A grand prince of Arochukwu Kingdom, Prince Kanu Okoro Kanu Oji, has described as laughable, insinuations that Eze Aro’s father must be dead before he ascends the throne.
Oji, who spoke at the Palace of Eze Aro in Arochukwu, Abia State, said the insinuation is borne out of ignorance on the part of peddlers of such argument.
He said it is a normal practice, which even happened when the founder of Arochukwu allowed his own son to be the Eze in the ancient times.
Prince Kanu Oji was reacting to insinuations that His Royal Majesty (HRM), Eze Eberechukwu Oji, the Eze Aro-designate, is not qualified to be king, as his father is still alive.
He said: “What makes him disqualified? Is this the first time it is happening, or are they saying that it has never happened before? “Coming from this kingdom, our ancestral patriarch Nnachi did not rule Arochukwu. But he was alive when his son Oke Nnachi was ruling. He was the founder of Arochukwu.
“So it’s not the first time. Then in recent history; if you go to Amukwa, when it was the turn of a man, he gave it to his son. He was alive and his son was ruling.
“That was the person that ruled before the present Eze Ogo of Amukwa.
“Once the father approves of his son to go in his stead, then he can go. This thing we are talking of, exclusively is the right of Mazi Oji Kanu as Okwara Ezi (first son of the ruling family) and Ochie Ochie Ime Ezi (eldest man within the ruling house).
“Again, going to the Bible, for those of us who are Christians, David was a king. He had elder siblings and the father Jesse. The Ooni of Ife, his father is alive. The Olu of Warri, the father is alive. So, what are we taking about? Even Eze Ibom Isii that is trying to make a case here, his father is alive, because his elder brother acts as his father, and he is alive today. His name is Isaac, and he acts as his father,” Prince Oji revealed.
HRM Eberechukwu Oji recently emerged Eze Aro-designate through the traditionally laid down process of the Arochukwu royal family of Okennachi responsible for presenting a new Eze to Arochukwu.