Concerned sons and daughters of Awka Ancient Kingdom, the capital of Anambra State, alongside advocates of Igbo cultural heritage, have strongly criticised the Anambra State Government for dismissing a chieftaincy title conferred on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
The group rejected what it described as unwarranted interference by the state government in the conferment of the revered title Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora (Light of the Community) on the widow of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Ikemba Nnewi.
The chieftaincy title was bestowed late last year by His Imperial Majesty, Obi Dr. Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe, MON, JP, Ezeuzu III of Awka, in recognition of Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s contributions to Ndigbo and to Nigeria at large.
However, the Anambra State Government subsequently disclaimed the conferment, branding it “fake” on the grounds that the traditional ruler who conferred it was an “impostor.”
In response, the Awka community described the government’s action as an affront to their cultural autonomy and an unacceptable intrusion into matters exclusively within the purview of the Awka people. In a statement issued by Professor Emmanuel Obi on behalf of Awka sons and daughters, and in solidarity with Obi Dr. Austin Ndigwe, Ezeuzu III, the group said the attack on Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the traditional institution was unjustified and dangerous.
“The traditions, customs, and cultural practices of Awka are not subject to the whims of state bureaucracy or political expediency,” the statement said. “They are sacred elements of our identity, handed down through generations, and they remain the exclusive domain of the indigenous sons and daughters of Awka. It is the Awka people who possess the authority to select, crown, and affirm our leaders in accordance with our ancestral laws.”
The group explained that Obi Dr. Austin Ndigwe was unanimously elected and crowned Ezeuzu III by the Oha Awka (Council of Elders), the Ndichie (titled men), and the wider community following extensive consultations, rituals, and traditional affirmations. “Any attempt by the state government to describe this leadership as ‘unrecognised’ or ‘fake’ is an insult to our autonomy and sets a dangerous precedent that undermines Igbo traditional governance,” the statement added.
The group further described the conferment of the title on Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu as both appropriate and deserving, noting her status as a prominent daughter of Igboland, widow of the Ikemba Ndigbo, and a national figure of service and dignity. “As Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, she continues to project Anambra State and Igboland on the national and international stage,” the statement said. “The title Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora was conferred during a public ceremonial event in Awka, witnessed by multitudes, and it carries the full cultural legitimacy of our people. To discredit it is to undermine the very essence of Awka’s cultural sovereignty.”
The group reminded the state government that traditional rulership in Igboland predates colonial and post-colonial governance structures and does not derive its legitimacy from modern political appointments or administrative recognition.
“The role of government should be to protect and support traditional institutions, not to interfere in them for partisan reasons or to settle ongoing disputes,” the statement warned. “History shows that such interference breeds division and weakens communal harmony.”
The Awka community called on Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and his administration to retract any statements or actions discrediting the chieftaincy title and to respect the decisions of the Awka people. “The unanimous crowning of Ezeuzu III stands as a testament to our unity, and no external force can overturn it,” the statement concluded. “Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s title remains valid, honoured, and celebrated by those who truly understand and cherish our traditions.”
