50-year-old engineer coronated as 9th monarch of Arochukwu kingdom

The ancient Arochukwu Kingdom in Abia State on Saturday celebrated the coronation of its 9th traditional ruler, 50-year-old Dr Eberechukwu Oji, with the title of ‘Eze Aro’ with pomp and pageantry.

He was crowned on January 26, 2024, the same day the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, recognised him and gave him a staff of office as traditional ruler.

Before his endorsement by the state government, following the death of his predecessor, Mazi Ogbonnaya Okoro Kanu, Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei, who is also from the Eze Aro ruling Okennachi family, had contested the throne and was illegally crowned.

Amid the tussle, the state government set up a board of inquiry in October 2023 and issued a White Paper favouring Eze Aro Dr Eberechukwu Oji.

The government accepted the recommendations and nullified the earlier coronation of Mazi Godwin Kanu Idei as Eze Aro IX.

During the coronation and civic reception in honour of the new monarch, Governor Otti commended the people for choosing Dr Eberechukwu Oji.

He said, “I have no doubt that the majority of Aro people are very happy with his choice, but there may be one or two people who are not.

“I say without any fear of contradiction that the Aro people made the best choice. From what I have seen, read, and heard about the 9th Eze Aro, Mazi Eberechukwu Oji is the best in his class.”

In his remarks, the new monarch said the day marked a significant milestone in the kingdom’s history.

He pledged to be a servant-leader and be devoted to the prosperity and well-being of all Aro people.

He also called on the federal government to embrace true federalism wherein marginalisation and exclusion would give way to inclusion, fairness and justice, including the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kalu.