A fresh twist has emerged in the royalty crisis rocking the Umu-Omohunsi Nwoko family in Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, where the entire Nwoko family have risen to support the claims of Prince Solomon Nwabuokei as the rightful heir to the throne. 

Before now, Prince Nonso Nwoko, the heir to the late monarch, HRM Obi Albert Nwoko 111, who had assumed the throne in controversial circumstance, upon the demise of his father early this year, was being challenged by one Prince Uche Stephen Nwoko, also a first son born by another woman, who is a bona fide daughter of the town.

However, the oldest member of the Umu Nwoko Royal family, Diokpa Onwuamaonyeukwu Esuzor Nwoko, 90, chaired a meeting with representatives of the eight royal houses in attendance in Idumuje Ugboko, where it was resolved that Nwabuokei, being the first known son and also survived his father, Nwoko, should be installed the king and his children kings after him. 

The Umu-Nwoko family, made up of Nwabuokei, Amoje, Biose, Bidokwu, Elumelu, Ujomor, Paul, Esuzor and Nwaobe, held that though Justin Nkeze and his son Albert Okwuwadiegwu had ruled as Obi Nwoko II and Obi Nwoko III of Idumuje-Ugboko, they were not qualified to be kings in the first place, adding that their kingship was an error and against the Native laws, tradition and culture of the people of Idumuje-Ugboko.

Diokpa Onwuamaonyeukwu, who was born on 23rd day of January, 1927, had earlier drew the attention of the members present to the crisis rocking the community, especially,  the desecration of the royal family name of Nwoko by some ambitious persons as the reason to tell the history of the royal family.  

He informed the House that Obi Nwoko I, first Obi and founder of Idumuje-Ugboko had eight sons and that Solomon Eziokwubundun Nwabuokei is the only surviving son of Nkanya, the only son of Nwabuokei, the first son of Obi Nwoko I, and should be presented by Umu-Nwoko Royal family as Obi of Idumuje-Ugboko designate and to the larger Umu-Ologbo family and the people of Idumuje-Ugboko for recognition and coronation as the next obi.

He went further to present copies of the affidavit that he has deposed with the judicial authorities to back up historical facts on the subject.

The Diokpa recalled that the process of succession was aborted when the crown prince was arrested by the white Colonial Army and taken to Calabar over involvement in organising the local warriors to fight in the Ekumeku, adding that in his absence, Omorhusi Nwoko took the Obi title.

He said the ascension of the throne by Omorhusi Nkeze-Nwoko as the second monarch was an aberration that continued during the reign of the last monarch Obi Albert Nwoko III.

The diokpa posited that Omorhusi who became the king after the death of Obi Nwoko 1, usurped the throne and neither him nor his children or descendants "has claims to the throne of Idumuje-Ugboko as propagated in some quarters."

The meeting resolved that all machineries should be put in place, including, if need be, going to seek legal redress from a court of competent jurisdiction, to restore the crown back to the legitimate owners, that is, family of Nwabuokei the first son of Obi Nwabuokei in line with the Native laws, customs and tradition of Idumuje clan.