The traditional seat of justice came into play recently in Ogwashi Uku, hometown of Nigeria’s Finance Minister, when investigations revealed that a son of the soil was involved in the kidnap of another indigene of the area.
The family met the weight of traditional and cultural justice which always seems to uphold the philosophy that ‘everyone is an ambassador of his family and moral up-bringing’.
According to reports, the suspect (names withheld) played a role in the kidnap of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the octogenarian mother of the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Ezi community in Aniocha North council of Delta State and consequently the entire family the has been ostracized from the town.
Mrs Okonjo, the wife of Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, the Obi of Ogwashi Uku, Aniocha South Council was abducted on December 9, 2012 at the palace by a gang of kidnappers numbering about 10 which included the son of the sanctioned family.
The traditional ruler of Ezi, Obi Mohanye 1, rising from a meeting of the Obi in Council, said the decision to banish the entire family from the town was as a result of the role played by their son whom, he insisted had severely damaged the reputation of the entire community.
He said the decision was to show the world that the community was very upset by the suspect’s action and that the decision to sanction his family was to serve as a deterrent.
The royal father said it was unbelievable that the suspect’s parents could not control or monitor the 22 year-old boy who was building a house for them and bought a car for his brother when he had no visible means of livelihood.
The Obi disclosed that the decision became important owing to the increasing cases of crimes among the youths in the community, maintaining that to curb the ugly trend communities must wake up to their responsibilities.
He warned that any family member who indulged in such ignoble act would face the same sanction, adding that the town crier would convoy the decision to the entire community.
Public comments are favourably disposed towards the ruling of the community chiefs and elders noting that traditional values which placed premium on integrity and community interdependence has long lost its relevance in the society.
Another opinion proffered that the ‘political craze for power and wealth at all costs has drastically watered down the ethics of our culture such that nobody advocates the integrity of our culture any more.’
