There are strong indications that, the age long dispute on the true successorship of Awaka ancient kingdom autonomous community in Owerri North LGA of Imo State is yet to be resolved, as Ndegbelu village through their lawyer, Eze Duruiheoma, SAN has written the Executive Chairman of the Council to turn down a purported presentation request of an Eze- elect and allow rule of law to prevail.
The village stated this in a two paged letter dated 18/8/2025 written on their behalf by the legal chambers of Chief Eze Duruiheoma, SAN & CO (Ugonna Chambers), titled; Caveat Against The Presentation of Any Person As The Eze Elect Of Awka Autonomous Community In Owerri North LGA.
The 15 paragraphed letter which was made available to news men in Owerri on Tuesday, is addressed to the Executive Chairman, Owerri North Local Government Council and copied to, the Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, for their information and necessary guidance even as the letter was endorse by Eze Duruiheoma, SAN.
The Chamber unequivocally stated that they are solicitors to the people of Ndegbelu village in Awaka autonomous community, and that their clients on whose behalf they address the letter.
The Chamber pointed out that, they are reliably informed that there are secret plans by some persons in Awaka autonomous community to present a certain individual to the Executive Chairman as their Eze -Elect of the autonomous community.
They stated their instruction, that the individual to be presented to him claims to be entitled to that presentation on the basis of a judicial discredited hereditary system of Ezeship in Awaka.
The Chamber categorically informed that, the so called hereditary system was nullified by the High Court of Imo State in a landmark judgement delivered on the 29th day of June, 2009 in Suit Number HOW/199/99, Herbert Emezi,(for himself and of Ndegbelu village of Awaka) vs the Governor of Imo State & 3 others.
That the three others referred to above included Chief Akujobi David Osuagwu now deceased.
They further disclosed that the Judgement in question declared as follows; ” the purported recognition accorded the 4th Defendant (ie Akujobi Osuagwu) by the first Defendant is null and void”.
” The titled document laid down procedure adopted in selecting the Chief or Traditional Ruler of Awaka, and the procedure the traditional manner and criteria of which future election will be based, ‘Exhibited A’ and which was used to identify,select, appoint and install Eze Oshimiri David Osuagwu is the constitution of Awaka autonomous community on the subject of Ezeship stool having not been amended, has vested the right to produce the next traditional ruler of Awaka upon the demise of Eze Oshimiri David Osuagwu on Ndegbelu village.
“The 4th Defendant, ie Akujobi Osuagwu is hereby restrained from acting or otherwise parading himself as the Traditional Ruler of Awaka autonomous community”.
They equally attached a copy of the Judgement for his information and guidance.
They made it point clear that from the language of the judgement, that there’s nothing like hereditary system of succession in the Awaka Ezeship throne, as at now.