*DISCLAIMER ON PURPORTED REPRESENTATION OF AROCHUKWU ANCIENT KINGDOM IN THE SOUTHERN NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL RULERS’ COUNCIL AND REAFFIRMATION OF THE LEGAL POSITION OF AROCHUKWU KINGSHIP*
Nzuko Aro Ndi Eziokwu hereby makes it clear to the public, and for the avoidance of doubt, that the kingship of Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom is presently before a court of competent jurisdiction. Consequently, Nwamazi Pastor Dr. Eberechukwu Oji has no lawful mandate to represent Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom being a core part of the South East before any external traditional council or forum, including the purported Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council, until the courts finally determine the kingship dispute.
This clarification has become necessary following recent public declarations by Nwamazi Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, who has described himself as “Eze Aro IX” and as the Publicity Secretary of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council. We have also noted his assertions that the said council is a duly inaugurated body operating across the Southern states of Nigeria, chaired by the Ooni of Ife, and enjoying recognition at the federal level.
Nzuko Aro Ndi Eziokwu emphasizes that Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom has not, through any duly constituted traditional authority, resolution, or communal consensus, resolved to join, recognize, or be represented in the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council as presently constituted. No mandate was granted to Dr. Eberechukwu Oji or to any person whatsoever to speak for, act for, or represent Arochukwu in that forum or in any arrangement purporting to speak for the South East on behalf of Arochukwu.
The kingship of Arochukwu remains the subject of ongoing judicial proceedings. By virtue of Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), every party is entitled to fair hearing before a court of competent jurisdiction. It is a settled principle of law that once a matter is sub judice, parties must refrain from acts capable of prejudicing, undermining, or rendering nugatory the outcome of the proceedings. Parties must not resort to self-help or parallel authority while the courts are seized of the dispute.
Furthermore, on 21st February 2024, the High Court of Abia State sitting at Umuuneochi Judicial Division, in Suit No. HUM/1/2024, issued an order restraining actions capable of interfering with or undermining the pending judicial process relating to the Arochukwu kingship dispute. This subsisting order remains binding and reinforces the obligation of all parties and stakeholders to conduct themselves lawfully and with restraint pending judicial finality.
Traditional institutions in Nigeria are recognized within the framework of state law and established custom; they are not creations of executive fiat. Government recognition must align with lawful custom and due process, not with the manufacture, imposition, or external validation of traditional authority contrary to communal procedure and pending judicial determination. Section 1(1) of the Constitution affirms its supremacy, and Section 1(3) renders void any action inconsistent with constitutional safeguards of due process and judicial authority.
Accordingly, Nzuko Aro Ndi Eziokwu reiterates that any representation of Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom in external councils must emanate from the lawfully recognized and traditionally constituted authority of the Kingdom. Until the courts conclusively determine the kingship dispute, any unilateral claim of representation whether in the name of Arochukwu, the South East, or the South is purely personal and cannot bind Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom.
We reaffirm our recognition and support for His Majesty, Eze Aro, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idie Kanu Okoro Oke, who was traditionally crowned on 20th October 2023 in accordance with Arochukwu custom, rotational principles, and ancestral rites. His emergence followed due communal process and reflects the will of the people as expressed through their traditional institutions.
We also align with the principled position publicly articulated by His Royal Majesty, Dr. Lawrence Agubuzu, the Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom, regarding concerns surrounding the structure, legitimacy, and constitutional grounding of the purported Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council. His position underscores the need for clarity, legality, and procedural integrity in matters affecting traditional institutions and inter-kingdom representation.
Nzuko Aro Ndi Eziokwu therefore advises the general public, government agencies, and sister traditional institutions to treat any representation made by Nwamazi Dr. Eberechukwu Oji on behalf of Arochukwu Ancient Kingdom as his personal position pending final judicial resolution of the kingship dispute.
We reiterate our commitment to the rule of law, respect for judicial authority, and preservation of the sanctity of Arochukwu’s ancestral institution. Peaceful coexistence, constitutional compliance, and judicial finality remain the only legitimate path forward.
Signed,
Elder Mazi Ernest Okoro ljomanta
21/02/2026
