Involved little children of Awka Historic Kingdom, within the capital of Anambra State, together with supporters of Igbo cultural heritage, have tackled the state authorities for deriding a chieftaincy title conferred on the Minister of State for International Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu within the city.
The group vehemently rejected and condemned the Anambra State Authorities’s unwarranted interference within the conferment of the esteemed chieftaincy title “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora” (The Mild of the Community) on the widow of the late Igbo chief, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu-The Ikemba Nnewi.
His Imperial Majesty, Obi Dr. Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe, MON, JP, Ezeuzu III of Awka, had late final 12 months, bestowed the minister with the chieftaincy title in recognition of her contributions to Ndigbo and the nation, at massive.
DAILY POST recollects that the Anambra State Authorities disclaimed the chieftaincy conferment, branding it as ‘fake’ as a result of based on it, the standard ruler was an ‘impostor.’
Regardless, the involved little children of Awka mentioned the state authorities’s motion not solely undermined the sovereignty of their conventional establishments but additionally represented a blatant overreach into issues that have been the unique protect of the Awka individuals.
In a press release by Prof. Emmanuel Obi, for representatives of Awka Sons and Daughters, and in Solidarity with His Imperial Majesty Obi Dr. Austin Ndigwe, Ezeuzu III, the group the assault on Odumegwu-Ojukwu was uncalled for.
A part of the assertion learn: “Initially, the traditions, customs, and cultural practices of Awka are usually not topic to the whims of state forms or political expediency. These are sacred parts of our id, handed down by means of generations, they usually stay the only area of the indigenous little children of Awka. It’s we, the individuals of Awka, who maintain the authority to pick, crown, and affirm our leaders in accordance with our ancestral legal guidelines.
“His Imperial Majesty Obi Dr. Austin Ndigwe was unanimously elected and topped as Ezeuzu III by the Oha Awka (Council of Elders), the Ndichie (titled males), and the broader community in a course of that mirrored the collective will of our individuals. This unanimous choice was not imposed however emerged from deep consultations, rituals, and affirmations that honour our heritage. Any try by the state authorities to label this management as “unrecognized” or “faux” is an insult to our autonomy and a harmful precedent that erodes the foundations of Igbo conventional governance.
“The conferment of the title on Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, a distinguished daughter of Igboland, widow of the everlasting Ikemba Ndigbo, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and an emblem of grace, resilience, and repair was a becoming recognition of her contributions to our community and the broader Nigerian society.
“As Minister of State for International Affairs, she continues to raise the profile of Anambra and Igboland on the nationwide and worldwide stage. The title “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora” was bestowed throughout a ceremonial occasion in Awka, witnessed by multitudes, and it carries the total weight of our cultural legitimacy. To discredit it’s to discredit the very essence of Awka’s cultural sovereignty.
“We remind the Anambra State Authorities that conventional rulership in Igboland just isn’t a creation of colonial period statutes or trendy political appointments. It predates the Nigerian state and operates independently of presidency certificates or ratifications. The federal government’s function must be to help and shield these establishments, to not meddle in them for partisan causes or to settle scores in ongoing disputes. Historic precedents present that such interference solely sows division and weakens community cohesion. If the federal government persists on this path, it dangers alienating the individuals it claims to serve and alluring pointless battle.
“We name upon Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and his administration to instantly retract any statements or actions discrediting this title and to respect the selections of the Awka individuals. Let or not it’s identified that the unanimous crowning of Ezeuzu III stands as a testomony to our unity, and no exterior power can undo it. Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu’s title stays legitimate, honoured, and celebrated by those that actually perceive and worth our traditions.”
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