The
attention of the Anambra State Government has been drawn to a
publication by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E Amb.
Bianca Ojukwu indicating that she has been conferred with a
chieftaincy title of “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora” which according to
her was “conferred at the prestigious Igu Aro Cultural Festival by
His Majesty Obi Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe (MON)”. Mrs Ojukwu is an
APGA chieftain and her posts have caused massive confusion leading
many to wonder whether her involvement in the phoney chieftaincy
title signals a change in the State government’s policy stance or
simply an unnecessary/avoidable affront to the State government and
the Anambra traditional institutions and culture. As a government
committed to law and order and to the promotion and protection of our
culture and traditional institutions, the Anambra State government
wishes to clarify and state as follows:
a)
The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Anambra State is the
exclusive prerogative of recognized/certified traditional rulers in
their respective communities, and they do so only to
residents/indigenes of their communities. In the case of a person not
from the community, the approval of the Traditional Ruler of the
conferee’s community and the Commissioner for Local Government,
Communities and Chieftaincy must be sought and obtained. This is in
line with the extant Traditional Rulers’ Code of Conduct. None of
the above conditions was met in the case under reference.
b)
Chief Austin C. Ndigwe IS NOT a traditional ruler in Awka or Anambra
State. To put it mildly, he is simply an impostor. We have sighted a
letter signed by him under a letterhead as the “Eze Uzu III” of
Awka (a clear criminal offence under the Anambra Law) when the
traditional ruler of Awka, HRH Gibson Nwabueze Nwosu (Eze Uzu II) is
still alive, and with the official certificate and recognition by
government as the traditional ruler of Awka. This 92-year-old Eze Uzu
Awka is known to be the first Nigerian that flew a fighter jet solo.
He was Second in Command in the Biafran Air Force who left with Dim
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu to Cote d’Ivoire and later to Zambia—
and was in exile for 15 years. It was this same Eze Uzu Gibson Nwosu
who in 2004 conferred the chieftaincy title of OMENIFE AWKA on the
current president of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Sadly,
it is this aged veteran, now blind but still agile, who this dance of
infamy is denigrating as well as insulting the sensitivities of Awka
people and the Anambra traditions and culture. Even the late Dim
Odumegwu-Ojukwu will be turning in his grave at this unwarranted
insult on HRH Gibson Nwosu designed just to wet some megalomaniacal
appetite. In the Anambra/Igbo culture, this is an abomination.
c)
Hon Minister Ojukwu—with her background and pedigree, knows or
should know these FACTS very well. She was in the home of Chief
Ndigwe when the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles
Soludo, CFR, attended his birthday celebration a few years ago and
publicly advised him “as a friend” to desist from impersonating
the traditional ruler of the town and that the recognized traditional
ruler remained HRH Gibson Nwosu. The video went viral. Indeed, in her
publication in her verified Facebook account, Mrs Ojukwu carefully
avoided referring to Mr. Ndigwe as a traditional ruler but rather
described him as “Supreme Commander of Awka Ancient Kingdom”—a
phantom title/position that does not exist in Awka. We do not object
to whatever pet name she chooses to call her friend to massage his
ego, but such must not be elevated to a point of sacrilege against
law and custom. The whole exercise appears to be an indirect affront
to the authority of the Traditional Ruler of Awka and the sanctity of
the Traditional Institution in Anambra State established by the
Traditional Rulers Law of Anambra State. By proceeding to describe
Mr. Ndigwe conjunctively as “His Majesty” and “Obi”, the
message unequivocally evinced an intention to portray and as a matter
of fact portrayed him as a Traditional Ruler. This is against the
spirit of the Traditional Rulers Law of Anambra State.
d)
By purporting to confer a chieftaincy title, Mr. Ndigwe usurped the
ceremonial functions of the bona fide Traditional Ruler of Awka—HRH
Gibson Nwosu—and this is totally unacceptable. Arrogating to
oneself the non-existent and childish title of “Supreme Commander”
and using same to confer vain Chieftaincy titles is designed to
subjugate the
Traditional Ruler and ridicule the Traditional Institution thereby
creating a dangerous precedent which the State Government will not
allow. The State Government will not tolerate this desecration of the
Traditional Institution and will take every lawful step to promote
and protect our culture and traditional institutions.
e)
Amb. Bianca Ojukwu knows that Mr. Ndigwe has neither legal nor
customary rights to confer a Chieftaincy title on anyone. She is
eminently qualified to be honoured with Chieftaincy titles by
recognized traditional institutions—at least, as the wife of late
Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu. But it cannot be a vain or fake Chieftaincy
title from an impostor or fake traditional ruler like Mr. Ndigwe. We
therefore state that the Chieftaincy title she purports to have
received from Mr. Austin Ndigwe is fake and not recognized under the
Anambra culture and tradition or law. She should desist from
addressing herself by any such fake title conferred by Mr. Austin
Ndigwe.
f)
In conclusion, Anambra State government wishes to assure our people
that it is committed to a new social order. We must restore sensible
values and respect for law and order, custom and tradition and
ennobling values that elevate our collective social consciousness
rather than the nascent subculture that celebrates a few with
megalomaniacal delusions and who attempt to play God. These few
cannot be role models for our children nor the foundation for our
future. As a responsible government we must take all necessary steps
to protect our collective heritage from willful assault. To the great
and law abiding people of Awka, we have your
back.
___________
TonyCollins
Nwabunwanne
Commissioner
for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs
