A Magistrates’ Court in Umuahia, Abia State, yesterday, granted bail to Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke, who was crowned Eze Aro recently by the Arochukwu community, on self recognition.
Oke, who was arrested by the police last week, was arraigned before the Magistrates’ Court on three-count charges.
Count I reads: “That you, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke ‘M’, and others now at large, on the 1st day of January, 2024, at Oror Village in Arochukwu Magisterial District, conspired amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: Personation and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 516A (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 80, Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State of Nigeria, 2005.”
Count II reads: “That you, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did, with intent to defraud members of the public, falsely represent yourself as Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu Kingdom, a representation you know to be false and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 484 of the Criminal Code Cap. 80 Vol. 3 Laws of Abia State 2005.”
The charge in count III reads: “That you, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace or reasonable apprehension of public peace, when you make an online publication titled ‘New Year Speech by Eze Aro, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei and appreciation to all Umu Aro Okeigbo and Arochukwu Kingdom Worldwide by His Majestiy, Eze Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke, Eze Aro IX of Arochukwu Kingdom,’ which is likely to incite the people of Arochukwu Kingdom into breakdown of law and order and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 80, Vol. 3, Laws of Abia State of Nigeria, 2005.”
When the charges were read, Oke pleaded not guilty, and the court adjourned the case to a later date for hearing.
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has kicked against the arraignment of Oke. In a statement signed by the party’s Vice Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, PDP accused the state Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, of meddling in the affairs of Arochukwu.
The statement titled, “Alex Otti’s meddling in the Aro kingship stool unhealthy for Abia’s traditional institution,” read in part: “The attention of the Abia PDP has been drawn to the arraignment of Eze Aro, His Royal Majesty, Eze Godwin Kanu Idei Kanu Okoro Oke, before an Umuahia magistrates’ court and subsequently granted bail after his arrest and detention since the 5th of January 2024, based on a warrant issued by an Abia magistrates’ court.
“The court proffered a three-count charge of felony, impersonation and acts capable of causing a breach of the peace in Arochukwu against the Eze Aro, Eze Godwin Kanu Idei.
“From accurate and reliable intelligence available to the Abia PDP, the warrant of arrest was allegedly issued based on a petition written by a certain Permanent Secretary in Abia State Civil Service who, strangely, is not even from Arochukwu, citing a new year message released by Eze Aro to his subjects as an infraction on the Abia Local Government Laws.”
Accusing the governor of meddling and taking sides on the selection of the Eze Aro since the tussle came to public light, PDP said it was not difficult to conclude that the governor was the mastermind of a series of what has been happening to Oke in recent times, which culminated in his eventual incarceration.
The party said: “What is happening is clearly the proverbial hand of Esau, but the voice of Jacob in the whole saga. The Abia PDP is concerned that Alex Otti has not hidden his animus for the present Eze Aro, Eze Godwin Kanu Idei, since he was crowned, and has done everything to deride him and cause disrespect to the traditional stool of the Aro Kingdom, which is revered globally due to the special place it holds in the history of Igboland in its interface with the Europeans from the 18th Century, up to the time of Nigerian independence.
“From suspending Eze Ibom Isii, Eze Kanu Nwa Kanu, for performing his traditional responsibility of crowning Eze Godwin Kanu Idei against the governor’s preferred candidate, to inviting both contenders to his Nvosi residence, where he officiates as governor, and lambasting the Eze in the presence of his rival after keeping him waiting for more than five hours, forcefully stopping his coronation reception billed for Sunday, 24th December, 2023, and finally arresting and detaining him without charge for more than 24 hours against prescriptions of the Nigerian law, it is evident to all men of goodwill, that Alex Otti has desecrated the sacred stool of ancient Aro kingdom, and has meddled unduly in the tradition of a people.
“Even when Alex Otti set up a reconciliation committee headed by Chief Chikwe Udensi to find a lasting solution to the tussle, he was quick to disband the committee after just three days and announced his decision to appoint an Eze Aro by himself, an act unknown in the annals of Aro history.
“In the history of Igbo land and, indeed, all of traditional Africa, the right to select kings and traditional rulers rests solely and squarely on the people, and in most cases, the people’s representatives through a select group known as kingmakers. With the advent of modern government, the people select their kings and make a presentation to the government of the day for approval of the staff of office.
“Never has the government been the decider of kingship because they are extant knowledge boarding the traditional rites, procedures and processes that follow the selection, and this knowledge resides with the kingmakers and not the state governor.
“It is a traditional aberration for the governor to choose a king for a people, except he is among the kingmakers, and it is clear that Alex Otti is not a member of the Oke Nnachi family and, therefore, has no right to interfere in the selection of Eze Aro.”
Abia PDP said it was worried that the muscling of Eze Aro out of office as Otti was working hard to achieve was likely to cause a breach of the peace in the kingdom that has been at peace with itself ever since.