A pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Prince Eberechukwu Oji has emerged as the Eze Aro-elect of the Arochukwu kingdom in Abia State.
Oji, also a businessman in the oil and gas sector, emerged as king-elect after screening by the Okennachi kindred.
The position of Eze Aro of Arochukwu has been vacant since the death of his uncle Mazi Vincent Okoro in 2021 after 25 years on the throne.
The late Eze Aro, before ascending the throne, was trained in the United Kingdom as a medical laboratory scientist and later became the pioneer head of the Department of Laboratory Technology at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. He retired as the chief medical laboratory scientist at the UNN in 1988 when the call to serve his community came.
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The community has fixed December 26 for the coronation and public presentation of 50-year-old Oji to members of the public.
Oji promised to lead the people of Arochukwu with the fear of God and respect for the traditions and customs of the Arochukwu ancient kingdom.
Asked if his pastoral calling would not clash with the cultural belief of the Aro kingdom, he said: “We have to separate religion and culture as there’s no conflict between both. While we preserve our culture, we ought to also separate our culture from idol worship and I will exercise the kingship to all Aro and not to a certain few.
“We have to separate individual faith from our beautiful culture. The number one monarchy is the British and they have reconciled their culture and monarchy to their religion. The last Eze Aro, who was my uncle was a Christian, he was an Anglican. So there’s no conflict at all.”
