Arochukwu Council Reaffirms Eze Aro’s Autonomy In Southern Rulers Forum

The Arochukwu Traditional Council and the Okpankpo Aro, the apex policy making organ of the Arochukwu Kingdom, have reaffirmed the autonomy of His Eminence, Eze Aro IX, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, amid concerns over his participation in the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday and seen by THE WHISTLER, the Council said it was compelled to respond to “misconceptions and distortions” circulating in parts of the media regarding the participation of the Eze Aro in the emerging Southern forum.

The Council acknowledged that although issues concerning traditional institutions could evoke deep emotions the throne of the Eze Aro remains supreme and not subordinate to any other traditional authority.

“At no time has the Eze Aro subordinated his throne to any other traditional authority, nor will such a situation arise now or in the foreseeable future under our watch.

“Participation in a forum does not amount to submission. Dialogue is not subjugation. Engagement is not surrender,” they said.

According to them, the council is at an embryonic stage, and should be viewed as a consultative platform for peer learning, networking, knowledge exchange, bridge-building and collaboration in a rapidly evolving world.

They also noted that it is not a constitutional structure that places any throne above another, adding that any interim coordinating role within such a body does not translate into permanent supremacy.

“To interpret it otherwise is to misread the context, intention and structure”. They noted firmly.

On the issue of identity, the Arochukwu Traditional Council agreed that Southern Nigeria is not a monolithic cultural bloc and affirmed that the Igbo traditional system is historically decentralised and community-driven.

However, it added that decentralisation does not preclude strategic cooperation and engagement with other traditional institutions, particularly in addressing complex challenges facing kingdoms and communities in today’s interconnected world.

According to the council, such challenges often require strategic partnerships, bridge building, cultural exchange, multi-stakeholder approaches and collective problem solving that sometimes recognise no boundaries, emphasising that engagement at a broader level does not dilute autonomy.

They also expressed commitment to working with notable traditional institutions to ensure that foundational structure remains intact and unchallenged in Igbo land.

“Our King, the Eze Aro, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, is and will always be the symbol of that commitment,” they said.

Aligning with other eminent traditional rulers and institutions from the South East and the wider Igbo nation, the Council insisted that any leadership framework within the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council or similar platforms must reflect equality, leadership rotation, cultural and institutional peculiarities, mutual respect and shared responsibility among equal partners.

“It is, therefore, the position of the Arochukwu Traditional Council that there is no acceptance of permanent headship or symbolic dominance by any one cultural bloc in any association or forum in which the Eze Aro is involved.

” The principle we uphold in Aro Kingdom is open, equal, constructive partnership not hierarchy,” it said.

The Council further argued that responsible leadership does not abandon emerging platforms to speculation, adding that engagement ensures that the interests, values, concerns and sensitivities of Igbo traditional institutions are recognised and represented from the outset.

“Such strategic presence allows meaningful input into governance design, safeguards and operational principles. Withdrawal, isolation or silence would achieve the opposite,” it stated, noting that the Aro people, with their historical presence across communities in the South East and South South zones, are well positioned to appreciate the benefits of responsible partnership and socio-political engagement.

Dismissing allegations that the forum is a pre-2027 political instrument or a scheme for cultural domination, the Council described such assertions as speculative, hasty and unsupported by visible evidence or any documented constitutional framework.

It rejected attempts to frame the engagement within alarmist or conspiratorial narratives and appealed that traditional institutions be encouraged to remain strong, independent and resistant to partisan manipulation or ethnic incitement.

The Council also described the Eze Aro as a scholar by training and an accomplished professional with extensive global exposure, stating that he is fully equipped to carry the throne with the dignity it deserves.

On regional structures, the Council said available information indicates that the existence of South East, South South and South West traditional councils is not threatened by broader consultative engagements.

They added that a coordinating forum among equals does not dissolve established regional structures in Nigeria maintaining that collaboration and structural independence can coexist.

Reaffirming its position, the Arochukwu Traditional Council stated that unity among traditional institutions must be built strictly on equality, mutual respect and rotational leadership, noting that any contrary arrangement would not command legitimacy or acceptance.

“Our King, the Eze Aro, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, will not be part of any arrangement that undermines these principles. That is our position and it remains non-negotiable.

“We are, however, watching developments in the said organisation, currently in its formative stage, quite closely and with interest,” the statement added.

The Council reassured the people of Arochukwu and the wider Igbo nation that the cultural authority of the Igbo traditional institution, symbolised in sacred custodianship and ancestral legitimacy, cannot be transferred, diluted or subordinated through attendance at meetings.

“The Eze Aro remains accountable first to the Aro Kingdom and the Igbo heritage he represents,” it said.

While welcoming genuine concerns and constructive comments, the Council urged commentators, stakeholders and media platforms to avoid inflammatory framing capable of generating unnecessary distrust among southern peoples and nationalities.

It warned that Nigeria’s recurring challenges often stem from structural mistrust and perception gaps, stressing that responsible leadership requires calm clarity, not emotional escalation.

Concluding, the Arochukwu Traditional Council affirmed that the participation of His Eminence, Eze Aro IX, Dr. Eberechukwu Oji, in the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council must be understood within the broader context of modern leadership, regional cooperation, partnership, cultural diplomacy and strategic engagement.

“There is no subordination and none will happen. There is no surrender of identity and none is intended. There will be no acceptance of hierarchy over Igbo traditional institutions. There is only dialogue among equals in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country in a changing world.

“The Arochukwu Traditional Council and the Okpankpo Aro remain committed to preserving the dignity, autonomy and historic standing of the Eze Aro throne while constructively engaging in initiatives that promote peace, cultural exchange and regional cooperation in Nigeria.

“We trust that this clarification puts the matter in proper perspective and lays all concerns to rest,” the statement read. Arochukwu Council Reaffirms Eze Aro’s Autonomy In Southern Rulers Forum.