Anambra State Government has accused the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu of accepting a chieftaincy title from a person it described as an impostor and has threatened to take legal action over the matter.
The allegation was made by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Tony Nwanbuwanne, in a statement issued in Awka on Thursday.
Mr Nwanbuwanne said the state government became aware of a publication by Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu in which she announced that she had been conferred with the chieftaincy title of “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora.”
He quoted the minister as saying the title was “conferred at the prestigious Igu Aro Cultural Festival by His Majesty Obi Austin Chukwuezugo Ndigwe (MON).”
He said the announcement generated confusion across the state, especially because Odumegwu-Ojukwu is a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance.
According to him, “Mrs Ojukwu is an APGA chieftain, and her posts have caused massive confusion, leading many to wonder whether her involvement in the phoney chieftaincy title signals a change in the State government’s policy stance or simply an unnecessary and avoidable affront to the State government, the Anambra traditional institutions, and culture.”
The commissioner said Anambra operates under strict laws governing chieftaincy matters.
He said, “The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Anambra State is the exclusive prerogative of recognised and certified traditional rulers in their respective communities,” adding that approvals are required when titles are conferred on non indigenes or non residents.
He stated that none of the required conditions was met in Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s case.
Nwanbuwanne said Austin Ndigwe is not a recognised traditional ruler in Awka or anywhere in Anambra State.
“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 added that the recognised traditional ruler of Awka, Obi Nwosu, Eze Uzu II, is still alive and officially certified by the state government.
He recalled that Nwosu conferred the chieftaincy title of “Omenife Awka” on President Bola Tinubu in 2004.
The commissioner said Odumegwu-Ojukwu was aware of Ndigwe’s status, recalling a public event where Governor Charles Soludo warned Ndigwe to stop parading himself as the Awka monarch.
He said, “Hon Minister Ojukwu, with her background and pedigree, knows or should know these facts very well.”
He also took issue with the language used in Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s publication, noting that although she avoided calling Ndigwe a traditional ruler, she described him as “Supreme Commander of Awka Ancient Kingdom”, a title he said does not exist.
He said referring to Ndigwe as “His Majesty” and “Obi” portrayed him as a traditional ruler and violated the state’s Traditional Rulers Law.
Nwanbuwanne said by purporting to confer a chieftaincy title, Ndigwe usurped the functions of the recognised monarch.
“By purporting to confer a chieftaincy title, Mr Ndigwe usurped the ceremonial functions of the bona fide Traditional Ruler of Awka,” he said.
He said Odumegwu-Ojukwu is qualified to receive chieftaincy titles from recognised traditional institutions but said, “It cannot be a vain or fake chieftaincy title from an impostor or a fake traditional ruler.”
The commissioner said the Anambra State Government does not recognise the title Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu claims to have received.
“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,” he said, urging her to stop using it.
Tony Nwanbuwanne said the state government would take lawful steps to protect its traditional institutions.
He added, “The State Government will not tolerate this desecration of the Traditional Institution and will take every lawful step to promote and protect our culture and traditional institutions.”
