|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By Sunny A. David, Awka
A controversy has erupted between the Anambra State Government and the Awka Ancient Kingdom following the conferment of a chieftaincy title on former Nigerian Ambassador and ex–Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
The State government has disowned the title, describing it as illegal and culturally invalid, while the Awka community has pushed back strongly, insisting the conferment was legitimate and rooted in long standing tradition.
In a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mr TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, the Anambra State Government disassociated itself from the purported conferment of chieftaincy titles by Mr. Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe. The government stated that Ndigwe lacks the legal and customary authority to assume any traditional role or bestow titles in Awka.
According to the statement, the individual’s self-designation as “Supreme Commander of Awka Ancient Kingdom” is unknown to Awka tradition and contravenes the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law.
The government further maintained that the action amounted to impersonation and an affront to the authority of the recognized traditional ruler of Awka, His Royal Highness Gibson Nwosu.
The government also declared the chieftaincy title allegedly conferred on Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as null and void, stressing that while she is deserving of honour, any recognition bestowed by an unauthorized person carries no legal or cultural weight. It warned that it would take all necessary legal steps to protect traditional institutions from abuse and misrepresentation.
However, the Awka Ancient Kingdom has strongly rejected the government’s position, describing it as an unwarranted intrusion into the cultural sovereignty of the community.
In a rebuttal signed by Prof. Emmanuel Obi on behalf of concerned sons and daughters of Awka, the community insisted that the title, “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora” (Light of the Community), was validly conferred by His Imperial Majesty, Obi Dr Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe, MON, JP, Ezeuzu III of Awka.
The statement accused the State government of overreach and argued that Awka’s traditions, customs, and leadership structures are not subject to political approval or bureaucratic control.
It maintained that Obi Ndigwe emerged as Ezeuzu III through due traditional processes involving the Oha Awka (Council of Elders), Ndichie, and widespread community consultations.
According to the community, any attempt to label the Monarch or the title as unrecognized amounts to an insult to Awka’s ancestral institutions and autonomy.
The group also defended Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as a worthy recipient, citing her public service record, her status as a respected daughter of Igboland, and her symbolic importance to the region.
They noted that the title was conferred during a public, culturally sanctioned ceremony witnessed by a large gathering and emphasized that traditional rulership in Igboland predates modern government structures and operates independently of State ratification.
Calling for calm, the Awka community urged Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to retract the government’s stance to avoid unnecessary tension, insisting that the title remains valid and honoured within Awka.
As the disagreement continues, the development has reignited debate over the relationship between State authority and traditional institutions in Anambra State.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.