The monarch of Aro Kingdom, Eze Eberechukwu Oji, has admonished Aros at home and in the Diaspora not to condemn upright traditions and culture of the Aros because of their religious beliefs.
Eze Aro stated this while fielding questions during the first, all-Aro global meeting held via Zoom on Sunday, February 25, 2024. He spoke from Arochukwu, Abia State, the ancestral homeland of Umu Aro all over the world.
Eze Aro said: “The traditional institutions are the vestiges of our people, which we hold dear, to be preserved, and not condemned.”
HRM Eberechukwu Oji had reacted to a question asked if as a pastor, he could visit the Awada Aro sacred grounds at Ugwuakuma, Arochukwu.
Below are excerpts of responses to questions:
“You asked if I know where the Awada Aro is located. Yes, I know where it is. My house is at Baraki, if you want, I will take you to Ugwuakuma where the Awada is. You asked if I know the heads of the Awada. One of the consultations that we have been doing is on how to bring peace and progress to Arochukwu, and we have been doing that with the Eze Awada, Mazi Onoh. Mazi Onoh is the head of the Otusi, he is the one that organises the Awada Aro.”
He further stated: “I have answered the questions whether, as an ordained pastor, can I enter the Awada? I am a full, autochtonous son of Aro, I am the Eze Aro. There is no spot in Aro that I cannot visit. That one is not an issue at all. That you visited the Awada or not does not take away your calling ad a child of God. These things are the vestiges of our customs and traditions
“Despite all of these, I have said it many times, that you are a son of Aro, or a child of God, or a Christian or a pastor does not mean that you will destroy your traditions or your culture.
“The Bible says, give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and what belongs to God unto God. I have responded to this question a lot many times, but anytime it comes up, we will explain it again.
“It is good that as Umu Aro, we do what is right, and jettison those that are contrary to our progress,” he concluded.
