According to a report by The Sun News, on Friday, March 6, 2026, a United States-based pharmacist and social advocate, Mr Martin Nwabueze, has publicly challenged the Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, regarding the recently established Oke Ite law, which focuses on the activities of native doctors within the state.
Nwabueze expressed significant reservations about the transparency and timing of this new legislation, pointing out that the state government began arresting traditional practitioners a mere two days after the law was officially ratified.
He highlighted the plight of several practitioners who claimed they were caught off guard by the new regulations, specifically noting their confusion over the criminalisation of traditional items commonly referred to as ‘good luck charms’ in Igboland.
These individuals maintained that they were merely continuing cultural practices they believed were entirely legal until the sudden wave of state enforcement began.
In response to these claims of confusion, Governor Soludo has remained firm in his stance that a lack of legal awareness does not provide a valid shield against prosecution once a statute has been formally enacted.
This legal tension was brought into sharp focus by the high-profile case of Akwa Okuko, a prominent native doctor who was recently handed a two-year prison sentence under the new regulations.
This specific conviction has ignited a broad societal debate, with supporters praising the administration for taking decisive steps to eliminate criminal activities disguised as ritualism, while critics like Nwabueze argue that the haste and method of enforcement raise serious ethical concerns.
Nwabueze, who co-founded the non-governmental organisation Tilova For Africa, leveraged his platform as a humanitarian leader to demand a higher standard of consistency from the state government.
He argued that if the administration intends to hold ordinary citizens to the strict letter of the law regardless of their personal understanding, then the same rigid accountability must be applied to the governor and his subordinates regarding the management of public wealth.
He asserted that errors in judgement or administrative oversight should not be excused for public officials if they are not excused for traditional healers.
He called for the governor’s resignation and subsequent prosecution, stating that no individual should be considered beyond the reach of the law.
The pharmacist also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to launch an immediate investigation into the state’s financial dealings.
He Said, “he ran to Tinubu by mistake to report his crime and ask for protection from the president.”
This provocative statement was part of a larger critique regarding a controversial financial transaction involving 100 million Naira.
Reports have circulated alleging that these funds were moved from the Anambra State Government’s security vote to the private bank account of Victor Egbetokun, the son of the former Inspector General of Police.
While the Nigeria Police Force has since clarified that the deposit was a technical error that was promptly corrected and reversed, Nwabueze remains sceptical of the “mistake” narrative, questioning how such a significant sum could be erroneously transferred in the first place.
Furthermore, Nwabueze condemned the recent destruction of structures at the Onitsha Main Market.
He alleged that the state government proceeded with the demolition despite a subsisting court order that was intended to halt such actions.
He painted a grim picture of the aftermath, describing how countless traders were left in a state of despair after losing access to their shops and merchandise.
He argued that by ignoring legal restraints and disrupting one of the region’s most vital economic hubs, the government has severely compromised the livelihoods of its citizens.
These overlapping controversies regarding the Oke Ite law, allegations of financial impropriety, and the disputed market demolitions have collectively placed the Soludo administration under intense public scrutiny as various stakeholders demand greater transparency and adherence to the rule of law….See More
Leave a Reply