The Anambra State Government has firmly rejected the chieftaincy title “Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora” conferred on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, declaring it fake and unauthorised. The government said the title was bestowed by an individual who is not recognised as a traditional ruler.
In a letter dated December 31, 2025, and signed by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, the government stated that Chief Austin Ndigwe, who performed the conferment during the Igu Aro Cultural Festival in Awka, lacks any legal or customary authority to grant chieftaincy titles. The government described Ndigwe as an impostor and emphasised that only duly certified traditional rulers are empowered to confer such honours.
The government outlined strict guidelines under the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Code of Conduct, noting that chieftaincy titles are reserved for indigenes or residents of a community and must be conferred by a recognised monarch. For non indigenes, prior approvals from the recipient’s community ruler and the state commissioner are mandatory. According to the letter, none of these conditions was met, adding that the exercise violated state law and amounted to a desecration of traditional institutions.
At the centre of the dispute is the long running kingship tussle in Awka. The state government maintains that HRH Obi Gibson Nwabueze Nwosu (Eze Uzu II) remains the sole recognised traditional ruler of Awka. This position has been reaffirmed several times, including in 2023 when Governor Charles Soludo publicly warned Ndigwe against parading himself as a monarch. Nwosu, a 92 year old former member of the Biafran Air Force who went into exile with the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, holds the official certificate of recognition issued by the state.
Despite this, Ndigwe has continued to style himself as “Eze Uzu III” or “Supreme Commander of Awka Ancient Kingdom,” titles the government considers fictitious and criminal under Section 20 of the Traditional Rulers Law. The rivalry has persisted for years, with previous administrations issuing formal disclaimers and taking enforcement actions against claims linked to Ndigwe.
The government expressed particular concern over Ambassador Ojukwu’s involvement, given her national prominence and her status as the widow of the late Biafran leader and founder of APGA, the ruling party in Anambra State. The letter recalled that Ojukwu was present when Governor Soludo advised Ndigwe to desist from impersonating a traditional ruler during a public event. The government urged her to immediately stop using the title, stressing that while she is eminently qualified for legitimate honours, such honours must come from authorised sources.
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