Before the emergence of His Eminence Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji as Eze Aro IX, Arochukwu kingdom has had at least eight Eze Aro who came from Ndi Oke royal family of Okennachi kindred; they had sat on the revered ancient Eze Aro throne at some different times. Arochukwu kingdom has been existing since several centuries; it started soon after the historic Aro-Ibibio war. The present Arochukwu kingdom was built from the debris of a certain defunct prehistoric Arochukwu by various peoples who came together from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They eventually became one people of one great Arochukwu kingdom with very rich history, great culture and traditions.
Arochukwu kingdom has two major traditional communities called Amuze and Ibom Isi, sub divided into nine Otusi traditional clans within three traditional governance kindred, namely: Okennachi, Ibom Isii and Ezeagwu. It is the traditional responsibility of Okennachi kindred of Amuze traditional community to produce Eze Aro for Arochukwu kingdom whenever a vacancy occurs at the throne, and without any interference from the other two major kindred clans. However the other kindred and indeed the entire Aro people also play some important but complementary and supportive roles in the matter. Arochukwu as a kingdom is not limited to within Arochukwu city state in Abia state alone; it extends to the about two hundred and fifty Aro diaspora communities found almost everywhere in and outside Nigeria, but mostly within the Eastern Region of Nigeria. And so, Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom is usually the paramount king of all the Aro people both at home in Arochukwu and in Aro diaspora communities.
Most journeys to the revered throne of Eze Aro especially in the recent centuries had never been smooth sailing. Sometimes some challenges arose that attempted to mar peaceful succession to the revered throne. It had never been easy in all these recent times. But at the end of such challenges, which often led to some heated tussles for the Eze Aro throne, whoever or whichever candidate that was the actual true choice of Umu Okennachi Kindred would always become the duly crowned Eze Aro. Umu Aro would always rally to support the candidate that Umu Okennachi kindred had selected as Eze Aro designate. This is because it has always been the traditional responsibility of Okennachi kindred to produce Eze Aro for Arochukwu kingdom without any interference from any other kindred.
Umu Aro through Nzuko Aro leadership would always work together with Okennachi kindred to showcase the duly selected and crowned Eze Aro to the general public for ceremonial celebrations. Umu Aro would also work together to restore peace and harmony in the kingdom after every crisis that would have followed any Eze Aro stool tussle. It is usually one of the most amazing things that make Arochukwu people great and unique. It goes to strengthen the popular view that “Ndi Aro na-akpa isi-okwu; wo anagi ese okwu”. Arochukwu people may at times differ seriously over serious matters; but they don’t quarrel so deeply and bitterly over issues to the extent of hating and killing each other. In all their quarrelings, they would ultimately seek peace, reconcile themselves and resolve their differences peacefully through dialogues at “Ogbiti Aro”, rather than through the courts. Even if the matter had gone to the courts, they would still seek and secure peace at home.
Let’s recall that in about 1902, the British colonial masters arrested Mazi Kanu Okoro Oke who was Eze Aro the sixth of Arochukwu kingdom. He was the first person from his Okoro Oke family lineage to become Eze Aro. About five Eze Aro or more had ruled and reigned peacefully before him; and all of them were from Asi Eko Oke Nnachi family. Because of lack of qualified men from the Asi Eko Oke royal family, a shift was made to Okoro Oke family lineage to select Kanu Okoro Oke as Eze Aro VI. He was arrested, banished and sent to prison in Calabar by the British colonial masters for some alleged offenses. He was allegedly killed in the prison at Calabar that same year, 1902. Some said he died in 1903 in the Calabar prison. He died allegedly without a true direct son of his own. He reigned as Eze Aro from about 1860 to 1902. He was about 24 years old when he became Eze Aro. During the time of his arrest, banishment, imprisonment and death in the prison, Mazi Onwuegbu Nwagbara, a non-prince of the palace, was appointed to play the role of Arianzu Aro (a regent Aro king) in the absence of any direct son of the immediate late Eze Aro. Any Arianzu Aro is traditionally required to serve as a regent king for only one year, within when it is expected that a new Eze Aro designate would be selected and crowned.
But Mazi Nwagbara served as Arianzu Aro from 1902 to 1914 (twelve years long) because there was no qualified prince from Ndi Oke Nnachi royal family who was available and willing to be selected as Eze Aro designate, until when a young prince Kanu Oji, at about 14 years old, was chosen by Umu Okennachi as the most qualified Eze Aro designate and duly crowned. The young Kanu Oji was only 2 yesrs old in 1902 when his uncle Mazi Kanu Okoro Oke died in Calabar prison. Kanu Oji at the age of 14 in 1914 thus became the youngest Eze Aro so far in the history of Arochukwu kingdom. He became the seventh Eze Aro.
Before the emergence of Kanu Oji as Eze Aro, Arochukwu Kingdom had therefore stayed without a crowned Eze Aro for twelve years after the death in prison of Mazi Kanu Okoro Oke in 1902. Mazi Nwagbara who was the Arianzu Aro, since then, before the young Prince Kanu Oji emerged Eze Aro was alleged to have nursed an ambition to become a substantive Eze Aro. But he was not qualified to become Eze Aro because he was alleged not to be of direct blood line of Ndi Oke royal family. He was therefore not chosen by Umu Okennachi kindred as Eze Aro designate despite his role as an Arianzu Aro and his ambition to become Eze Aro.
The young Prince Kanu Oji having been crowned Eze Aro in 1914 at the age of 14 reigned successfully and peacefully as the seventh Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom for 73 years till 1987 when he passed on gloriously to be with his ancestors at the age of 87. He was the most famous and the longest reigned Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom so far. He was a legend of a special class. He was the grandfather of Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji the Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu Kingdom.
After Mazi Kanu Oji CFR died in April 1987, Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro was duly selected by Ndi Oke royal family and Umu Okennachi kindred in 1988 at 57 years of age as Eze Aro designate. He was subsequently presented to Ndi Oke compound at Oror, Utughaugwu and Bianko with Amaja appropriately at their respective locations. But unfortunately, Mazi Kanu Idei, who contested the position of Eze Aro designate with Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro and failed in the selection exercise in which he fully and voluntarily participated resorted to challenging Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro who was the choice of Umu Okennachi at a high court in Ohafia. The court case lasted for seven years from 1988 till when Mazi Kanu Idei died in 1995 while the case was still in the court. The court dismissed the case soon after the death of Mazi Idie. Mazi S G Ikoku of Ezeagwu kindred was openly accused of instigating Mazi Kanu Idei to go to court against the decision of Umu Okennachi kindred on the choice of Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro as the rightful Eze Aro designate. Mazi Kanu Idie agreed with Mazi S G Ikoku to stand against the advice of many Aro leaders and stakeholders on the matter. But at the end of it all, Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro who was the original and the rightful choice of Okennachi kindred was crowned Eze Aro on 31st May 1995 by the then Eze Ibom Isii, Mazi Okorafor Imouh at Amaikpe cultural square Arochukwu. Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro was given the state government staff of office as a duly recognized Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom by Col Temi Ejoor, the Military Administrator of Abia state, on 17th October 1995 at Okpara Hall, Umuahia.
The time wasted in the high court on the Eze Aro tussle made Arochukwu Kingdom again to stay without a crowned Eze Aro for about eight years (from April 1987 to May 1995). During that long period, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji rightfully played the role of Arianzu Aro because he was the first son of the late his father, Mazi Kanu Oji CFR, who was the immediate past Eze Aro as at then. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji honorably relinquished his position as Onye Arianzu Aro immediately a new Eze Aro designate (Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro) was crowned Eze Aro. The new Eze Aro was subsequently honored by the Federal Government with a CFR (Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria); the honor his predecessor Mazi Kanu Oji also had and enjoyed as Eze Aro. Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro Asi Eko Oke CFR reigned for twenty five years from 31st May 1995 to 2020 when he joined his ancestors at the age of 89. His reign was tinted with some challenges. But to the glory of God he was able to overcome all the challenges till the date God called him to rest. He was very peaceful, gentle and humble in nature and as Eze Aro.
His possible successor was expected to have been selected and crowned as Eze Aro one year after his official funeral rites were fully completed. But that didn’t happen because even before his interment, disunity was visibly noticed among the princes of Ndi Oke royal family. Almost every prince there wanted to be the next Eze Aro. Prince Obioha Okoro, the first son of the then immediate past Eze Aro (Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro CFR), according to Arochukwu tradition, was expected to become the next Arianzu Aro (a regent Aro king) in honor of his late father for only one traditional year, counting from the date he would have become the Arianzu Aro. But prince Obioha did not take up the position himself. Rather he appointed Mazi Augustine Kanu Okoro (who was alleged to be a non-prince of the royal family) to hold the position for him. Obioha described him as “Onye Oje Ozi Arianzu Aro”. But after the usual one year period had elapsed and a new Eze Aro designate had not yet been selected, Mazi Augustine Kanu Okoro was asked by Umu Okennachi kindred to continue in office as “Arianzu Aro” until a new Eze Aro designate would be duly selected.
Unfortunately, some intrigues in the palace by the princes themselves made the journey to the throne of Eze Aro this time around a bit messy and complex. The intrigues started to manifest seriously when the princes failed to agree by themselves on who among them would be their consensus candidate to occupy the throne which became vacant since 2020 when Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro CFR, joined his ancestors. Umu Aro became worried. Some began to accuse Okennachi kindred leadership of inability to give Arochukwu kingdom a new Eze Aro some years after the demise of the last Eze Aro. Nzuko Arochukwu worldwide led by Mazi Dozie Udonsi as President General was the first to write Okennachi kindred on the matter. The body of National Patrons of Nzuko Aro led by Prof Okoro Ijoma confronted Okennachi kindred face to face on the matter. They and some other Aro stakeholders mounted persistent pressures on Okennachi kindred to quicken the processes and give Arochukwu kingdom a new Eze Aro. Ezeagwu kindred union led by Mazi Okechukwu Ibe at the home branch level, probably been motivated by their national body took Arianzu Aro (Mazi Augustine Kanu Okoro) to the magistrate court at Arochukwu for overstaying in office beyond the traditional one year period any Arianzu Aro was usually expected to be in the office. Okennachi kindred saw the court action by Ezeagwu kindred union (though at their local level) as a deliberate plot to disorganize the palace and also as meddlesomeness, an unnecessary interference in the sole Okennachi family traditional affairs. Okennachi kindred then rose to defend Arianzu Aro (Mazi Augustine Kanu Okoro) on the matter at the court.
While Okennachi kindred leaders were making efforts to resolve the problems, the princes of Ndi Oke royal family did not help the matters; they got engulfed in deeper internal conflicts, though allegedly instigated by some outsiders. The princes resorted to saying and writing many unpleasant things against each other. They began to wash their dirty linens in the public places including circulating same in the social media space. However most of the allegations were mere intrigues. But some people from the other two governance kindred in Arochukwu kingdom took advantage of such unfortunate situation to interfere with the process of selecting Eze Aro designate which was not and never has been their traditional responsibility or business. Some elders of Ndi Oke royal family saw the danger and quickly sought the yttassistance of leaders of Okennachi kindred to help them resolve the problems. Okennachi kindred came in and took up their traditional responsibilities and brought the situation under relative control. It thus took Ndi Oke royal family and Umu Okennachi about three years to put their house in order; and subsequently did the needful.
Two important committees: the Okennachi Strategic Committee and Utughaugwu / Ndi Oke family Committee were set up. They were mandated to take positive actions to resolve the matter wisely and decisively. The two committees identified three sub royal families that had produced Eze Aro in the past. And these families are: Asi Eko Oke, Kanu Okoro Oke, and Oji Okoro Oke. They are all of Ndi Oke royal family. Several interactive sessions were held with them separately and also jointly. It was agreed that the three families had equal opportunity to participate in the process of selecting a new Eze Aro designate. But only the most qualified candidate would be selected. They were constantly reminded of their primary responsibility to agree on any one best candidate from among them who Okennachi kindred could adopt as their best choice as Eze Aro designate. But the contesting princes failed to agree on any one consensus candidate after several attempts.
The Strategic Committee whose membership included Mazi Emma Kanu Okorafor Ivi (Chairman), Obasi Lawson (Sobaz), Bank Anthony Okorafor, Victor Ike Okoronkwo, Nkem Okoro, P C Okoro, Kanu Oji and Justice Anyalewachi Onwuchekwa (retired) met several times both at Aro and outside Arochukwu. Mazi B C B Okoro was drafted in to activate some moves to resolve some of the Ndi Oke royal family internal problems. He did his best. Ugochukwu Okorafor and Dr Azubike Okoro were also brought in to help strengthen the committee’s secretariat matters. Utughaugwu / Ndi Oke family facts finding Committee led by Mazi Okorafor Ajunwa (Ezeogo Utughaugwu) did some good work. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji, Josuah Eni Kanu Oji, Barr Philip Idie, Kanu Idie, Kanu Okoro, among others testified at different sessions. The committee dug out some vital facts from the royal families; and those facts helped streamlined the tasks involved in the Eze Aro designate selection process. Mazi Ajunwa (Ezeogo Utughaugwu) who was over 90 years old as at then was deeply involved in the matter from beginning to the end. The Strategic Committee and Ndi Okey / Utughaugwu Committee were later merged; their individual reports were harmonized into one working report.
Certain traditional qualifications and some other necessary criteria needed to become Eze Aro in this 21st century were carefully identified, discussed and agreed. The criteria included but not limited to the following, namely: That for anyone to be chosen as Eze Aro designate:
(i) The candidate must be a true prince in essence of Ndi Oke royal family at Oror, without any traditional and socio cultural defects or known blemishes on him as a person.
(ii) His birth status as a true prince of Ndi Oke royal family and those of his direct ancestors must not be in doubt. That is to say: None of his direct paternal ancestors including himself was born by “an outsider” or out of wedlock (Nwa amuru na Uzi), or born over a year after the death of the man who he assumed as his paternal lineage identity or who he bears his name as “his father”. He must not be an ‘Azinna’ of ‘his claimed father’; or be a product of adopted pregnancy. He must be of a true direct paternal blood of the royal family to the core. He must not be an “assumed son” or a prince of Ndi Oke royal family by assumption or adoption.
(iii) He must not have any criminal records. He must be a man of responsibility and integrity.
(iv) He must be of sound mind and must not be a miscreant or a social deviant.
(v) He must have verifiable clean and stable sources of livelihood.
(vi) He must possess good knowledge of Aro culture and tradition.
(vii) He must be well educated at least good enough to be able to meet the demands of the revered Eze Aro throne of the 21st century era. He should be able to attract dignity, honor, respect and positive attention to Arochukwu kingdom. He should be able to compare favorably with other top first class monarchs in Nigeria.
(viii) He must not be more than seventy years of age as at the date of being selected. This last requirement was specifically demanded by all the younger princes of the Ndi Oke royal families.
These elaborate set of criteria informed the decision of the selection committee to have some interactive sessions and discussions with the nominated princes to enable the panel members evaluate them objectively and independently in order to give Arochukwu kingdom the best from among the contesting candidates that could wear the crown of Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom of this 21st century era with dignity.
*It is also instructive to note that the selection of Eze Aro designate has never ever been based on ROTATION as a criterion. If it were so, then each of the three royal families would have had (turn by turn) up to three of their own family members as Eze Aro out of the nine Eze Aro that Arochukwu kingdom has had so far till date. The fact is that the Asi Eko Oke family had produced six Eze Aro out of the nine; while Oji Okoro Oke family had produced two Eze Aro including the incumbent out of the nine Eze Aro that Arochukwu has had. Kanu Okoro Oke family had produced only one Eze Aro out of the nine till date. Therefore it is quite obvious from the above facts that the selection of Eze Aro designate has never been based on rotation as a criterion.
Similarly the Selection of Eze Aro designate is also not really based on a “primogeniture principle or from a father to his first son criterion” as such. If it were so, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji would have become Eze Aro in 1988, after his late father, Mazi Kanu Oji CFR had reigned as the seventh Eze Aro for 73 years. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji served as Arianzu Aro for a long period of eight years because the Eze Aro stool tussle was taken to court by Mazi Kanu Idie. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji never insisted that as the first son of his late father, Eze Kanu Oji, that he Oji would succeed him as Eze Aro the eight.
It is very instructive to also note that “Seniority and Okwara Ezi” among others used to be part of the selection criteria of who would become Eze Aro designate in the past. But the younger princes of the three royal families strongly rejected such criteria this time around and going forward. They insisted that the prince that would be selected among them as Eze Aro designate must not be more than 70 years old as at the time of being selected. Their stand on the age limit criterion appeared to have been supported by recent historical facts. For example the sixth Eze Aro, Kanu Okoro Oke, in about 1860, was selected at about the age of 24; the seventh Eze Aro, Kanu Oji Okoro Oke CFR in 1914 was selected at about the age of 14; and the eighth Eze Aro, Ogbonnaya Okoro Asi Eko Oke CFR in 1988 was selected at the age of 54 years old.
Thus the old requirement that the prince to be selected as Eze Aro designate should be the oldest of the princes, the Okwara Ezi of the royal family and the head of Ndi Oke compound at Oror was rejected by the younger princes of the three royal families especially if the Okwara Ezi is above 70 years of age as at the time of being selected. Almost all the senior elders of the three royal families who are direct blood line princes and even those of the “assumed princes” agreed with their younger princes on the 70 years of age limit criterion.
The Okennachi committee was mandated by the princes to adopt the age limit as part of the criteria for the selection of a suitable Eze Aro designate. After all it was them, the three royal families, that would actually nominate the candidates of their choice from among their respective families. And only those that they duly nominated stood for the selection exercise; and they were carefully evaluated based on the agreed established criteria accordingly.
Mazi Oji Kanu Oji was the oldest of the true princes of the royal families and the Okwara Ezi of Ndi Oke royal family as at October 2023, when the Eze Aro designate selection exercise took place. He would have been the clear choice of Umu Okennachi. But he was about 91 years old as at then. At that age he couldn’t meet the age limit of 70 years old and some other vital criteria to become the preferred candidate for the Eze Aro position in this 21st century as demanded by the younger princes of Ndi Oke royal family. And so, Mazi Oji Kanu Oji was not nominated by the family. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji supported the younger princes and personally nominated Prince Oke Kanu Oji as his own candidate from his own Oji Okoro Oke royal family line to compete in the selection exercise. However Prince Oke Kanu Oji later stepped down for his younger cousin, Prince Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji. Mazi Oji Kanu Oji actively got involved in the entire process of selecting the Eze Aro designate. He was the head of the princes of Ndi Oke family who raised the hand of the eventual winner in the selection exercise; he was the royal family leader who led the presentation of the winner Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji to Ndi Oke compound at Oror, Utughaugwu village, Bianko and Amaja group of Okennachi kindred at Bianko headquarters at Asaga village.
*It is also interesting to know that there is no custom or tradition or regulation that forbids a son whose father is still alive from becoming Eze in Arochukwu kingdom. There are many historical facts to buttress this. Arochukwu has had some great men who were alive when their sons became Eze in Arochukwu kingdom. For example:
(i) Nnachi Oke, the progenitor of the Ndi Oke royal family, was still alive when his first son, Oke Nnachi, became Eze Aro several centuries ago.
(ii) Akuma Nnubi, the ancestral leader of the Ibom Isii people in Arochukwu kingdom was alive when his first son, Alu Akuma, became the first Ezeogo of Ibom Etiti. In fact it was Akuma Nnubi that appointed his own son (Alu) the first Ezeogo of Ibom village.
(iii) Unfortunately the same Akuma Nnubi dethroned his same first son, as Ezeogo Ibom when Eze Alu was wrongly accused of seeing the nakedness of his father’s wife.
(iv)Eze Alu left Ibom in protest to found his own village called Amasu. Akuma was still alive when his son, Eze Alu, became the first Ezeogo of Amasu village. This record is true.
(v) In 1936 Mazi Nwosu Chima Obioha (the grandfather of the present Ezeogo Amukwa, Mazi Nwosu Bassey Nwosu) was alive when his son Mazi Bassey Nwosu became Ezeogo Amukwa. Mazi Nwosu Chima lived long and died in 1949 at a very old age.
(vi) The former Eze Ibom Isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu who was deposed in 2024 became Ezeogo Ibom Etiti when his direct elder brother (who by Aro custom and tradition was his father in a matter such as this) was still alive when he (Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu) became Eze Ibom Etiti and also Eze Ibom Isii about 25 years ago.
Fortunately both of them are still alive as at today in August 2024.
(vii) HRH Mazi Ogbonnaya Cletus Iromantu was crowned as Enyi 1 of Okporoenyi of an Aro diaspora community in the year 2000 when his father was still alive. At his public presentation ceremony, Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro CFR, Eze Aro 8th, led the then Eze Ibom Isii (Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu), Eze Ezeagwu (Mazi Okorafor Uroh), Okpankpo Aro and some other prominent Umu Aro to Okporoenyi to celebrate the event. I was one of those physically present there. HRH Eze O C Iromantu is still alive today as at August 2024.
From the above seven examples or facts, it is quite clear that a son can become Eze (a chief or a king) in Arochukwu kingdom when his father is still alive. Therefore the empty noises and blatant lies some people (who are not well informed on this matter) are making and telling holds no validity of truth. Their attacks on His Eminence, Dr Eberechukwu Oji of becoming Eze Aro when his father is still alive are based on envy and falsehoods. Some of the attacks emanate from politics and pure ignorance. It is obvious that people perish for lack of knowledge.
The unified Okennachi Committee on the selection of a new Eze Aro designate worked together and recommended that a seven-man panel be set up to drive the selection process to select a suitable Eze Aro designate. It also recommended that the three royal families be written and urged to recommend any single candidate from among them who Okennachi could adopt as Eze Aro designate. But if they fail to agree on any single consensus candidate, then each of the three families should recommend one candidate from their respective sub royal families who would compete for the only one vacant Eze Aro designate position during the selection exercise. The princes accepted all the recommendations made by Okennachi kindred. Each of the three sub royal families duly responded positively and nominated their own best candidate, approved in writing by two of their family members. Oji Okoro Oke family even sent in two nominations. But in the spirit of peace and reconciliation, the committee advised them to go back and reconcile internally with a view to agreeing on only one candidate within a given time frame. They complied and did so. Prince Oke Kanu Oji stepped down for his younger cousin, Prince Eberechukwu Kanu Oji. The three candidates that remained on the list then after were as follows:
(1). Prince Obioha Okoro for Asi Eko Oke family; he failed to appear.
2). Prince Godwin Kanu Idie for Kanu Okoro Oke family; he participated fully.
3). Prince Eberechukwu Kanu Oji for Kanu Oji Okoro Oke family; he participated fully.
Prince Obioha Okoro whose sub family members duly nominated and was been represented by them at most of the facts finding and reconciliation meetings all along failed to honor the invitations extended to him to appear in person for the final selection process. He had his reasons. The committee did not accept any selection by proxy. The other two candidates from the other two families accepted their nominations; but they pleaded for extension of time to suit their traveling plans. The committee obliged them; and a final date of 17th October 2023 was agreed on and set for all the candidates to appear in person (not by proxy) for person to person interactions preceding the selection exercise scheduled on 18th October 2023. During the final interactive sessions, mainly aimed at achieving peace, reconciliation and understanding among the princes to facilitate the selection exercise, we urged the nominated candidates to go and discuss freely among themselves and agree on any one of them that would be their best consensus candidate for the throne. They met and freely discussed among themselves for two consecutive days; but they failed to agree after each of the several meetings within the two days. Even when their number reduced to two candidates, namely: Prince Godwin Kanu Idie and Prince Eberechukwu Kanu Oji, the two princes, after several private and open discussions between them, still failed to agree on any one choice. None of them agreed to step down for the other. Rather the two of them openly and boldly opted to go through competitive selection processes as would be driven by the panel of Umu Okennachi kindred, agreed by the Ndi Oke royal family. The two princes also agreed on oath to support any of them that could eventually emerge as the chosen one. The panel proceeded and assured all the parties that everything would be done transparently and fairly, without fear and favor under traditional covenants duly accepted by all. The exercise was conducted in line with necessary traditional requirements as agreed by all the parties involved. The key elders and leaders of the participating royal sub families with their duly nominated candidates were present during the selection exercise held at Aro Council Hall at Oror on the 17th and 18th October, 2023. They participated fully and voluntarily.
However shortly before the selection exercise commenced, the then Eze Ibom Isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu Okereke and his counterpart started issuing unnecessary instructions to some Okennachi leaders, including myself (Mazi Ivi) as Chairman of both the Okennachi Strategic Committee and the Eze Aro Selection Panel. They were embarrassingly emphatic on who they wanted Okennachi to select and who not to select as the new Eze Aro designate to meet their own personal desires. Several calls and text messages were sent to some of us in that respect. We boldly advised them to stay clear and remain neutral on the matter. We saw their activities as acts of meddlesomeness, distractions and unwarranted interference with traditional responsibilities of Okennachi kindred in selection of Eze Aro designate. We saw their actions as deliberate attempts to impose on Umu Okennachi and indeed Arochukwu kingdom a stooge of Eze Aro of their own choice for some selfish purposes. We ignored them and their disruptive tendencies and did what was traditionally right and just, following due process. We handled the tasks diligently, boldly and transparently without any fear or favor.
The selection panel members were: Eze Utughaugwu of Okennachi, Eze Bianko of Okennachi (who was unavoidably absent, but he personally asked Ezeogo Amuvi to represent him), and Eze Amaja of Okennachi who was duly represented by Arianzu Isinkpu. Others included Dr Nkem Okoro, Mazi P C Okoro, Dr Azubuike Okoro and Mazi Ugochukwu Okorafor. Mazi Emma Kanu Okorafor Ivi was the coordinating Chairman whose major task was to ensure that the panel members discharged their tasks transparently and objectively without harassment and intimidation, and without fear and favor. The panel went into the selection exercise determined to be fair and firm based on their individual objective assessments of each of the candidates after listening to them in the interactions and interview sessions that they all participated in. The final outcome of the exercise was very definite. Two members out of the seven man panel selected or chose prince Godwin Kanu Idei. Five members out of the seven selected or chose Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji. As an unbiased coordinating Chairman of the activities of the panel I (Mazi Emma Kanu Ivi) boldly announced the results as they were. Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji was the obvious clear choice of Umu Okennachi kindred including Ndi Oke royal family. The protest by the failed candidate (Prince Godwin Kanu Idie) after the selection exercise was a mere after thought; it was like a repeat of what his late father did exactly in 1988 when he contested for the similar position; he secured only two supporters out of the nine member selection panel and failed. He went court just as his son has gone to courts to seek an upturn of the result. He failed and died.
Interestingly most of the selection process of the last two days of 17th and 18th October 2023 were captured live on videos and photos. And so on the 18 October 2023, Prince Eberechukwu Kanu Oji was duly selected as the preferred Eze Aro designate by Umu Okennachi kindred following due process as agreed and adopted by the relevant parties which included elders of Ndi Oke royal family and Umu Okennachi kindred leaders and stakeholders. Most of them fully participated and witnessed the selection exercise which took place at Aro Council Hall by Ukwu Ovo Aro at Oror village.
Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji at about 50 years of age emerged the preferred candidate; he was duly accepted and declared Eze Aro designate after going through the usual traditional processes of presentations to Ndi Okennachi kindred. He was first presented to Ndi OKe royal family compound at Oror, then to the people of Utughaugwu village, and finally to the people of BIanko / Amaja group where he was traditionally declared the Eze Aro designate at the headquarters of Bianko at Umuoti, Asaga village on the 19th October 2023; that has always been the tradition. At that point, the Eze Aro designate was ready for ceremonial capping by any sitting Eze Ibom Isii.
He was ceremonially capped or crowned by the new Eze Ibom Isii, HRH Mazi Amos Ngwu Egbu Okoro, on 26th January 2024 as the 9th Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom. He was given Abia government staff of office as a recognized traditional ruler of a first class status by the Executive Governor of Abia state, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, at Umuahia on the same 26th January 2024. Dr Eberechukwu Oji has thus satisfactorily gone through the due process and met all the necessary traditional and government requirements that are needed to become a duly crowned and fully recognized Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu kingdom. Any other thing may be purely ceremonial. From that day 26th, January 2024, Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji has become the latest crowned Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom; he is fit and proper to sit on the revered ancient throne of Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom.
From all the above it means that Arochukwu Kingdom stayed without a crowned Eze Aro, this time around, for about three years (from 2020 to 26th January 2024) when Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji satisfactorily emerged as a crowned Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu. It was alleged that Mazi Augustine Kanu Okoro had earlier shown some serious interest to transit from “Arianzu Aro” to become a surrogate Eze Aro to ‘a stooge Eze Aro’ who he believed would surrender the position to him to hold for some period of time. If indeed that allegation was true, the alleged plots failed woefully.
Similar plot had failed in 1914 when Mazi Nwagbara had allegedly plotted to transit from an appointee Arianzu Aro to Eze Aro proper. It was quite obvious that the two plots failed because the two people were not qualified for the post. Even though the two were members of Ndi Oke family, they were not selected by Ndi Oke royal family and Umu Okennachi kindred to become Eze Aro for some obvious critical reasons. The choice of Ndi Oke royal family and Umu Okenachi in this matter has always prevailed.
Now to the glory of God, Umu Okennachi have succeeded in giving the entire Arochukwu kingdom a brand new top first class Eze Aro who meets almost all the requirements needed to become Eze Aro of 21st century era. He is the one who Aro people and others everywhere would be proud of. He is a true son and a clean prince of Ndi Oke royal family. He is a worthy direct blood grandson of Mazi Kanu Oji CFR, the most famous Eze Aro who reigned for 73 years and who was known for his immense natural intelligence, wisdom and great leadership skills. His Eminence, Dr Eberechukwu Oji, the Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu kingdom is well educated and intelligent; he is a well trained and an experienced leader with national and international exposure. He is a consummate manager of people and other resources. He has amazing humility, integrity, capacity, competence, character and the right personality to excel as a first class king of Arochukwu kingdom. Besides, he is God-fearing. We found him capable of attracting dignity, honor, respect, development, peace and progress to Arochukwu kingdom. He knows Aro culture and traditions to his finger tips. We believe he will make Arochukwu kingdom, Ndi Aro and Ndi Igbo everywhere in the world proud as a true revered Eze Aro. He will tower among the best first class kings anywhere in the world. He is His Eminence, Dr Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Oji, Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu kingdom.
