Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
AWKA, NIGERIA — The Awka Council of Kingmakers has publicly condemned what it describes as persistent and unlawful interference by the Anambra State Government in the affairs of Awka traditional rulership, accusing authorities of orchestrating media attacks and smear campaigns against the Oba of Awka, Dr. Austin C. Ndigwe, Eze Uzu III — a disruption the council says threatens cultural sovereignty and ancestral rights.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by members of the council, the traditional institution asserted that Awka customs and traditions were duly upheld in the selection, installation, and enthronement of Obi Ndigwe, who has reigned for about nine years. The kingmakers emphasised that the monarch’s elevation followed all obligatory rites and community consensus, and that his legitimacy has long been recognised by the people of Awka.
“The Anambra State Government’s claims and threats of criminal charges against our rightful monarch are baseless and represent a violation of the autonomy of traditional institutions as recognised under Nigerian law,” the council said, calling the actions a direct affront to centuries-old cultural governance. The statement articulated deep displeasure at what it characterised as an assault on the cultural integrity of Awka and a disregard for well-established customs governing traditional rulership.
The council also expressed outrage over coordinated media attacks on Obi Ndigwe, particularly surrounding a chieftaincy ceremony held during the Igu Aro (Otite Awka) festival on October 30, 2025. The festival, which drew prominent indigenes and cultural stakeholders, was again thrust into controversy when the ministerial title conferred on Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, became the subject of public dispute. The kingmakers said that the state government’s later criticism of the event — including assertions that the ceremony was illegitimate — amounted to a calculated attempt to undermine traditional authority.
In defending the traditional rites, the kingmakers noted that Governor Chukwuma Soludo was duly invited to the event but remained silent at the time, allegedly due to the proximity of the ceremony to the Anambra governorship election. They suggested this silence was politically motivated and that the government only “found its voice” after a strong electoral showing from Awka indigenes in support of the Soludo administration.
The kingmakers insisted that the criticisms emerging now do not reflect a genuine cultural grievance but are instead politically charged assertions that risk weakening communal unity. “Awka indigenes are not seeking political recognition for His Majesty. The governor should leave Awka alone and focus on governance,” the council said, underscoring its view that traditional matters should remain free from political interference.
The statement also referenced broader tensions arising from the Soludo administration’s creation of new autonomous communities, including Isuanioma from Isuofia, which the kingmakers said lacks historical legitimacy and is currently subject to legal challenge. They argued that such actions, combined with media campaigns against the Awka monarch, are divisive and capable of undermining peace and unity within the kingdom.
Cultural leaders rallied Awka sons and daughters, as well as the wider Igbo nation, to stand firm in defence of their heritage and the long-standing traditions that govern the institution of rulership. The council urged the state government to immediately desist from interference in Awka traditional affairs and to respect established customs and community processes that have guided the kingdom for generations.
The evolving dispute reflects broader tensions in Nigeria between state authorities and traditional institutions, particularly in regions where cultural identity and local governance intersect with modern political dynamics. Observers note that while the constitution recognises the role of traditional rulers, their authority often comes under strain when intersecting with partisan politics or state policy decisions.
For now, the Awka Council of Kingmakers stands unified behind His Imperial Majesty Obi Austin Ndigwe, MON, JP, Eze Uzu III, asserting his rightful place as monarch and calling on all stakeholders to protect traditional heritage against what they describe as unwarranted political interference.
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