By Victor Nwegede
The South East Vice President of National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners, NANTMP, Amb. Nze Okwudili Umezude has cleared air on the change of the association's leadership, degenerating squabble in Ebonyi State because of the coordinatorship position.
Nze Umezude who stormed the state on Tuesday 14th July, 2020, declared that his office has appointed one Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezenyi as the state Coordinator of the association, advising the alleged former Coordinator, Chief Dr. Augustine Ekechi to stop claiming the position having known his tenure has allegedly expired.
The President described the crisis trailing the association in the state as an unfortunate and however, said, he had briefed Police and other relevant authourities to avoid prolonging the feud since it is an issue needed clarification from his office as a superior figure of the association.
"It is quite unfortunate that this a little squabble has been lingering here in Ebonyi State but today, I have come to mandate my Coordinator, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezenyi to continue his work.
"He will help me to coordinate the coming election, and therefore, my former interim Chairman, Chief Dr. Augustine Ekechi who is now in the opposition to our constitution, despite all his pledges to us, whom we gave some months to conduct the election before his time will expire but couldn't do it, should never interfere with the new leadership in the state.
"Interim is not in our constitution, and now, we want to continue from the constitution. Our constitution states, whatever position you hold as a member will be by election, except the National Vice President, who has for instance, the right to appoint his personal adviser to be under his or her control. As a National Vice President, I have a right to appoint the Coordinator to work in every state of the zone. In fact, our constitution empowers me to make appointments in many positions.
"There are some positions that should be generally appointed. But today, I am mandating Chief Dr. Augustine Ekechi to stop parading himself as the Chairman of NANTMP in Ebonyi State because his tenure as the state Coordinator has been terminated earlier before now.
"My coming to the Police headquarters of Ebonyi State Command, Abakaliki, was nothing but to clear the air and what the Police did not know about our association especially the authenticity of Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezenyi's appointment. I have made my position opened and equally told them as far as NANTMP is concerned, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ezeny is now the Coordinator, while Chief Dr. Augustine Ekechi should stop parading himself as the Coordinator or Chairman of Ebonyi State NANTMP as he claims", hinted.
Umezude also cautioned people backing Ekechi to stay clear from the association's leadership, saying his office would not tolerate any longer if the crisis persists in the state.
"I have to clear the air and I am here cautioning whoever that is working against the progress of the association should better get off his hands before our wrath will be invoked.
"Those days when our forefathers in this line were illiterate, they compromised to several attacks and challenges like this. But now, traditional medicine practitioners are digitalized all over the world. We are now introducing new technologies to facilitate our God gifted talents. We don't tolerate any member or outsiders injecting hatred, greediness, crises and bitterness in our affairs, knowing fully well, we are independent and national body with a legal backing and a genuine leadership guided by our constitution.
"Lawyers, reverend fathers, pastors, medical personnel, and other educated persons are all members of this noble association. We have children well gifted and talented in this profession despite their areas of expertises. I sound it and sound it again, nobody should intimidate my members in Ebonyi State and the entire South East. Augustine Ekechi is an embattled outgone Chairman and he is no longer in the position for over months now.
"Thank God, we are traditional medicine practitioners, we work with the soil, the deities, and whatever one does, the deities or the soil will locate him or her. This is an association that stands by its own, commissioner or even the minister has no right to control this association. But the minister and other relevant bodies or authourities in line with our practices have the right to partner with us. It should be by cooperation for progress and development in our society not for them to incite crisis because of whatever interest they may have.
"The work of National Vice President is to conduct the election and alert the commissioners of whichever states in his zone to witness the election. We call them observers and those elected as the executives will be handed over to the ministry for harmonious of their operation", he added.
He pleaded with government in power to help them to advance their practice, pointing that new technologies are now available in the market but how to access them has been their greatest challenge.
He however, advised his colleagues to remain peaceful and learn new ways of improving their trade, telling them to always be hygienic. "Your neatnes should reflect on your body and your environment. Where you operate should be very attractive and ensure you make researches for new ways of getting improvement. This time of COVID-19, the World Health Organisation guidelines should not be underplayed", he noted.
Meanwhile, the new Coordinator, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ekechi and Amb. Dr. Stella Amadi, the woman leader and treasurer in the state have appreciated the Vice President for his bold step and honest disposition on the matter, promised to be law abiding with their teeming members.
But it appeared as if the State Commissioner for health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike has allegedly wanted the crisis to persist as the National Vice Chairman of NANTMP, Nze Amb. Okwudili Umezude accused him of having given deaf ears to his calls regards to the feud trailing the association in the state.
Umezude noted: "It is indisputable that Rev. Dr. Samuel Nwezenyi has been appointed as the Ebonyi State Coordinator of NANTMP. I have tried in several occasion to reach with the Commissioner for health in Ebonyi State, to clear him too but he has repeatedly not responded. Anybody claiming Chairmanship or coordinatorship of NANTMP from his office is on his own. Samuel Ezenyi is the state coordinator now and not Augustine Ekechi, he has to beware, and I have given Rev. Ezenyi, the mandate to conduct the election. Whoever is interested for any position should follow the due process, and not inciting crisis in our association in the state. Ebonyi State Government particularly the ministry of health should take note of the new development."
right hand and at the left, the woman leader/ treasurer, Amb. Dr. Stella Amadi with other officials and members.
But every attempt made by our correspondent to hearing from the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike proved abortive even though, Chief Dr. Augustine Ekechi allegedly stated that, Umezurike is backing him in the lingering leadership crisis characterising the association.
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