In Nawfia, a community in Njikoka LGA, Anambra State, there is contention about who should sit on the community’s traditional stool.
The community, located in the capital territory, has two men claiming to be its king: Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo and Igwe Daniel Obelle.
The community’s new yam festival has reignited an old feud, and now residents are worried that violence could break out.
One of the contestants, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, was the community’s traditional ruler for many years before being removed from office in 2020 by then-governor Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra State.
After the brutal assassination of his father, a prominent monarch named Igwe FFBC Nwankwo, in 2001, Nwankwo is said to have been anointed king of Nawfia.
He was his father’s second son, but the first, a doctor in the United States, had renounced the throne, so he was crowned instead.
With oil tycoon Prince Arthur Eze in tow, Nwankwo and other Anambra traditional rulers visited Abuja in 2020 to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Oranto Group owner Eze was a vocal critic of Obiano’s administration at the time.
The kings who had forced Eze’s presence were suspended as a punishment.
The suspension of Nwankwo as monarch precipitated his dethronement. Unfortunately for Nwankwo, the Nawfia Town Union, the governing body of all Nawfia indigenes, had banded together, held an election, and an elected monarch had taken the throne in the interim. Igwe Obelle, the queen, has just begun to gain popular approval.
There has been increased contention among the kings on who should preside over the ‘iwa ji rite’ in preparation for the upcoming yam festival. Yam is considered the king of crops, hence indigenous people celebrate this event by eating it. This festival is organized by traditional leaders in different villages.
Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo and Daniel Obelle planned their iwa ji celebrations on opposite days last week.
The castle of HRH Igwe Dr. Ogochukwu Daniel Obelle was found by a SAREWA HAUSA correspondent who traveled to Nawfia.
‘I’m the lawfully elected Igwe of Nawfia village, recognized by the government of Anambra State,’ he said. Someone who was never legitimately elected as Igwe is attempting to sow discord among the locals, which is why I’m writing to you.
Everyone in Nawfia is aware that he became regent in 2001, so we have sent him word to be quiet. Until an Igwe is chosen, power is held by a regent, who is not an Igwe themselves. The term of his regency was only five years, yet he kept calling himself “Igwe.”
Given that the monarchy in Nawfia is not hereditary, Obelle explained why the community finally agreed to elect a new monarch after Nwankwo had served out his five years as a regent by saying that Nwankwo, who had been installed as a regent due to his father’s sterling works, later transited himself into a monarch.
Meanwhile, Nwankwo shows no sign of backing down. He has insisted on maintaining his position as the community’s de facto leader.
While Obelle was planning his Iwa ji festival for last Friday, Nwankwo sent out a note declaring himself the true monarch and stating that he had already celebrated the new era with the community on September 15.
He urged the locals to reject Obelle’s invitation.
Nawfia natives were warned not to attend the ceremony, but many showed up nonetheless. It took place in Obelle’s palace.
Since Nwankwo never received a certificate of recognition from the government, Obelle claimed throughout the event that he was the legitimate monarch.
The government has not officially acknowledged either Obelle or Nwankwo, according to the ministry of local government, chieftaincy, and community concerns.
Neither Obelle nor Nwankwo is now sitting on the customary stool of Nawfia, according to the commissioner, Hon. Tony Collins Nwabunwanne.
Dan Obelle has been ordered by the court to stop posing as the Nawfian monarch.
However, the court did not declare that Nwankwo should be given back his certificate.
The status quo was instead mandated by the court. That being said, he implied that the two should stop holding themselves out as Nawfia’s traditional leaders.
We must wait for the court’s decision before taking any further action.
In other words, until the conclusion of the legal case is known, neither of them should act like conventional monarchs.
And that’s why I said Nawfia is currently without a traditional ruler, he explained; “as far as that court ruling is concerned and as long as it has not been overturned, the Nawfia traditional stool is empty now, and will remain that way until court says otherwise.”
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