It is no longer news that Arochukwu Kingdom has been without a substantive Eze since 2020 when the last monarch, Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro (CFR) joined his ancestors.
The rites of his passage was conducted by Umu Aro, championed by Nzuko Aro Worldwide, amid a five star ceremony during the period of Easter 2021. It was tagged ‘End of Ovia Uwasi: Royal Exit of Aro King.’
At the conclusion of the rites of passage, and as required by the traditions of the Kingdom, an Arianzu (King Regent), who would act for a period of one year, was appointed. The responsibility directly falls on the first son of the last Eze, but in a situation where the first male child relinquishes the opportunity, he is to nominate someone to assume the position on his behalf. So at the conclusion of the rites of passage of Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro, his son Obioha Okoro was to take up the position of Arianzu. But citing some personal reasons, Mazi Obioha appointed Mazi Augustine Okoroafor Okoro as Oje Ozi Arianzu (King Regent’s trusted ally) to carry out the duties of Arianzu on his behalf.
His tenure was expected to elapse in April 2022, one year after the burial of Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro. However, more than two years after, Mazi Augustine Okoro, for no fault of his, has remained the Oje Ozi Arianzu, following delay by the royal family to nominate a successor to Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro.
The royal family disagreement:
In Aro tradition, the Okwara Ezi system applies in succession theories, but the family can decide with the consent of all, to nominate a more suitable person to assume the position in the stead of the Okwara Ezi. Our correspondent gathered that at the expiration of the one year mourning period, the royal family held series of meetings to pick a new Eze Aro but till date, no name has been forwarded as the likely successor.
Aro News further gathered from an inside source who craved anonymity, that three Okwara from the family of late Mazi Kanu Oji, namely Mazi Oji Kanu Oji (former Arianzu), Rev Prince Joshua Kanu Oji and Mazi Okechukwu Kanu Oji, all laid claim to the crown. After a series of meetings, it was revealed that Mazi Oji Kanu Oji stepped down and endorsed Mazi Okey Kanu Oji as the choice of the family, a decision that Rev Prince Joshua Kanu Oji reportedly repudiated. It is also reported that Mazi Oji Kanu Oji had made other proposals which include having one of his son’s ascend the throne, which were however rejected before settling for Mazi Okey Kanu Oji.
The well known and acceptable custom of selecting a new Eze Aro is anchored on the Okwara Ezi concept. The Okwara Ezi is the oldest direct male descendent of the family without any known defect, and the responsibility presently falls on the nonagenarian, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji. But the question is: will Aro want a nonagenarian as its next Eze?
While the Kanu Oji family lays claim to the crown as its turn to produce the next Eze Aro, the Kanu Idei family has also laid claims to the throne, stating that the Crown legitimately belongs to them citing history, which they say favours them. They stated that their grandfather relinquished the Crown to his cousin, Mazi Kanu Oji, while their father lost his life during the succession battle between him and Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro.
Our investigation revealed that claimants to the throne recognise only two families instead of three as the royal families. The families are Eke Oke Nnachi, which produced Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro as Eze Aro, and Okoro Oke Nnachi family, which produced Mazi Kanu Oji as Eze Aro, leaving the Kanu Idei family out in the power equation.
The Kanu Idei family has, however, refuted the claim. They stated that their lineage produced Mazi Kanu Okoro, the Eze Aro who was taken away to Itigidi in the present day Cross River State, after the British/Arochukwu war of 1901-1902. If our father was the Eze Aro who reigned before Mazi Kanu Oji, what now disqualifies us from the royal family?, They query.
Okennachi Kindred, Nzuko Aro, others intervene:
With the lingering crisis in the royal family not showing any sign of abating, several Umu Aro have expressed concern on the imbroglio. Several peace meetings were summoned to nip the confusion in the royal family in the bud, but none has yielded the expected dividends. Ndi Agor family of Obinkita village and members of the royal family from Utughugwu village, made several interventions but the claimants to the throne are holding unto their different positions. Okennachi Kindred stepped in and made several efforts to resolve the impasse. It equally set up a committee to meet the claimants to the stool and present to the kingdom an Eze within a stipulated time. This effort, too, has not yielded the expected result. The kindred had, on a few occasions, set deadline for the presentation of an Eze to Aro; the latest being December 2023 – a deadline which might be difficult to meet given the drama in the royal family.Nzuko Aro had, also on several occasions, given a deadline for the presentation of a candidate from the family. That, too, has not been realised. At the time of going to press in the second week of September, the leadership of the union was said to be making frantic efforts to resolve the empasse.
Similarly, several prominent Umu Aro have made efforts to resolve the misunderstanding in the royal family but unfortunately, all their efforts met a brick wall.
The crisis, Aro News further learnt, resulted in the putting the Eze Aro palace under lock and key, to present the Ojeozi Arianzu and the Eze Aro-in-council from accessing the palace for its deliberation, with meetings now being held at Aro Council Hall.
Confusion, accusations and counter accusations: The DNA angle
As it is usually the case when crisis brews in a family or community, accusations and counter accusations became the order of the day. One of the sons of the late Mazi Kanu Oji – Rev Prince Joshua Kanu Oji – in a letter sighted by Aro News, called for a DNA among the children of late Mazi Kanu Oji. He alleged that some of them laying claim to the stool are not children of his father. He offered to make himself available for a DNA and urged others to do same. In his reply to Rev Joshua, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji dismissed his claim as unfounded, and a calculated attempt to divert attention from the main issues.
The situation and confusion in the royal family reared its ugly head recently when two different Ikeji Aro calendars were released. It took the intervention of Nzuko Aro, its patrons and other well meaning Umu Aro for sanity to prevail. Yet as at press time, the two calendars are still in circulation.
The matter goes to court
On the August 1, 2023, our correspondent’s attention was drawn to law suit instituted by Rev Prince Joshua Kanu Oji for himself and representatives of all members of Okoro Oke Nnachi family, Oror, against Mazi Oji Kanu Oji as 1 st defendant and Mazi Augustine Okoro (Ojeozi Arianzu) as 2nd defendant.
The matter was instituted at the High Court of Abia State in the Arochukwu Judicial Division Holden in Arochkwu.
In it, Prince Joshua Oji is seeking among others:
1) An order restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants from presenting any candidate for recognition as Eze Aro, not having been selected by the Okoro Oke Nnachi family;
2) An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd defendant from further parading himself as Ojeozi Arianzu and performing any functions ascribe to the Eze Aro stool;
3) An order setting aside report of any purported committee set up by the 1st and 2nd defendants;
4) A perpetual order restraining all the defendants from selecting any candidate to occupy the Eze Aro stool and;
5) An order directing the 1st and 2nd defendant to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
Prince Joshua seeks more relief from the court
Not done with his earlier demands, Prince Kanu Oji equally sought the following declarations from the court:
6) A declaration that he remains the royal representative to Eze Aro and heir apparent to the vacant stool of Eze Aro;
7) A declaration that the 1st and 2nd defendants be stopped from reneging from the decision made by the royal family on the 26th of August 2022, that he is the curator and heir apparent to the stool of Eze Aro;
8) A declaration that he is traditionally qualified and eligible to vote or be voted for as Eze Aro;
9) A declaration that any selection process carried out by the 1st and 2nd defendants is null and void. Other reliefs sought by Prince Kanu Oji from the court include:
10) A declaration that the selection and appointment of a new Eze Aro is conducted among the lineal heirs of the founding fathers of Eko Oke Nnachi and Okoro Oke Nnachi royal families:
11) A declaration that only eligible lineal heirs from both families are qualified to be selected, nominated or appointed Eze Aro. Mazi Oji informed the court that one year period of the regency of the 2nd defendant as Ojeozi Arianzu elapsed in April 2022, arguing that his continuous acting as the agent of the regent after the expiration of his tenure is unconstitutional, unlawful, invalid, null and void and of no effect;
12) And a declaration that report of an discreet committee set up by the 1st and 2nd defendants to select a candidate for the Eze Aro stool without giving him and members of Okoro Oke Nnachi family a fair hearing be jettisoned.
Will history repeat itself?
As more issues concerning the vacant Eze Aro stool continue to unfold, Umu Aro from various walks of life, at home and in the Diaspora, have expressed concern on the matter. Not a few recalled the events of the past, precisely the lingering court issue between Mazi Kanu Idei and Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro, which stretched from 1988to 1995 thus polarizing the once peaceful kingdom. They called on the royal family to avoid the pitfalls of the past.
Many have proffered several suggestions on the way out. A concerned Nwa Aro, who did not approve his name in print, suggested the Catholic Church system of selecting a Pope be applied. He suggested that all princes of the royal family be locked up in a room until they agree on who should succeed Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro.
In order to forestall a situation where dispute would arise in succession for Eze Aro, Mazi Emma Kanu Ivi, during his tenure as Nzuko Aro President General, commissioned the writing of a book: The Making of Eze Aro.
The Editor, late Mazi Law Ukwu, made efforts to get inputs from members of the royal family on steps that need to be followed in crowning an Eze Aro. The book was edited by the Chairman of Nzuko Aro Body of Patrons, Prof Okoro Ijoma. Some of the contents of the book, which has several chapters include, aspirants eligibility; the king makers; the royal families involved; the Okwara Ezi principle; coronation stages for a new Eze Aro; presentation stages etc. If the content of the book, which members of the royal family participated actively in enriching, is followed, Aro will not be in this present quagmire it finds itself.
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