Aro Renaissance: Making progress in Arochukwu Kingdom
Preambles:
Dear Umu Aro, distinguished guests, members of the Aro community in Houston, USA, I bring you warm greetings from the Arochukwu Kingdom. Today, as we gather to celebrate Aro Day, we reflect on the remarkable progress our kingdom has made in the past two years.
My Special thanks go to AAUSA President, Mazi Chris Onyeador and his Executives, and Mazi Frank Agodi (FAK) and members of Eze entourage who accompanied me over the past two days to UC Berkeley and the courtesy visit to the Mayor of San Francisco.
Aro Renaissance – New Chapter
In the past two years we’ve worked tirelessly to foster unity, promote cultural heritage, and empower our people. Initiatives like the Arochukwu Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society and comprehensive skills acquisition training have been instrumental in driving economic growth and development.
Our commitment to preserving Aro cultural identity is evident in the successful hosting of the Ikeji Aro festival two years in a row, which has doubled attendance with Aro Diaspora communities attending, and our neighbors and allies are fully back. Over 20 leading traditional rulers graced our coronation anniversary event, showcasing the respect and recognition our kingdom now enjoys.
In education, we’re witnessing significant improvements. The launch of STEM by Nzuko Arochukwu, the Smart school project of Abia State Government, recruitment of over 5,000 teachers, and the ongoing reconstruction of Mary Slessor library are all testaments to our commitment to quality education.
The Mary Slessor Library with major donations from Dr. (Mrs.) Shields here in the US will be commissioned during my 2nd Year Anniversary celebrations by July 25th 2026. We need you to donate books, computers and solar power to support that work.
I’m proud to announce the launch of my foundation in July 2025 for youth empowerment, which has trained over 2,000 Aro youths in new skills. Nzuko Arochukwu has also endowed empowerment grants, benefiting many Umu Aro. We’re working with UNICEF to enhance our tourist sites and make Aro a tourism destination.
I’d like to express my gratitude to Umu Aro in the USA for their generous support in providing quality healthcare services in Aro Homeland through the AAUSA medical center and their free medical missions.
I’ve mobilized security in Arochukwu to guarantee safety of life and property, working closely with the Nigeria security and Aro Neighborhood watch initiatives.
Early in January 2024, I was a founding member of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council, and this platform has provided me opportunities to launch Aro kingdom to national and global audiences.
We have worked very hard over the last two years to restore Aro traditional leadership structure from Eze Ezi’s to Eze Ogo’s, the Council of Nde Eze Ogo to Okpankpo Aro.
We have also worked hard to take our people back to ways of life, values, ethos including
“Nwa Aro Ichi Nkpola Ichi”, truth and equity in traditional jurisprudence.
Things have indeed changed in Abia State leadership. Our once jinxed road, Arochukwu -Abam – Ndiokereke road is completed and commissioned, the Arochukwu-Ohafia Road is progressing, and massive construction of Arochukwu internal roads is ongoing. The Light up Arochukwu project, which I launched two years ago, has received huge government intervention and support of Umu Aro.
Abia State Government through our own son, His Excellency Dr. Alex Chioma Otti in addition to all that he has done with roads and infrastructure has also commenced work to turn the Ibom Waterfall into an international tourism site.
As we look to the future, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead. The 6th All Aro National Conference has taken place, providing a platform for us to mobilize all Umu Aro globally and strengthen our shared ancestral bonds. Also the celebration of 100 years of Omu Aro and honouring 100 Aro Heroes over the past 100 years was a commendable achievement of Umu Aro.
I invite you to think home and invest in our kingdom. We have committed teams that can manage your investments.
We launched Center for Arochukwu History and Cultural Renaissance to take charge of our historical narrative.
We have launched the Arochukwu Business Leaders Forum (ABLF) to pursue our “Aku Ruo Uno” vision for industrializing Arochukwu.
We also launched the Arochukwu Young Professionals Network taking a valuable lesson from what our young people have done in America to make that global.
We have announced plans for the AROWOOD Film Village.
This year October, we are bringing “Uda Nkwa” (Echoes of the Drum) live theatre of the life and times of Mazi Kanu Oji to Houston.
We are pursuing a very delicate and intricate diplomacy effort to bring permanent peace with our Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom neighbours by turning the disputed land into a Joint Economic Development Zone (JEDZ)
Furthermore, I invite you to come home this December and contribute to the development of our kingdom. Let’s unite and develop our community, utilizing individual opportunities to serve our people.
Please watch out for ‘Ububo Eze Aro N’ Umu Aro’, a Zoom platform I instituted to interact with Umu Aro online globally, and join us for meaningful discussions and engagement.
We have also deliberately dedicated Arochukwu to God, and God has been kind to us. His light has taken over our kingdom, and we’re experiencing His immense mercies. We’re grateful for the peace, unity, and progress that have come upon our land.
Let us continue to work together to build a brighter future for the Aro Kingdom. May peace, prosperity, and unity forever reign supreme in our beloved kingdom.
God bless Arochukwu.
Thank you.
- His Eminence, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji,
Eze Aro, Arochukwu Kingdom,
Abia State.
