It was a double celebration on Saturday 31 December 2022, for the people of Oforola/Olaukwu autonomous communities in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, as hundreds of people from all walks of life thronged Oforola to be part of history as Comrade Kingsley Chigozie Ajoku ascended the throne of his forefathers amid pomp and pageantry. Ajoku succeeded the late Eze Herbert Obichiere as Eze Ola II of Oforola ancient Kingdom and one of the youngest to do so. The young monarch ascended the throne six years after the death of his predecessor.
At the colourful ceremony held at the Community’s Central School, 10 illustrious sons of the soil were honoured with various chieftaincy titles. The event was laced with traditional dances from the various groups and merriments by hundreds of Oforola people and well-wishers who thronged the venue of the ceremony. Elated by the turn out of indigenes and non-indigenes, the newly crowned monarch, described as the King David of the Century by the Oforola Council of Elders, thanked everyone for making time to honour him as well as add colour to the historic ceremony.
Among the dignitaries that graced the coronation were Eze E.C Okeke, Eze Imo; Eze Lucky I.N.Okoro, Okoroagbara V of Eziobodo and Ezeoha III of Eziobodo Autonomous community who is also the Chairman of Owerri-West Council of Traditional Rulers and Secretary of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers. Also at the ceremony was Eze Apollo Ekeocha, the Olamma 1 of Olukwu Autonomous community who conferred chieftaincy titles on five well-deserving sons of the soil, including popular Entertainment writer and editor,Benjamin Njoku. Meanwhile, before ascending the throne, which was keenly contested, Eze Ajoku was the former National Industrial Relations Officer, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN. He also worked as a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
