The deposed Eze Ibom Isii, Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu, has been advised to stop propagating “archaic, discriminatory and unconstitutional” ideas capable of sowing bad blood in Arochukwu Kingdom, arising from his opposition to the crowning of His Eminence Dr Eberechukwu Oji as Eze Aro IX.
A text message linked to the deposed monarch is currently circulating on the social media through which he fervently propagates the argument against the emergence of Dr Eberechukwu Oji as Eze Aro.
The message, couched in the most inelegant language, reads:
Why Nwa Mazi Eberechukwu Eni Kanu Oji cannot be Eze Aro are:
1. His father is still alive, the father have never join the Ancestors, and he has never kill ram or shout Owuu
2. He married twins and born twins at okuwi, for that he is Amadi Ilu Akirika, he can never be Eze Aro of Arochukwu kingdom .He cannot go Awada Aro to pour libation
3. He was not presented to Ibom Isii for crowning and to EzeEze agwu for blessing.
4. Eze Aro doesn’t rope or hold hand fan.
5. The cap for crowning is not bought from the market.
To the above argument, our source said the deposed monarch got a fitting response from an eminent Aro personality with a deep knowledge of custom and extant laws.
The personality, according to a source close to the deposed monarch, advised Mazi Kanu Nwa Kanu as follows:
“By forwarding the above issues in your text to me, I believe you are seeking my advice and perhaps a repeat of my position on the Aro stool issue.
“Mazi, with the greatest respect, please the aspect of Aro custom you are propagating in your text is archaic, discriminatory and unconstitutional, when it is juxtaposed with Abia State Law and our Federal Constitution, which forbids discrimination on grounds of birth or status, etc.
“It is worse that your candidate participated in a democratic process whereby votes were cast between the present Eze Aro and Mazi Idei, both of whom are from the Royal Family that produces Eze Aro. I have seen video and pictures of that exercise. You cannot eat your cake and have it; nor can you blow hot and cold or approbate and reprobate.
“By that act alone, the two candidates have waived any claim to the alleged custom you are now propagating. Or didn’t you and Mazi Idei know at that time (as you now allege) that the present Eze Aro was a NWA MAZI and yet submitted yourselves to the democratic process knowing fully well (as alleged) that one of the contestants was disqualified. You are now complaining because your candidate lost in the exercise.
“You confirmed to me that you are not of the Royal Family that produces the Eze Aro, hence you don’t have a choice over who emerges from that family, so I advice you to stop crying more than the Royal family.
“If at all, you should focus on how to appeal to government (if it is not too late) to retrieve your Ezeship of Ibom Isii, mindful that you were partly responsible for the action of government when you failed to participate in the Panel of Inquiry set up by government. You cannot hold Arochukwu or the Government of Abia State to ransom. Respect is reciprocal. PLS NOTE THAT CHIEFTAINCY STOOL IS A PRIVILEGE, not A RIGHT.
“Society is progressive/dynamic and appointment of Eze Aro is subject to extant Abia State Law and the Constitution of Nigeria. Hence any custom that offends Abia Statute or Constitution is bound to be relegated.
“By the foregoing state of our Law, please be advised that Grounds 1&2 of the issues raised by you are infected by extant Law; so also grounds 3,4&5 especially since you made it impossible (as Eze Ibom Isii) for Eze Aro to be guided or to perform those rites that ought to be performed thru you, if any.
“Owing to my disposition to sue for peace in Aro, I’m trying not to take part in the courtroom battle over this matter, so I advice you not to tempt me to jump into the fray; as I will certainly be on the side of the present Eze Aro whose stool is clearly more LAWFUL.
“Finally, please permit me to repeat my advice to you and your sponsors to toe the line of peace so we can all continue to enjoy and preserve the peace and heritage of the Aro stool and Aro clan.
“I pray you are able to see through this fog and do the right thing quickly. Like the saying goes: Umu Aro na akpa isi okwu, ha anaghi ese okwu,” our source, who declined to be named, said.