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EARLY HISTORY AND FACTS ARISING

By Fred Akpewe

When in 1927, Justin Nkeze Omorhusi, the then Colonial Interpreter under Ogwashi-Uku District of Asaba Division, Benin Province, declared himself king (Obi Omorhusi II) over the good people of Idumuje-Ugboko, and when in 1942 Obi Omorhusi II decided to change his name and title to Obi Nwoko II as well as change his children from Omorhusi to Nwoko, he was inadvertently planting the seed of future discord in his community of Idumuje-Ugboko. This profound illegality was to continue until the reign of Obi Albert Nwoko III between 1981 – 2017. Obi Omorhusi II/Nwoko II it would be recalled died in 1955 and Prince Albert became Obi Nwoko III in 1981.

After the demise of HRM Albert Nwoko III, on the 6th of February, 2017 the real  descendants of Nwoko (known as  Umu Nwoko), the founder of Idumuje-Ugboko decided to meet under the leadership of Diokpa of the family, Prince Onwuamaonyeuku Esuzor Nwoko direct grandson of Obi Nwoko I. Their main aim was to deliberate on the issue of the kingship being the rightful heirs to the throne. They were determined to return the throne to the original line of succession which started from the reign of Obi Nwoko I. In the ensuing communique emanating from a meeting held on the 24th of August, 2017, the lineage of Omorhusi was stripped of its primogeniture (succession from father to son) in order to correct the earlier illegality which had deprived the Umu-Nwoko of their rightful line of succession.

On the 3rd of October, 2017 the head of the Diokpa family, Onwuamaonyeukwu Esuzor, a grandson of Obi Nwoko I, the founder of Idumuje-Ugboko backed up the communiqué by deposing to a three-page affidavit at the Delta State High Court, Issele-Uku Division. This deposition affirmed the decision of the Umu-Nwoko Royal Family, which had the sacred duty to present a crown Prince and Obi-designate to the community.

The position of crown Prince fell on Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko, being the great grandson of Obi Nwoko I, the founder of Idumuje -Ugboko kingdom.

This affirmation adjudged Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko to be the undisputed and legitimate heir apparent and Obi- designate in line with the traditions as stated in the 1937 intelligence report of R.B. Karr on the process of installing of kings in Idumuje-Ugboko by principle of primogeniture system of royal succession. Summarily, the Umu-Nwoko Royal Family in a letter dated 29th June, 2018 to the Idumuje-Ugboko-Obi-in-Council presented Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu as the Obi designate of the Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom. The Obi-in-council, acting on correct records and in line with their statutory traditional functions wrote a letter dated 2nd July, 2018 to the Aniocha North Traditional Rulers committee, conveying the decisions of the Umu-Nwoko Royal family and requesting the council to do the needful. The letter was accompanied with an affidavit in support of application deposed to by the Obi-designate, Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko, the great grandson of Obi Nwoko I, the founder of the Idumuje Ugboko and his nephew, Prince Walters Onyeisi Ugochukwu Eziashi, the great great grandson of Obi Nwoko I who filed a case on the 17th of November 2017 at the Delta State High Court, Issele-Uku with suit no HCI/38/2017. The suit sought, among other things a declaration that it amounted to an act of illegality to concede Idumuje-Ugboko throne to any descendant of Justin Nkeze Omorhusi (despite their wrongful change of name to Nwoko).

PRINCE CHUKWUNONSO NWOKO’S PLOT TO SCUTTLE THE LINE OF SUCCESSION

As far back as 2015 Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, the first son of HRM Obi Nwoko III, a descendant of the Umu-Omorhusi line knew that their line of succession had come to an end. He therefore began to act and prepare to take over from the father even when the latter was still alive. Taking advantage of his father’s old age and frail body constitution held Obi Albert Nwoko III practically hostage from 2015 – 2017.

At this time also, Prince Nonso Nwoko collaborating with Richard Obiajulu and Ejimofor Frederick circulated a letter dated 12/8/2015 but addressed to nobody in particular purporting to have been written by Obi Albert Nwoko, the content of which repudiated the earlier approval for the Land allocated for university and golf course project. The Idumuje-Ugboko community was in confusion and all attempts by the community elders and chiefs to ascertain the veracity of the repudiation letter met with a brick wall as Prince Nonso Nwoko and his co-perpetrators had barricaded the palace and held Obi Albert Nwoko III incommunicado. It was at this point that a prominent indigene of the community and a former President-General of the IUDU petitioned the police which did a due diligent investigations and found Prince Nonso, Richard Obiajulu and Ejimofor Fredrick culpable and where later charged to court on Charge Sheet No: CMA/420c/2016. The case is still ongoing but at advance stages. There are still other cases in court involving Prince Nonso Nwoko bothering on terrorism and murder charges (Cyprian Kumiolu and Kennedy Iloh). There are also other cases in court by the Queens of the late Albert Nwoko III against Prince Nonso Nwoko since 2016 which are still ongoing.

One event led to another in rapid succession until Prince Nonso Nwoko and his collaborators unleashed a terrible mayhem on the Idumuje-Ugboko people. The 2017 Idumuje-Ugboko mayhem was executed with so much hatred that the Iyese (Traditional Prime Minister), Chief Chris Ogwu was viciously attacked, brutalized and his cars and property destroyed. The same was done to the Odogwu (Traditional Defense Minister), Chief Sunday Edemodu. Chief Chris Ogwu and Chief Sunday Edemodu have not physically recovered from the trauma they suffered thereafter having been afflicted by stroke and Parkinson disease respectively. A total of 29 other victims of the mayhem are still living in the trauma which left several of them injured, their property destroyed and their sources of livelihood dislocated.  In the process an innocent okada rider, Cyprian Kumiolu was killed right at the front of the palace by thugs loyal to Prince Nonso Nwoko.  Kennedy Iloh, an indigene of the community and former secretary of the land allocation committee died as a result of injuries he sustained in the hands of Prince Nonso’s thugs and supporters. Some of the identified perpetrators of the 2017 mayhem in the community like Prince Nonso Nwoko, Okey Ifejoku, Aikhomo Omezi, Dennis Uwadiegwu, Ndudi Chiejume, Agiliga Light, Raymond Omesete and others have been arraigned and are being prosecuted in Federal High Courts for terrorism and murder charges having been petitioned by the victims of the crises in the community. When HRM Obi Albert Nwoko III suddenly died on the 6th of February, 2017, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko installed himself as Obi within three hours of his father’s burial against all known customs and traditions of the people. He has continued to live in self-delusion as the uncrowned King of Idumuje-Ugboko.

TRUE LINE OF SUCCESSION ESTABLISHED AND SUSTAINED

The Aniocha North Traditional Rulers’ committee acting on the recommendation of the Umu-Nwoko descendants, elders and kingmakers of Idumuje-Ugboko has endorsed Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko as the heir apparent to the throne of his forefathers and have thus transmitted two letters – one on January 28, 2021 and the other on 20th April, 2021 to the Delta State Government requesting it to recognize and issue a Staff of Office to Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko as the Obi of Idumuje-Ugboko. The Aniocha North Local Government Council and the Asagba of Asaba, HRM Obi Professor Chike Edozien have written letters to the Delta State Government requesting same in accordance with the wishes of the Idumuje-Ugboko people.

This endorsement has formally put to rest the issue of a successor to the HRM Obi Albert Nwoko III who passed on in 2017.

• Fred Akpewe is Media Aide to HRM Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko, the Obi of Idumuje Ugboko Kingdom.