The Anambra State Government has dismissed as fake the chieftaincy title reportedly conferred on Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, describing the exercise as illegal and carried out by an impostor.
The state government said the title was allegedly conferred by Chief Austin Ndigwe, whom it described as not being a recognised traditional ruler in Awka or anywhere in Anambra State.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Town Union Affairs, Chief Tony Collins Nwabunwanne, said the only recognised traditional ruler of Awka Kingdom is HRH Obi Gibson Nwabueze Nwosu (Eze Uzu II) and not Chief Austin Ndigwe.
“The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Anambra State is the exclusive prerogative of recognised and certified traditional rulers in their respective communities, and such titles are conferred only on indigenes or residents of those communities,” Nwabunwanne said.
He explained that where a non-indigene is to be honoured, specific guidelines must be followed.
“In the case of a person not from the community, the approval of the traditional ruler of the conferee’s community and that of the Commissioner for Local Government, Communities and Chieftaincy must be sought and obtained, in line with the extant Traditional Rulers’ Code of Conduct. None of these conditions was met in this case,” he stated.
The commissioner reiterated that Chief Austin Ndigwe has no legal or customary authority to act as a traditional ruler, describing him as an impostor.
“Chief Austin C. Ndigwe is not a traditional ruler in Awka or Anambra State. To put it mildly, he is simply an impostor,” he said.
He further alleged that Ndigwe had unlawfully used the title “Eze Uzu III” of Awka despite the fact that the recognised traditional ruler, HRH Gibson Nwabueze Nwosu (Eze Uzu II), is alive and duly certified by the state government.
Nwabunwanne recalled that Obi Gibson Nwosu played a significant role during the Nigerian Civil War, serving as second-in-command of the Biafran Air Force and going into exile with the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
“He left with Dim Odumegwu-Ojukwu to Côte d’Ivoire and later Zambia and remained in exile for 15 years. One wonders why the widow of Dim Ojukwu would accept a title from an impostor,” the commissioner said.
He added that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo had previously warned Ndigwe against impersonating the traditional ruler of Awka.
“She was present at the home of Chief Ndigwe when Governor Soludo attended his birthday celebration and publicly advised him, as a friend, to desist from parading himself as the traditional ruler of Awka. The video went viral,” Nwabunwanne said.
According to him, Bianca Ojukwu herself had avoided describing Ndigwe as a traditional ruler in a Facebook post, instead referring to him as “Supreme Commander of Awka Ancient Kingdom,” a title the government said does not exist under Awka tradition.
The commissioner said the purported title conferment amounted to an affront to the authority of the recognised traditional ruler and a desecration of Anambra’s traditional institutions as established by law.
“By purporting to confer a chieftaincy title, Mr Ndigwe usurped the ceremonial functions of the bona fide traditional ruler of Awka. This is totally unacceptable and creates a dangerous precedent which the state government will not allow,” he said.
He stressed that while Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu is eminently qualified to receive chieftaincy titles from recognised traditional institutions, such honours must be lawful and valid.
“We therefore state that the chieftaincy title she purports to have received from Mr Austin Ndigwe is fake and not recognised under Anambra culture, tradition or law. She should desist from addressing herself by any such title,” the statement said.
Nwabunwanne concluded that the Anambra State Government remains committed to restoring respect for law, order, culture and traditional institutions.
“We must uphold values that elevate our collective social consciousness, not a subculture that promotes impersonation and disregard for tradition,” he added.
