Kinsmen of the Labour Party (LP) candidate for the 2023 Enugu East senatorial district Oyibo Chukwu who was recently murdered by yet to be identified gunmen, Tuesday, converged at their ancestral square, in Amuri Ancient kingdom, Nkanu West in Enugu state to place curse on the killers.
They also invoked the spirit of their ancestors to avenge the destardly act.
The late Chukwu was brutally shot dead and his corpse set ablaze alongside others with him in a 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 eldest men in the community and two traditional rulers, Igwe Charles Nwoye and Igwe Fidelis Nsiegbu, gathered at the popular Obodo Okolo Chukwu ancestral square as early as 9am, with one voice to rain curses and invoke the spirit of their forefathers and gods of the land to go after those behind the act.
Igwe Nwoye and his colleague, in their separate remarks, said as a people, they believed strongly in natural justice and philosophy of ‘live and let live’, urging their ancestors to rise up and bring justice to their late son.
The monarchs, equally prayed the gods of the land to ensure that any one involved, directly or indirectly in the unholy act, young or old, would face the consequences, adding that “he who kills by sword, must surely die by sword.”
Speaking with newsmen at the occasion in an emotional mood, 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 occured.
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.
According to the Senator-elect, the family is yet to recover from the rude shock of the gruesome “murder of our late brother, late Barrister 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” the Senator-elect declared.
Also speaking with Journalists, a Crown Prince in the community and immediate past chairman of the APC in Enugu state, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who moderated the ceremony, said “Amuri is a great kingdom, and we are descendants of warriors. And in Amuri, the gods of our ancestors guides everything we do.
“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 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.
Aside the traditional aspect of the ceremony, a cleric Reverend Ikechukwu Aniodo, of the Methodist Church Nigeria, who hails from the community, had earlier offered prayers asking God to expose those behind the callous act and also comfort the bereaved family.