By B E.I. Nwofor

There is apparent confusion in the minds of observers of events in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State with regards to who is the authentic Traditional Ruler of our ancient town. This is because there are presumably three claimants to the throne. They are Chijioke Nwankwo, Dan Obelle and Dr. S.C Moguluwa. 

However, it is clear that one of the personalities falsely lays claim to the throne had not passed through due processes of enthronement while another’s Certificate of Recognition has been withdrawn by a competent law court in Anambra State. 

After extensive research in the Archives, interviews with personalities, review of court documents, appraisal of processes involved in the selection of the town’s traditional ruler, and records of meetings of the town union executives and those of Board of Trustees, I can assert without any fear of contradiction that the legal and authentic situation of the traditional rulership in Nawfia is as follows;

Nawfia is one of the communities that comprise Umunri clan in Njikoka Local Government Area in Anambra State. The others are Agu Ukwu Nri, Enugwu Ukwu and Enugwu Agidi. Each Community in the Clan has its traditional ruler before and immediately after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. They were the late Okeke Oguno in Nawfia, the late Tabansi Udene in Agu Ukwu Nri, the late S.O.N Okafor, later D.O Ikeanyi in Enugwu Agidi and the late Osita Agwuna in Enugwu Ukwu. 

This was the situation in each of the communities until 1976 when the State Government under the supervision of Prof. Godwin Odenigwe as Commissioner for Local Government introduced a new bye-law stipulating that every community in the State should select a traditional ruler to be recognized and issued certificate of recognition by the Anambra State Government. 

Nawfia Community, following due process of selection and endorsement by all the sections of the town, presented a well-known businessman and politician Chief F.F.B.C Nwankwo to the State Government for recognition as its traditional ruler and the State Government acted accordingly. Igwe F.F.B.C Nwankwo was well-loved and appreciated by Nawfia people as a peaceful and development-oriented Igwe. 

However, tragedy struck on February 15th, 2000, when Igwe Nwankwo was brutally assassinated in his residence. His death left a huge vacuum in the town and he was deeply mourned.

Soon after the Igwe’s final rites of passage (last Ofala), one of his sons, Chijioke (not the first son) started parading himself as the new Igwe of Nawfia. The good people of Nawfia did not take any notice of his pretension and activities apparently in deference to his late father and the manner of his brutal assassination. The community was organizing its activities peacefully and unhindered by any irritant claimant as the Igwe of the town until the year 2019 when the leadership of the town union organized its triennial Mass Return, a Home coming for Nawfia people all over the world every three years.

Chijioke Nwankwo challenged the event and filed a suit at Anambra State High Court, Neni claiming that the event did not have his authorization as the Igwe (traditional ruler of Nawfia). Significantly his suit No. NN/136/2019 was on October 8, 2020, struck out by the court presided over by Hon. Justice Onyinye Anumonye and the cost of N600,000 was awarded against him to be paid to the leadership of Nawfia Progressive Union he sued as defendants. Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court judgment on this suit is attached. It is therefore obvious that Nawfia people never selected, elected or installed him as lgwe or traditional ruler of Nawfia. It was after this court judgment against him on October 6, 2020, that Nawfia people commenced and concluded the process of election of their present traditional ruler, lgwe Shadrach Chinwuba Moguluwa.

Interestingly, Daniel Ogochukwu Obelle who now claims to also be the traditional ruler of Nawfia, and 4 others were aspirants at the screening stage of the Igwe selection process but failed the screening and never progressed to the stage of contesting the election as candidates. Only Dr. Shadrach Chinwuba Moguluwa and Sir Nnonyelu Okoye passed the screening stage and contested the election. Records of this activity are readily available.

• Nwofor is the Chairman of Board of Trustees, Nawfia Progressives Union