Disquiet in Igbo's oldest community over kingship tussle

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By Madu Obi

There is disquiet in the ancient Nri Community, Anaocha local government area of Anambra State, considered to be the ancestral home of the Igbo, as the two quarters in the area are engaged in a bitter tussle for the town's kingship.

The tussle is between Agukwu Nri and Akamkpisi Nri, the two quarters in the community, and there are already moves by the two quarters to demand for autonomy.

As the crisis deepens, the two quarters have already approached the Ministry of Local Government and Town Union Affairs seeking for autonomy and have resolved to have their different autonomous communities with two different traditional rulers.

The state Commissioner for Local Government and Town Union Affairs, Chief Tony Collins Nwabunwane, confirmed the crisis in the town, adding however, that the issue is being handled.

"The state government knows that there is chieftaincy dispute in Nri, but we are trying to resolve it. With time, we shall resolve the matter through meeting with both parties for peace to reign" he said.

Addressing reporters in Nri on the issue, a custodian of Igbo tradition, Ezeoba Ramas Asuzu, who is from Ikenga quarters of the town, lamented the crisis in the area.

Asuzu said: "The crisis has lasted for more than 50 years and the matter is still in court. It is quite unfortunate that during the Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration, he signed two papers for two traditional rulers for Nri, which were for Ogbumuo and Eze Onyeso, but our people failed to go and collect their paper for Ikenga Nri.

Nri has two sections; they are Agukwu Nri and Ikenga Nri . We have never been together for a very long time. We, the elders, have been meditating and praying to be together, but the truth is that for over 5000 years, Nri has never been together.

These Agukwu people were the last settlers that came from Aguleri and before their arrival, there were aborigines that constitute three villages which are Akamkpisi Aniodo, Akamkpisi Ekwenayika and Akamkpisi Idiodo.

The three villages that came from Aguleri are Uruoji, Agbadani and Obeagu that make up Agukwu Nri. They are on their own. So the last Eze Onyeso was a ruler for three villages, while Ogbumuo was in charge of the other three villages in Akamkpisi. We have never been part of what Agukwu Nri is doing. We don't recognize them as our king.

We heard that through divination, they have selected one Chukwudi Nwokoye as their next king and the late Eze Onyeso people have said that they don't accept Nwokoye."