When Reawakened Consciousness Matches Royal Splendour at the First Coronation Anniversary Celebration of Eze Dr Eberechukwu Oji

A popular adage which says ‘Kings are made, not elected’ summarises the idea that royalty is established through lineage, divine appointment and conquest and contemporarily shows off the appeal through enlightened reforms, strategies and strides of the selected.

That could be seen in the just concluded four-day Coronation Anniversary Celebration of Eze Dr Eberechukwu Oji, Eze Aro, the 9th of Arochukwu Kingdom. A period which showed off the pomp and gallantry of the Kingdom, heritage, tradition and modernity of the throne in the 21st century.

In 2025, with the theme “Aro Renaissance: Consolidating Gains and Charting New Frontiers for Aro Kingdom Unity, Peace, and Development,” the four days event which kicked off with an open air Crusade held at the Aggrey Primary School Field Ibom Arochukwu on the 24th of July showed the unity in religious diversity and the role of tradition in it. Under the auspices of the interdenominational Crusade, Christians from all denominations came together to worship God for his mercies in Arochukwu Kingdom. During the service, the Guest Preacher Pastor Amass Ezekiel urged the congregation to join His Eminence Eze Eberechukwu Oji to worship God and seek His continued light in the Kingdom.

Preaching on the topic ‘Let There be Light’, he highlighted the changes that envelop a home when there is illumination and called on the people to eschew all forms of evil that might obstruct the light of God from taking over the Kingdom.

Reaffirming, Eze Eberechukwu Oji stated that the Kingdom is experiencing the immense mercies of God and emphasised that with the repositioning of the Kingdom, there’s no reason for backwardness.

The event also featured medical outreach, which kicked off as early as 8 am with over 300 people already seated. There were Pharmacists, optometrists, and others who diagnosed the patients and dispensed prescriptions and suitable glasses for them.

On the second day, the Kingdom held an All-Aro National Conference at the Civic Centre, Oror, Arochukwu. This event happens once every five years, and the last one was held in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State. This conference also encompasses all Aros living in the home and diaspora, including Aro Ajalli, Aro Ikpa, Aro Ngwa, Arondizuogu, Aro Owerre, Aro Ajatakiri, Aros in Kogi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom State and others, in Equatorial Guinea and other countries. This shows the shared diversity and unity of the Arochukwu Kingdom.

The conference started with a keynote address and the first paper presentation by Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa on the topic ‘Consolidating Gains and Charting New Frontiers for Arochukwu Kingdom, Unity, Peace and Development.’ Subsequently, Mazi Dr Chima Dike presented the second paper on the topic ‘Divided by Geography and Politics but United in Noble Ancestry: Sustaining the Aro Economic and Leadership Essence,’ Mazi Hon. Ejike Nwankwo presented the third paper on the topic ‘Aro Kingdom and Its Diaspora: a Shared Vision.’

The fourth paper was presented by Professor Joseph Nwankwo on the topic ‘Leveraging on Aro Dialect Revival in our Diaspora Communities to Promote Our Cultural Heritage,’ Dr Ola Nma Ojukwu presented the 5th on the topic ‘Aro Tourism,’ leveraging on the shared vision of Eze Eberechukwu Oji to make Arochukwu Kingdom a destination for tourism and vacations.

The sixth paper was presented by Dr Kanu Ohuche on the topic ‘The Political Renaissance of the Aro Kingdom: Awakening and Mobilizing the Aro for Political Engagement’ while the last paper was presented by Dr Azubike Okoro on the topic ‘Continuity and Change in Cultural Practices as a Model for Managing Conflict in Aro Kingdom: Lessons from History.’ While Dr Ohuche commended the people on its political reawakening, he urged the Kingdom to have honour rolls to honour sons and daughters of the Kingdom who have done well in political offices keying into the performance of Governor Alex Otti within two years in office, Dr Okoro reeled out resolution levels and approaches to conflict resolution within the community as experienced and shown through history of the Arochukwu Kingdom.

The day was rounded off with a dinner held at Alpha Plus Hotel, Amuvi where four development Committees were established by Eze Eberechukwu Oji to tackle the challenges facing the Kingdom and also reposition the Kingdom to serve the people and to harness the talents of all Umu Aro through development approaches and focus.

On the 26th of July, the Coronation Anniversary proper, the Kingdom came alive with regal splendour and cultural magnificence to honour a monarch whose reign has already begun to leave an indelible mark on Arochukwu’s heritage and progress.

The day kicked off with the arrival of guests from the National, State, and local governments. Monarchs from the North, West, and East joined to celebrate the anniversary of Eze Eberechukwu Oji.

In the words of Mazi Obioha Chijioke, the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the Coronation Anniversary Celebration, the ‘Godly Monarch’ has surpassed the expectations of the people and his greatest achievement was fostering unity and peace in the Kingdom through purposeful leadership. This was greatly seen in the pomp and pageantry with which the people of Arochukwu Kingdom trooped out to celebrate the first anniversary of Eze Eberechukwu Oji.

Eze Eberechukwu Oji who marched into the centre with all the pageantry which can only be seen in a well travelled King stated that the Aro Kingdom Sovereign Wealth Fund will be launched to harness the resources of the Kingdom and utilize them to invest in critical sectors of the economy like agriculture, tourism, economy and positioning Arochukwu Kingdom as the economic powerhouse of the South East region.

Reaffirming his belief in never leaving anyone behind, Eze Eberechukwu Oji revealed his plan to use the Royal Care Empowerment Foundation, ROCARE, to support the needs of the less privileged in society, including the provision of healthcare, education, skills acquisition and economic support to vulnerable families. He stated that one of his greatest achievements so far was to revolutionise the judiciary system, which ensures that conflict resolution now commences from the Ezi (compound) before going to the Ogo. He stated that Umu Aro has a platform that was created to converse with all Umu Aro at home and in the diaspora to make sure that every Umu Aro belongs to the transformation going on in the Kingdom. He cautioned against strife and dissonance while encouraging peace and togetherness.

Mazi Nnadozie Udensi, the President-General of Nzuko Aro Worldwide, said that the celebration was not only to celebrate His Eminence but also to celebrate a year of cultural renaissance, visionary leadership and the reaffirmation of Aro identity.

One of the major highlights of the event was the goodwill messages from the National and State Governments, Business friends, and associates, including Yul Edochie, a Nollywood actor who graced the occasion.

On the final day of the event, Eze Eberechukwu Oji, who worshipped at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Amannagwu Arochukwu, where he also Pastors, did a thanksgiving to thank God for his mercies and benevolence for the past year and his continued guidance for the coming year. He revealed that he knew what it means to be alive, especially considering the cultural practices of the people where an oath is taken to ascertain the truth and lies, and praised God for the grace of being alive and in his presence.

He reflected on his understanding of the significance of being alive in light of Arochukwu traditions. “In our culture, when you offend the gods, you are required to take an oath that lasts for a year. If you survive, you are deemed innocent; if you die, it is assumed you were guilty. I am filled with joy today because we are alive.”

Reaffirming his slogan ‘light has come’ Eze Eberechukwu Oji said that a different type of light has illuminated the Kingdom and peace has returned. He commended Umu Aro for the continued support of him and prayed for more progress on all sons and daughters of Arochukwu Kingdom.

Thus, the four-day celebration of Eze Eberechukwu Oji’s coronation anniversary was not merely a royal festivity. It was a bold affirmation of identity, legacy, and collective aspiration.

Arochukwu, once the nerve centre of Igbo civilisation, is poised to reclaim its place in Nigeria’s cultural renaissance, guided by a monarch whose heart beats in rhythm with his people.

As the kingdom enters the second year of Eze Aro’s reign, the message is clear: tradition lives, and Arochukwu rises.