Chairman of Imo State traditional council, His Royal Majesty, Eze Dr. Emmanuel Okeke, has denied congratulating Senator Ifeanyi Araraume on his recent appointment as Chairman of Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Board.
In a release signed and made available to journalists in Owerri, last week, Eze Okeke said the recently published advertorial at the back page of Frontline Express Newspaper on 8th October, 2021 with the title “Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Thank You Mr. President for appointing Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the Chairman of Board of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd” using his photograph without his knowledge, did not emanate from him, but from those he termed as mischief makers who he said are bent at peddling falsehood against him and the traditional institution.
The royal father de-asociated himselfrom the said publication of which he maintained he has no knowledge of. “I am the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Institution and should deserve respect. I should have been told of this plan. For anybody or group to have organised that media advertorial using my photograph without my knowledge and permission is disrespectful in the highest order.
I am not against Senator Araraume and his appointment. He is a son of Imo State. His appointment was a welcomed development, but using my name to congratulate him without my permission is not only condemnable, it is an insult and brazen neglect to the exalted institution of traditional rulers”.
“It was me that would have provided my photograph to be used in the advertorial and not taken it from the internet. I am 68 years of age. If I should not be respected because of my position, I should be respected because of my age As traditional rulers, we should play our roles with the ethics and ethos of our revered institution.
Traditional institution is not a political party or a pressure group. I therefore, warn against the recurrence of this practice”.
