Soludo is Right, I will Preside Over Nawfia New Festival Not A Meddlesome Interloper- Igwe Nwankwo

By Tony Okafor, Awka

The embattled traditional ruler of Nawfia in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, has insisted that he remains the legally recognised monarch of the community and will personally preside over the Community ‘s New Yam Festival scheduled for September 11.

Nwankwo, who was purportedly dethroned by the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano over his alleged unauthorised trip to Abuja around 2020, said a subsisting court judgment had affirmed his claim to the traditional stool.

He spoke against the backdrop of the state government’s reported directive against the celebration of parallel New Yam festivals in communities, saying the directive could not affect him because of the court order backing his position as the traditional ruler of Nawfia.

“This is the first time I’m hearing about the order that government has warned against celebrating parallel New Yam festivals in communities, but the order does not affect me. I have a court judgment,” he said.

According to him, while the government was right to discourage parallel celebrations, the directive should be applied to people who were not legally recognised traditional rulers.

“There should not be parallel celebrations. The Anambra State Government is right. A non-recognised traditional ruler cannot celebrate. I’m a recognised traditional ruler backed also by law. So, I’m the one to celebrate New Yam Festival in Nawfia,” he said.

He commended the state government for what he described as efforts to prevent parallel traditional institutions and urged it to stop anyone other than himself from organising a New Yam celebration in Nawfia.

“The government is doing a good job in that direction. They should stop anybody trying to celebrate in Nawfia except myself,” he said.

Nwankwo said he would no longer tolerate what he described as attempts to undermine his authority, stressing that his position would remain unchanged unless the court order recognising him was overturned.

“I won’t tolerate this again. I have an order from a court of competent jurisdiction. Until that order is overturned, I remain the Igwe of Nawfia. I have been the Igwe of Nawfia for over 20 years,” he said.

The monarch also claimed that some of his challengers were already statute-barred from pursuing their claims to the Nawfia traditional stool.

“Our law has limitation. It is not a murder case that has no time limitation,” he said, apparently referring to the limitation period applicable to some civil claims.

Nwankwo further alleged that a new group of people, different from those he accused of killing his father Igwe FFBC Nwankwo about 26 years ago, were now seeking to occupy the Nawfia stool.

“They want the stool by do or die, trying to amend a constitution before a court. All they are bringing to Nawfia is serious trouble,” he alleged.

He said he had repeatedly drawn the attention of the state government to the situation , stating that his warnings had not received the desired response.

“I have advised the government, nobody is listening. I want the public to hear me out now. Nobody will be awake and the rat will take their thing. I’m fully awake now,” he said.

The monarch warned those seeking to parade themselves as traditional rulers in Nawfia to desist, but said he would pursue any disagreement through legal means.

“Nobody should parade again in Nawfia. It will be a head-on. I will deal with them legally,” he said.

Nwankwo also anchored his claim to the Nawfia stool on the community’s constitution and the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Law.

He cited Section 12 of the law, saying the provision required the constitution of a town to bear the signature of its recognised traditional ruler.

“The same constitution that produced my father as Igwe produced me. Anambra Traditional Rulers Law, Section 12; it has not been changed. It states that any constitution of a town must be signed by the Igwe,” he said.

The controversy over the Nawfia traditional stool comes as communities across Anambra prepare for this year’s New Yam celebrations, with the state government seeking to prevent rival or parallel traditional institutions from organising competing festivals.

The development has heightened attention on the long-running dispute over the Nawfia traditional institution, with Nwankwo maintaining that the courts, rather than rival claimants or community factions, should determine who has authority over the stool.