- Why the Radio programme “FROM ARO PALACE” was introduced
- Three Ubakala communities Amaibo, Umuogo and Nsukwe trace their roots to Arochukwu via the radio program
Merry Christmas and very rewarding new year to Umu Aro and anywhere they are. This is another year the Lord has made and we are glad that He did despite the challenges. Aro Kingdom is buzzing in excitement especially since the emergence of His Eminence Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Orji as the Eze Aro ix. The kingdom is settling down for the real business of leadership. To God be the glory.
We thank God that the oppositions is gradually grappling with the realities of the process that brought in His Eminence Eze Dr Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Orji and after making the Kingdom ungovernable for a period of time. The singular effort of the dethroned Eze Ibom isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu and his group had subjected the kingdom to a state of emergency but for the eagle eyes of the government and intervention of prominent Aro sons. However, all the hues and cries are gradually fading away and thus peace and tranquilty is returning full time to the kingdom. This conducive environment has given His Eminence the task of putting Aro kingdom on the world map of fame. We all know the situation of the kingdom when Eze Eberechukwu Orji was selected as Eze Aro. Heavens nearly collapsed with the activities of the former Eze Ibom isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu and his recruits of evil men. Peace ran away from the kingdom giving way for violence. Confusion took over the center stage of Aro kingdom. Hoodlums and cultism took over the communities and continued to harass innocent citizens.
There was pulpable fear and tension in Aro land and the kingdom became a nightmare. Their reasons for the protest and agitation was that the selection of His Eminence, Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji was faulty, biased and marred with irregularities. The stool of Eze Aro was indeed paid for they chorused. Okennachi Kingdom whose responsibility it is at all times to produce Eze Aro traditionally was equally accused of getting it wrong this time around.
Infact, the great sons of that kindred who took part in the process of selecting Eze Aro were accused of accepting gratification in their selection of Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji. Not even the Mazi Emmanuel Kanu ivi selection committee was left out. Mazi kanu Nwa Kanu led gang also accused the eze Aro selection committee of being biased and favouritism in their choice of Eze Aro. Their choice, His Eminence Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Orji was equally in the eyes of the storm. He had several allegations and reasons for and against his selection. His father is still alive and thus (onye nnaya nondu, anaghi achi eze). He is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and thus has come to destroy Aro tradition and culture. He cannot serve God and uphold tradition at the same time. He induced his selection with huge sums of money to emerge as Eze Aro. There were other allegations like Eze Ogo Utughugwu, Mazi Ajunwa denying participating in the process that produce Eze Aro. This propaganda and gossip went viral and became a sing song in many Aro communities and even the state and before we knew it became the talk of the town.
Many other villages with even a more serious Ezeship tussle became interested in Eze Aro matter and in sympathy joined MAZI Kanu Nwa Kanu in circulating these falsehood about the selection of the Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji as Eze Aro. Worse still, some prominent Aro Sons also rose against the selection of his Eminence. Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji, in sympathy with the arguments of the dethroned Eze Ibom isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu that the choice of Eze Aro was a wrong one for the kingdom and sort to revisit the process but failed because they are not members of the kindred that selects Eze Aro. Such prominent Aro Sons resorted to radio and other social media platforms to condemn the process that produced Eze Dr. Eberechukwu orji as Eze Aro. Such great Aro Sons were told to allow Okennachi Kindred to perform their traditional rights of producing Eze Aro when it matters most.
However, the media war and propaganda continued unabated. The social media space and radio houses became awash with condemnations of this process until the palace media team came up with well tailored program packages for radio and social media platforms to set the records straight that the selection of his Eminence Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji was not only perfect but done in line with Aro tradition and culture. That the selection was done by the Okennachi kindred who has the singular right to play the role of selecting Eze Aro since the foundation of the Aro Kingdom by Akumanubi.
The palace media team made up of Mazi Ernie Onwumere Dr. Azubuike Okoro, Pat Asonye, Ugo Okoro, Onyema Harbor, and Captain Eugene Okey Imuoh embarked on a massive media campaign on radio, social media, and Ububo Umuaro na Eze Aro live on air to correct the misleading information about the selection of His Eminence Eze Dr. Ebereechukwu Orji as Eze Aro. Several channels were opened with inputs from principal Okennachi Sons who are involved in Eze Aro selection, the likes of Mazi Emmanuel Kanu and Mazi Udo Chijioke, President General of that kindred to mention a few. The campaign to write the wrongs making the rounds on the selection of Eze Aro led to the introduction of a radio programme called FROM ARO PALACE.
Indeed it is the baby of Captain Eugene Okey Immoh, a veteran broadcaster by introduction but being sponsored by the palace. The FROM ARO PALACE radio programme was born in August on two Abia radio stations with great listenership. The programme comes up on BCA radio 88.1 every Tuesday at 10:30am while the same edition takes the air on Family Love 99.9 FM on Fridays at 7:30 pm. Note also that the choice of Family Love FM was critical because one of Aro Sons (name withheld) who uses that channel to condemn the process of Eze Aro’s selection has to be checked. It became necessary to track his argument on that matter and to provide the right information to cancel his misinformation to the public.
However, since then, Aro Palace has become the programme of the Kingdom relaying kingdom news, palace activities and covering the activities of his Eminence. The programme has placed Arochukwu Kingdom above other communities because this is the first of its kind in the history of community development in Abia State. The campaign to correct the insinuations on Eze Aro’s selection began with series ran on this radio programme by the chairman of the Eze Aro selection committee, Mazi Emma Kanu Ivi who began with the history of Ezeship in Aro kingdom, how the process of selecting Eze Eberechukwu Orji started and ended with him as Eze Aro etc. That radio series opened the eyes of Aros and non Aros who now believed after those series on radio, that tradition was followed in the selection of Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji. Mazi Emma Ivi analysis was clear, unambiguous and convincing and that has changed the perception by many about the selection of Eze Aro as such people have made a U-turn after identifying with the process.
Today, FROM ARO PALACE is running on radio reporting Aro events and the activities of His Eminence rightly and squarely. It has since silenced the opposition and their protests because many have seen the truth in the selection of Eze Aro. The programme has just been renewed for another quarter of thirteen weeks on the two radio stations mentioned. His Eminence has assured that the program will continue for its impact on Aro peace and development.
Perhaps it is worthy of mention that one of the great excitement of this radio programme is its impact and the joy it has created for Aro homeland and diaspora. The eloquent and golden voice of the presenter of this programme, Captain Eugene Okey Imuoh and the quality and the content of the programme has attracted the attention of Amaibo, Umuogo and Nsukwe villages in ubakala to trace their roots to Arochukwu kingdom. One of the Ezes, chief Ndubuisi Onyeonoro of Umuogo village, in Ubakala, Umuahia South LGA heard this Aro programme on BCA radio and went in search of Captain, the presenter of the programme to get his details and possibly contact the Eze Aro. His interest? Is to trace their roots being convinced that they are from Aro ancestry.
According to Chief Onyonoro, they were taken to Ubakala in the 13th century by their great grand fathers. Since then the presenter has become the contact point for this objective. Two meetings were held with the presenter of the programme before it was enlarged. The second meeting had the presenter, Mazi Michael Okpani Kanu, editor, Mirror Media Group and Chief Onyeonoro who initiated this move to avoid “agwo onye olu huru na aho eke”. The next elaborate meeting was the one involving Chief Onyenoro and representatives of the respective villages with Aro background in Ubakala. That meeting was on Thursday 17th October 2024 at Chief Onyeonoro’s office at Ubakala. The team had in attendance the presenter FROM ARO PALACE PROGRAMME on radio Mazi Harbor Onyema, Editor, Omuaro Newspaper and Mazi Michael Okpani Kanu, Editor, Mirror media group. The three villages and their representatives include Chief Obinwanne Ochiemu, chief Umezuruike Okechukwu, Chief Bernard Chukwu, Chief Architect Eze Adighibe, Chief Luke Ezenwa, Elder Godson Onyennoro, Chief J.C Agwalaogu, Chief Monday Nwankerendu, Elder Vincent U. Nwabuiko and Chief Ndubuisi Onyenoro. Various speakers at the meeting expressed excitement for tracing their roots to Arochukwu. One of them, Chief Luke Ezenwa specifically said his village Amaibo migrated from Ibom Village. They are indeed Aro people and will be grateful if they could link up with Eze Aro, Eze Dr. Eberechukwu Orji to announce their Aro identity.
At the end of that meeting, the following agreements were reached.
- They applauded the selection of His Eminence Eze Dr. Eberechukeu Orji as Eze Aro the xi.
- Applauded his qualities and positive impact since his assumption of office
- It is their desire that three communities pay homage to Eze Aro, His Eminence Eze Dr Eberechukwu Orji to further strengthen their relationship with the kingdom.
- That the communities expect an invitation from Eze Aro to tell the story of their relationship with Aro Kingdom
Accordingly, Mazi Captain Eugene Okey Imuoh was given the task of liaising with the Aro palace to fix a suitable date within the festive period so that our brothers and sisters in Ubakala can meet face to face with His Eminence. The outcome of this meetings has been relayed to His Eminence who expressed joy that more Aro settlements are being identified. He tasked the presenter of the programme FROM ARO PALACE to float his phone number for other Aro communities to join the kingdom through their roots. As we speak, his Eminence has met the Ubakala King in Lagos where this issue was elaborately discussed and hopefully the three Aro communities that traced their origin to Aro Kingdom will join them in their celebration this Christmas. So far, so good. This is wishing everyone a very rewarding and a prosperous new year. Be part of the people preaching peace especially this yuletide season in Aro. Don’t be used to ferment trouble in the kingdom as those sending you have kept their relations somewhere for safety. Be a good ambassador to Aro Kingdom. Thanks to my darling wife Mrs Bibian Chinyere Okechukwu who proof read this manuscript for publication. She is always accurate. Thank you madam.
Written by Captain Eugene Okey Imuoh
Special adviser to Eze Aro on Media and Spokesman to Arochukwu kingdom
