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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Awka Ancient Kingdom has criticised the Anambra State Government over its reported attempt to discredit the chieftaincy title conferred on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, describing the move as an unwarranted intrusion into the cultural sovereignty of the Awka people.
Speaking through Prof. Emmanuel Obi, who signed the rebuttal on behalf of concerned sons and daughters of Awka, the community accused the state government of overreach.
They insisted that the conferment of the title ‘Anyanwu n’awalu ora’ (The light of the community) was valid, legitimate and firmly rooted in Awka tradition.
Obi (Dr.) Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe, the Ezeuzu III of Awka, conferred the title on her.
The community, in the statement, maintained that any attempt by the state government to question either the authority of the monarch or the title bestowed on Bianca Ojukwu, former Nigerian Ambassador, amounted to a direct assault on Awka’s ancestral institutions.
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“The traditions, customs, and cultural practices of Awka are not subject to the whims of state bureaucracy or political expediency. These are sacred elements of our identity, passed down through generations, and they remain the sole domain of the indigenous sons and daughters of Awka,” the statement said.
Defending the legitimacy of Obi Ndigwe, the community emphasised that his emergence as Ezeuzu III followed due traditional process and enjoyed overwhelming communal backing.
The Awka indigenes described Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as a worthy recipient of the title, citing her pedigree, public service record and symbolic importance to Igboland.
“Traditional rulership in Igboland is not a creation of colonial-era statutes or modern political appointments. It predates the Nigerian state and operates independently of government certificates or ratifications. The government’s role should be to support and protect these institutions, not to meddle in them for partisan reasons.
“We call upon Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and his administration to immediately retract any statements or actions discrediting this title and to respect the decisions of the Awka people. Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu’s title remains valid, honoured, and celebrated by those who truly understand and value our traditions,” the statement concluded.
