Tucked in the heart of Delta State in the South-South of Nigeria is Idumuje-Ugboko, a town notable as home of eminent personalities in the State and in Nigeria; people that have achieved fame and popularity based on their antecedents and intellectual capacity.
Idumuje-Ugboko is renowned as a town with opportunities both for the indigenes and visitors alike, which is why the story of Delta State is not complete without a mention of the town.
The town had been ruled over the years by people with wisdom, unrivalled capacity and sound mind to say the least.
But, some recent occurrences in Idumuje-Ugboko is bringing to the fore some salient questions, one of which is; does the town deserve to be ruled by someone with history of mental challenge and several criminal cases, ranging from rape, terrorism, forgery and other grievous offences hanging on his neck in courts sitting in Abuja and Delta state.
For the concerned indigenes of Idumuje-Ugboko and keen watchers of events, one name that must not be mentioned as candidate for the referred stool of the king of the town is that of Prince Chukwunonso Justin Nwoko.
According to observers, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko is the least qualified for the coveted stool of the King of Idumuje-Ugboko amongst the names being mentioned for the exalted stool.
It was reliably gathered that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko has mental health challenges and that his activities in the town over time leave much to be desired, especially for someone, who wants to rule the town as king.
Those close to him revealed authoritatively that Chukwunonso Nwoko suffered brain fag at the University of Benin as a medical student in the 1978/79 academic session, and that he was withdrawn from the university as a student due to ill-health and overstay after many sessions from the school of medicine.
It was further revealed that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, after partial recovery from the first mental illness, could not go back to the University of Benin, but went to live with one of his Uncles at in a south eastern state.
His uncle, who was then a Principal in one of the secondary schools , arranged for the sick prince, as part of his recovery process, to teach at a secondary school as an adhoc staff, where he was for a while before he got admission in a university where he bagged a questionable ‘degree’..
Unfolding events however, show that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, who really never worked all his life except as a sales representative for Food Specialties (Benin-City) depot for a very short period because of his mental state of health, has really not recovered from that mental illness.
Those close to him maintained that while “Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko could deceive outsiders about his mental state, he has never had a good mental health and this is an open secret in the town.”
It was added that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko might look normal, but that he suffers mental problems and that this had been manifested in different ways.
“Of particular reference were the two occasions, when he organized and drove away his late father’s wives from their matrimonial homes without reason while the father was alive and healthy, but very old.
“Secondly, his constant meddling with the town’s administration, while his father was alive and ruling as king, is unprecedented.
“Severally he chased away some Chiefs from the palace and prevented them from performing their official traditional duties with threats to deal with anyone of them who stood on his way. Unfortunately, the son of the king was not expected to meddle with the town’s administration, while the king lives,” said a source.
It was learned that it is a taboo and an abomination for the son of a reigning king to overrule his father, the king or interfere with the traditional administration of the community as it is said that two kings do not rule at same time in the community.
It should also be noted that the laws forbid a mentally unstable person from occupying the traditional throne of any community in Delta State.
As a notable front line king in Anioma puts it “No king or kingmakers in Anioma will support a mentally unstable person with multiple criminal allegations to ascend the throne in any community in Anioma.”
“Prince Chukwunonso is not only suffering from mental illness, he is criminally minded, anti-social, person, who does not want the development of his community, hence he is fighting against the establishment of a Sports University, which is first of it kind in Africa being built in his community,” a concerned indigene of the town hinted.
Prince Chukwunonso is severally accused of getting angry without provocation and we were told that he usually keeps to himself, “an indication that he is not a normal human being.
An indigene of Idumuje-Ugboko who pleaded anonymity, said and I quote; “I can tell you for free that we should not make an error of allowing this man called Chukwunonso Nwoko mount the throne of the King of Idumuje-Ugboko.”
An instance was given of the violence that took place in Idumuje-Ugboko between 18th to 26th May, 2017, which we gathered further showed the recklessness of Chukwunonso Nwoko.
We were informed by the people, who witnessed the violence, that based on what happened during the violence, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko is without doubt suffering from mental illness.
They wondered how a Prince of a notable town like Idumuje-Ugboko could organize thugs and hoodlums to destroy the homes of over 29 families and bring them to the palace one after the other.
The people were beaten mercilessly and tied to trees and poles in the palace, while Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko personally flogged the Iyase, Chief Chris Ogwu after announcing that they would kill them if they did not give up their support for the university being constructed in the town by a prominent son of the soil.
Infact, a prominent son of the community, who worked and retired from Aniocha North Local Government Council as a Senior Executive Officer, Mr. Kennedy Iloh allegedly died from the torture he received in the hands of Chukwunonso and his cohorts.
Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko was also accused of personally organizing a reign of terror in the town and he was said to have supervised the brutalization of the people of the town on many occasions.
This mentally unstable man was also accused of reneging on any peace agreement reached amongst the people of the town and it was revealed that he was fond of pronouncing fines of goats and ostrasization of chiefs, his uncles and aunties on a regular basis.
On the issue of the peace agreement, an instance was given of a meeting hosted by the then AIG Adamu in Benin City, where it was agreed that a prominent son of Idumuje-Ugboko, Prince Ned Nwoko should visit the palace the next day as a step towards reconciliation.
But surprisingly and but playing true to expectation, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, on getting home announced a cancellation of the meeting, insisting that Prince Ned Nwoko must pay a fine, to the chagrin of everybody around.
Chukwunonso Nwoko is reputed to be so petty that those, who attend the burial ceremonies of his opponents are ostracized.
This prince is certainly not fit to occupy the position of the King of Idumuje-Ugboko as he is still contending with several criminal cases in courts of competent jurisdictions.
At least four cases come to mind in this regard and one wonders how such a fellow would be presenting himself to be selected as the monarch of a revered town like Idumuje-Ugboko.
In one of the cases, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko is facing terrorism charges arising from the carnage in Idumuje-Ugboko in 2015, which he organized and executed with the help of the trio of Okey Ifejioku, Uwadiegwu Nwoko and Uchenna Nwoko.
In another instance, the “roller coaster” kingship candidate was charged at the High Court in Issele-Uku for sending his thugs to destroy and loot his step-mother’s shop.
Again, Chukwunonso Nwoko was charged for forging his father’s signature and for giving police false information about the allocation of land for the sports university.
Moreso, he was charged for concealing a gang rape of a 13-year-old princess, Chidinma Nwoko in the palace by his brother.
People are now asking that how can someone with so many criminal matters hanging on his neck dream of becoming a king, since a king ought to be an epitome of good character and virtue.
Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, with a deep rooted criminal mind later perfected an ignominious way of “manifesting his bad ways” because just few months ago, after the Owa-Oyibo Peace Accord, where on 21st January, 2020 the King’s palace placed a curse on anyone, who frustrates the peace accord, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko and Uche Nwoko Dibie engaged the services of “an ex-convict” Azuka Jebose, a native of Onicha Ugbo, who is based in the United States of America and who hasn’t visited Nigeria in several years, to help them launch a campaign of calumny and blackmail against Prince Ned Nwoko.
Azuka went to town with lies and absolute falsehood against Prince Ned Nwoko and it was obvious that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko was hiding under him “to unleash terror on a man people know to be sincere and a lover of the people of Idumuje-Ugboko.”
Azuka Jebose, who happens to be a failed journalist, has been asking for the release of the Idumuje-Ugboko people being tried in Abuja by the Federal Government for the violence against the over 29 families, but he has cleverly omitted the name of Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko on the list of those charged so that he could hide the link between him and Chukwunonso Nwoko.
But unfortunately, he betrayed himself when he unconditionally asked for the withdrawal of all Bench Warrants issued by courts of competent jurisdictions against Chukwunonso for his many criminal acts of banditry and more importantly for jumping bail.
People are now wondering if a mentally deranged fellow with many criminal allegations in courts be honoured with the title of a king of a prominent town in Delta State.
There are genuine fears that someone like Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, who has all along been unleashing terror and unimaginable mayhem on his kinsmen without occupying a traditional office, would do more evil if given an opportunity to mount the coveted seat of the king of the town.
Observers opined that it would be the greatest undoing of the people of Idumuje-Ugboko to “allow a man with a long term mental illness that has refused to abate to call the shots in the town in the 21st century, when other towns are installing people with sound mind and character to lead them to the Promised Land.”
It is believed that rather than even making Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko the King of the town, he should be treated and restored to normalcy, at least to a bearable state of mind after answering to all the allegations leveled against him in the courts, “so that he could be useful to himself, but certainly we should not entrust the future of the town to him.”.
We further reliably gathered that because of the fear that Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko might not be given the staff of office, his younger brother, Prince (Barr.) Felix Mbanefo Nwoko, another questionable character, who is alleged to be one of those responsible for the crisis in the community because of his greed, is already making moves to be a replacement.
It was gathered that Prince Mbanefo Nwoko is wooing some elites from the community to support his candidature for the throne as it is obvious that his elder brother, Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko will be rejected.
Another contender for the coveted throne of the king of Idumuje-Ugboko, we learned is Prince Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwabuokei Nwoko, who is an aborigine and true descendant of Obi Nwoko I.
He is being nominated by the Umu-Nwoko Royal Family as the legitimate Heir to the throne of Idumuje-Ugboko and presented to the Obi-In-Council in line with the culture, tradition and customs of the Idumuje clan.
Investigations further revealed that Umu-Nwoko, through Prince Solomon Nwabuokei Nwoko and others, have challenged Prince Chukwunonso’s attempted usurpation in a High Court.
A commentator in the ancient town said “Prince Solomon Nwabuokei Nwoko is the best man for the exalted office particularly as the throne rightfully belongs to his lineage and not that of Prince Chukwunonso, whose grandfather Nkeze Justin Omorhusi was said to have usurped the throne in 1927. A man of unstable mind who has criminal cases in courts can not be made our king”.
