rulers, their chairman, HRM Eze Engr Wisdom Ndubueze Ekueku expressed satisfaction of the giant strides recorded by the mayor so far in piloting the affairs of the Gateway Council of Umuahia South, the capacity mayor of umuahia south,Hon Engr Chinedu Enwereuzo.

Eze Ekueku added that royal award bestowed on the Nsirimo born council boss was in recognition of his excellent service delivery, adding that the royal fathers appreciate his good works amidst shouts of award well deserved by the jubilant celebrants of Umuopara people.

Eze Ekueku who saluted mayor Enwereuzo’s leadership prowess described him as a friend of Ndi – Umuopara, stating that the people are proud to be associated with his people- centric governance, hence the reason why they honoured him with a vote of confidence Royal Award during their new yam festival.

The Chairman of Umuopara Council of Traditional Rulers further commended the mayor for appointments of Umuopara sons in Umuahia South LGA governance, while promising that the people will continue to support him and Gov Alex Otti.

Eze Ekueku also described Gov Otti as the best governor in the whole world, noting that Otti is educated, intelligent, articulated and has vision in turning things around, hence the success story of his government, appreciated by all and sundry.

According to the respected royal father, if Gov Otti can achieved this much in two years, his leadership pedigree is being under used at the governorship level, pointing out that the ex- accomplished banker turned politician has what it takes to lead the country well at the presidential level, while insisting that Abians should even beg him to go for second tenure.

Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, the Mayor of Umuahia South, Hon Engr Chinedu Enwereuzo thanked the traditional rulers of Umuopara and the people for honouring him, adding that the people have been supportive of the Labour Party led government with Gov Alex Otti as the leader in the state.

He pointed out that the support Umuopara people are giving to him at the local government level and that of Gov Otti at the state level underscores the number of aides appointed by him in his administration from Umuopara land.

Mayor Enwereuzo used the opportunity to encourage eligible people who are yet to be captured in the ongoing voters registration by INEC to to go and register in order to participate in the general election coming up in 2027.

The Umuahia South Council boss revealed that the only way to appreciate the good way the governor has been doing in the state is to vote him en masse in the forthcoming political dispensation while expressing optimism that the people of Umuopara will as usual support the champion of new dawn in Abia State.