CONTENDERS TO THE TRADITIONAL STOOL OF OKEUDO EZIUDO AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY. Written by KEMKA S. IBEJI

It was indeed a sunset and closure of an era when the strong hands of death held fast on the being of our dear father and traditional ruler, His Imperial Majesty Eze (Dr.) Sir, Desmond Oguguo (Mmiri N’edoro Ọha 1 of Eziudo), and landed him to the realms of ancestry. He was a great man, an indefatigable personage, a roaring human lion, an untiring master and a King of some ethereal standing.

He bestrode the reigns of our dear ancient kingdom with such grace and grandeur that questions transition or succession in terms of quality of guise, guard and guide. The built, trudging, thrust, guts and gusto, sounds and stands of Eze Oguguo were, if anything, really regal and classically majestic.

Oh Eze Desmond Oguguo! And he was sincerely a human being wearing the garb of some demigods or extra human. A lot of us were only convinced of his being a human being at his performance of the mandatory mortal act of all humans - the finito and finish of every human person. He died and joined the queue of our ancestors.

As destined by our culture, a new man must rise to saddle the reigns of the kingdom; a son of the soil with a reputable and near impeccable mien and character. Instructively, many theories have arisen as to the rubrics of the stool's ascension. But one thing that is obvious to all is that heredity claim to the rulership is both strange, estranged and abhorrent to the kingdom. For this reason, at the death of HIM Eze Sir. Desmond Oguguo, every son of Okeudo Ama Asaa Autonomous Community became a "suspect" to the throne.

In making our choice, however, there are necessary considerations to take serious cognizance of. Amongst them are the integrity and chastity of the stool, the legitimacy of the ruler, the aspects of Chukwu Okike and the gods or deities of the land. And it therefore becomes an integral part of it all to consider cleanliness in character and especially the spiritual aspects. We therefore must put our minds to the questions of cultural holiness, havocs, taboos, sacrileges, sacralization, purity, omens, scandals, consecrations and appeasement of the gods. Eyes are raised against those who have defiled themselves in taking their sisters to bed or having carnal knowledge of them. Those who sleep or have had sexual knowledge of their father's wives or covet the wives of their brothers. People of such questionable characters as stealing, lying, deceitful people, unreliable folks, people of fluid behaviours and dancing/shaking trusts . These and very few other moral investigations are necessary and lawful to our unwritten statutes with respect to its sections addressing kingship ascension and its succession.

Check yourself now! And I invoke the dictum of African thought Greek Philosopher, Socrates; "Man know thyself". 

In the light of the above, few ebullient sons of Okeudo have raised their hands to be selected as successor to Late Eze Desmond Oguguo. Okeudo is therefore as expectant as a woman on the terrestrial nine months journey by the immediate door of the delivery room. Though the doors of interest declaration are still wide open, some of our brothers have indicated interest to join the contest to win the throne. Filed out here with their names on the lips of all so far are; 

1. Chief Wise Nkwachi Ibeji:

From Ikenga Eziudo and son to Late Elder Godson Agbamoro Ibeji known as Apostle Ibeji and a priest of the Holy Order. Chief Wise N. Ibeji lives in Europe and thrives as a government personality and an international businessman. He owns a hospitality chain spanning Europe and across Asia. The brand owner of AKARAKA KITCHEN in Austria and Dubai. He has duly indicated his interest to the traditional stool as Eze Okeudo. 

2. Oke Nze John Onuoha:

Popularly known as Epeagba, Oke Nze Onuoha hails from Ezihu Eziudo. He worked many years in Nigeria and across nations of the world in the Oil and Gas sector of the global economy. Superannuated though, he pursues postgraduate studies in the United States of America at the moment. He is a contender having signalled his interest to the traditional stool of Okeudo. 

3. Chief Barr. Richard Ihekoronye:

A legal luminary, Barrister and solicitor to the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Barr. Rich Ihekoronye is an intellectual warhead, a linguist and communicator. Born to the family of Ihekoronye in Umulolo Eziudo, he trades as a legal practitioner in Nigeria based in Abia State. 

4. Prince Charles Oguguo:

He is the first son of late Eze Desmond Oguguo, a political personage and actor. Prince Charles Oguguo was part of the government of His Excellency Chief Ikedi Ohakim between 2007 to 2011 severally as political aid to the former Deputy Governor Ada Okwuonu and Special Advisor to the Governor Ikedi Ohakim himself. He lives in the United States of America. 

5. Hon. Justice Jolly Amaechi:

A native politician from Umuezeaku Eziudo who started his ride into leadership from his days as a little boy and through studentship. Leading his fellow students he grew to climbing the ladder to secular politics where he ran and won the seat as Councillor of Eziudo Ward 8, in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA. He presently serves the government of the United States of America in unique capacity. Hon. Jolly Amaechi, though recanted his declaration at some point, once declared his interest to mount the stool of traditional leadership of Okeudo. Intelligence has it that his eyes are still on the traditional stool to mount. 

6. WO Chikere Ohaja:

A son of Umuezeaku Eziudo, he serves the Nigerian government in the defence sector as a military personnel in the rank of Warrant Officer (sic). He is practically the youngest of all the known contenders so far and has declared his interest to the stool. 

Who does the cap fit therefore?

While we await the official biographies of these aspiring rulers to the throne of traditional rulership of Okeudo Ama Asaa Autonomous Community, we are dependent on the play and participation of the Supreme existence, the gods of our land and our ancestors in the selection, anointment, appointment, consecration and enthronement of the next King of Okeudo Ama Asaa Autonomous Community as the ding dong bells on all come December, 2021/January 2022.