On behalf of the editorial board, I bring you compliments at this auspicious moment as we prepare to mark two decades of the debut of Aronewsonline. The journey commenced about 28 years ago when my team noted the gap in the areas of research, discourse, dialogue, information dissemination and understanding of Aro culture and moved quickly to close it using the platform of Aro News Newspaper and its sister publication, Aro News Book Series. The outing of Aro News in 1997 and Aronewsonline in 2006 were also largely a response to multiple issues of conflict and dissension which characterized Aro society at the time. Aro monarchy had just survived protracted legal tussle over the stool and the need for building bonds amongst citizens were greatly felt. Our objective was to provide a platform through which common sentiments could be articulated and expressed. And, to start the process of committing to record the history, culture and traditions of Arochukwu people for the present and future generations. Of course, it was obvious to us that development occurs primarily in the mind of man and that knowledge is the foundation which propels other developmental values. By implication, unless the
mind is tidy and prepared, it will lack the ability to harness other resources.

Twenty-eight years on, what’s the experience like. Indeed, it is both historic and extraordinary. It has been 28 years of community service via the medium of print and electronic journalism. So much resources and sacrifice went into the unparalleled success we see today. The challenges were sometimes enormous, threatening to abort the dream; nonetheless, we thank God for making it a most rewarding experience in the service of our dear community. The debut of Aro News sparked off the reawakening of interest and learning on Aro history and civilization to a near renaissance level. It encouraged networking with Aro diaspora by reporting news and development from their abodes. It fosters the atmosphere of love, trust, service and understanding. After a long absence of a similar opportunity, there was and is now a dialectical framework and premise for the articulation of our common problems and their solutions.

Interestingly Arochukwu kingdom is currently in a new dawn with the emergence of His Eminence, Eze Dr Eberechukwu Oji, Eze Aro IX and renaissance is sweeping across the length and breadth of the society. Yet, the challenge of our past remains the challenge of our present time and the future, so even after Aro News celebrated Silver Jubilee three years ago and Aronewsonline is preparing to celebrate two decades of unbroken community journalism later this year; we are determined not to rest on our oars. The Aro News brand is determined not only to keep the flag flying but to take the stake a notch higher in service to the kingdom as a further commitment to motherland. Aro News Book Series marked our Silver Jubilee with a new volume of Perspectives on Aro History and Civilization (The Splendour of a Great Past) Vol. 4. Prominent Umu-Aro contributed articles and it was published overseas in 2024 and available to global audience via online retailers. Groundwork for another publication is in the offing. Aronewsonline is undergoing redesign to wear a fresh look to celebrate its twentieth year anniversary. The ultimate goal is to avail the kingdom global platforms for strategic contacts, business development, youth and social empowerment, galvanize support and awareness to drive Aro development.

Given realities of our current circumstance, Aro, to say the least, is standing on the threshold of great possibilities. We envisioned, said so and took a decision almost three decades ago by floating Aro News brand and we have been proven right. I therefore, enjoin all to take a positive decision today to make these platforms a thing of great value for the sake of greater posterity. On our editorial boards, our role is to create a bridge between those who have relevant resources, intellectual and material, to develop our community and others who may be in possession of such resources but in a form that needs to be harnessed. Our team remains the same excellent group, drawn from diverse backgrounds. Our hope is that in the months and years ahead, this virile group will expand. In a special way, I salute the chairman of board, directors and shareholders of Aro News Publications Ltd who, following its donation to the kingdom and subsequent privatization, were convinced of its relevance, thus persuaded of its value and has since then worked relentlessly to see to its flourishing status today. Most importantly, I thank Umu-Aro for implicit confidence in the founding team and our ability to live up to your expectations. To all of you, we owe a lot of gratitude.

Finally, we invite Umu-Aro, individually and as groups, to avail themselves of the great opportunity presented by the media channels to publicize their activities and create better awareness and understanding of their programs. In particular, we call on our kith and kin in diaspora, those overseas, social clubs, village associations, age grades, student bodies, religious and business groups, unions and societies and socio cultural institutions who might require our services to count on us to put them to public recognition. Our consummate ambition is to create critical awareness to spur development in Arochukwu. This philosophy is paramount to me, so as President, I shall do my best to uplift the standard and justify the expectations of the public. God willing, we shall succeed. Ako Bu Ije!

–  Mazi Azubike Okoro (Ugwu Aro); M.Sc., MSHR, DBA