Anambra State Government's Interference Hindered My Security Plans For Anambra South Senatorial District

The controversial decision taken by Nigerian singer Flavour to bury his father in Enugu rather than his ancestral home in Anambra was widely criticized. Ifeanyi Ubah, the fiery senator representing Anambra South, did not hold back when he blamed Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra, for the decision. Raising eyebrows and tails, the funeral service for the well-known singer’s father, Benjamin Onyemaechi Okoli, turned into a contest of local pride. Flavour’s father was buried in Enugu, but his roots are in Umunze, in Orumba South LGA, Anambra. This decision sparked a flurry of rumors and finger-pointing, with undercurrents of politics.

The colorful nightclub entrepreneur Cubana Chief Priest, who graced the occasion, revealed the information that the burial ritual was originally supposed to take place in Umunze, Anambra State. But he revealed that Flavour decided to move the event to Enugu because of Anambra security fears.

In a statement conveyed through Kamen Ogbonna, his media advisor, on Monday, Ifeanyi Ubah expressed regret over the “poor security” situation and squarely placed the blame on Chukwuma Soludo for failing to address the issue in Umunze.

READ ALSO: Popular Singer Flavour Mourns the Loss of His Father

Along with sharp criticism, Ubah claimed that Soludo was interfering and that this was impeding efforts to address insecurity in the area. Ubah apologized to Flavour, stating that he was aware of the sad events that prompted him to decide to have his father’s funeral in Enugu.

“I apologise to Chinedu Okoli (Mr. Flavour) for missing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate the life and time of his father in his hometown,” he said.

“I would have secured Orumba and the entire Anambra South senatorial district if the state government hadn’t stopped my security initiative, despite its success in the Nnewi Pilot program.

“The state government’s actions have left my constituents vulnerable to security threats, particularly in areas currently under siege by non-state actors, which would have been liberated by now. I will continue to advocate for the security and well-being of my people, despite the obstacles.

“In 2023, I launched the security initiative aimed to provide comprehensive security coverage for the Anambra South senatorial district.

“Following its success in Nnewi, plans were underway to expand the programme to Orumba North and South, Aguata, Ihiala, Nnewi South, and Ekwusigo. However, the state government’s interference halted the initiative’s progress, introducing politics into security matters and prioritizing the governor’s second-term bid over the welfare of the people.

“We used a combination of artificial intelligence, local intelligence, walkie-talkies, and 4G High Definition CCTV security networking systems to achieve this.

“The state government’s actions have left my constituents vulnerable to security threats, particularly in areas currently under siege by non-state actors, which would have been liberated by now. I will continue to advocate for the security and well-being of my people, despite the obstacles.”