Nri kingship Crisis Worsens As Two Major Quarters Continue Bitter Rivary
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The protracted monarchical crisis in Nri, the historic ancestral home of the Igbo people, has worsened as two major quarters in the town—Agukwu Nri and Akamkpisi Nri—continue their bitter rivalry over traditional leadership.
The conflict intensified following the death of the 16th Eze Nri, Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, who reigned from 1988 to 2018. Since then, efforts to find a successor have been marred by deep divisions. Prince Ikenga Onyeso, son of the late king, currently serves as Regent, but divination by native priests reportedly identified Chukwudi Nwokoye, a U.S.-based indigene, as the next monarch—a selection that has sparked fresh controversy.
At the heart of the dispute is Akamkpisi’s longstanding refusal to recognize monarchs from Agukwu Nri. The Akamkpisi community, led by cultural custodian Ezeoba Ramas Asuzu, insists they are the original settlers of Nri, with historical roots predating Agukwu, which they claim migrated from Aguleri.
“Agukwu people were the last settlers,” Asuzu asserted. “Before their arrival, there were three Akamkpisi villages—Aniodo, Ekwenayika, and Idiodo—already established. Agukwu’s Uruoji, Agbadani, and Obeagu came later and have no historical right to impose authority on us.”
He blamed past administrations for fueling the crisis, noting that under Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju, certificates were issued to two rulers—Eze Onyeso and Ogbumuo—but Akamkpisi failed to claim theirs. Governor Willie Obiano’s subsequent recognition of autonomous communities, he said, further deepened the division.
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