The government maintained that “Chief Austin C. Ndigwe IS NOT a traditional ruler in Awka or Anambra State,” describing him as “simply an impostor.”
The Anambra State government has disowned the chieftaincy title of ‘Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora’ reportedly conferred on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, insisting that the title was bestowed by an impostor and did not follow due process.
The state government made its position known in a letter dated December 31, 2025, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, TonyCollins Nwabunwanne, and made available to journalists on Thursday.
In the letter, the government stated that the conferment of chieftaincy titles in Anambra State is “the exclusive prerogative of recognised/certified traditional rulers in their respective communities,” stressing that such honours are given only to residents or indigenes of those communities.
According to Nwabunwanne, where a prospective title holder is not from the community, “the approval of the Traditional Ruler of the conferee’s community and the Commissioner for Local Government, Communities and Chieftaincy must be sought and obtained,” in line with the Traditional Rulers’ Code of Conduct.
He said none of these conditions was met in the case involving Ambassador Ojukwu.
The letter, titled ‘Amb. Bianca Ojukwu and the fake chieftaincy title from a fake traditional ruler’, noted that the minister’s social media posts announcing the title had “caused massive confusion in the camp of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and across the state.”
It read in part, “The attention of the Anambra State Government has been drawn to a publication by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, indicating that she has been conferred with a chieftaincy title of ‘Anyanwu N’Awalu Ora’, which, according to her, was ‘conferred at the prestigious Igu Aro Cultural Festival by His Majesty Obi Austin Ndigwe (MON)’.”
The government maintained that “Chief Austin C. Ndigwe IS NOT a traditional ruler in Awka or Anambra State,” describing him as “simply an impostor.”
“We have sighted a letter signed by him under a letterhead as the ‘Eze Uzu III’ of Awka (a clear criminal offence under the Anambra Law) when the traditional ruler of Awka, HRH Gibson Nwabueze Nwosu (Eze Uzu II), is still alive, and with the official certificate and recognition by government as the traditional ruler of Awka,” the letter stated.
The government highlighted the background of the recognised monarch, saying, “The 92-year-old Eze Uzu Awka is known to be the first Nigerian that flew a fighter jet solo.
“He was Second in Command in the Biafran Air Force… and was in exile for 15 years.”
It added that it was the same HRH Gibson Nwosu who, in 2004, conferred the chieftaincy title of Omenife Awka on President Bola Tinubu.
Describing the purported conferment as an affront to tradition, the letter said, “Sadly, it is this aged veteran, now blind but still agile, who this dance of infamy is denigrating as well as insulting the sensitivities of Awka people and the Anambra traditions and culture.”
The government also faulted Ambassador Ojukwu’s role in the matter, noting: “Hon Minister Ojukwu, with her background and pedigree, knows or should know these FACTS very well.”
It recalled that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo had publicly advised Ndigwe “to desist from impersonating the traditional ruler of the town,” a moment which, according to the government, “went viral.”
The letter further stated: “By proceeding to describe Mr Ndigwe conjunctively as ‘His Majesty’ and ‘Obi’, the message unequivocally evinced an intention to portray and, as a matter of fact, portrayed him as a Traditional Ruler. This is against the spirit of the Traditional Rulers Law of Anambra State.”
The government concluded that the chieftaincy title conferred on Ojukwu was invalid, saying, “We therefore state that the Chieftaincy title she purports to have received from Mr Austin Ndigwe is fake and not recognised under the Anambra culture and tradition or law.
She should desist from addressing herself by any such fake title conferred by Mr Austin Ndigwe.”
Assuring residents of its commitment to law, culture, and tradition, the government stated that it would “take every lawful step to promote and protect our culture and traditional institutions,” adding, “To the great and law-abiding people of Awka, we have your back.”