HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS IGWE ORIZU III.

The Nnewi monarchy, like the British monarchy, is a traditional inheritance of the throne based on sonship heredity. In Nnewi the traditional monarch is called the Igwe. The Igwe is born and not made or elected, and the institution of inheritance is the traditional right and privilege. The position is neither transferable nor negotiable. The present reigning monarch is His Royal Highness Igwe Orizu III is the 17th monarch in the Nnofo Royal lineage.

The present incumbent Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu succeeded his father as Igwe Orizu III in 1963 after the death of his father Igwe Kenneth Orizu II. He was educated at Hope Waddell College, Calabar. Before his enthronement, Kenneth worked as a Representative of the then Eastern Nigerian Outlook Group of newspapers, in the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria. He was also a very successful businessman in Kano.

So far the reign of Igwe Orizu III can be summarized in one short phrase- a glorious era of amazing Transformation and Development. It has been a period of momentous and phenomenal reawakening, rediscovery, progress and unification. It has been a period of reconciliation and reconstruction of the people and the land. The reign of His Royal Highness has ushered in tremendous transformation in all facets and phases of the town.

First and most importantly it was RECONCILIATION - healing of the wounds and bringing the people together and forging a united front for reconstruction, development and progress. The Igwe knows and understands the wise dictum that united we stand, and that there cannot be any progress without peace and unity. The philosophy of reconciliation, peace and unity has been the cornerstone and the secret of the success of   the Igwe's every agenda. This has richly paid off and has created the very salutary and conducive socio-political and socio-cultural climate for amazing progress and prosperity. And this has been the foundation of the development and progress that have transformed Nnewi into a great industrial and commercial center.

The Igwe has been very instrumental in the development of medical and health delivery services. Nnewi has one of the best University Teaching Hospitals in the country. The Igwe was very instrumental in this spectacular development. His regime has been a period of great transformation and development in education. Okongwu Memorial Grammar School, Nnewi High School, The Anglican Girls Grammar School, Maria Regina Girls School, to mention some of the big ones. The Igwe was very instrumental in the development of the pipe-borne water scheme and also the introduction of rural electrification. At his accession Nnewi had a very small and miniature one room postal agency. But that has since developed into a full-fledged modern postal business system equipped with modern International Communication technology.

On the cultural plane, the Igwe was very instrumental in the stoppage and curtailment of   the extravagant ostentatious and offensive criminal wastage of resources at traditional marriage and funeral ceremonies.

And perhaps, most importantly on the commercial scene, His Royal Highness was directly instrumental in the reclamation of the Edo jungle shrine, and the transformation of it into the largest, the most important, and busiest trade   center on the African continent. Remarkably, this was a direct blessing of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil war.

Before the civil war, the present Edo Market Center was a virgin forest dedicated to the deity of the clan. During the civil war the Nigerian bombers and jet fighters were bombing and strafing everywhere and everything indiscriminately including churches and market places.  In order to save the civilian population and protect the vital Nnewi central market, the Igwe ordered that the central market be relocated to under the protective canopy and dense foliage of the Edo shrine forest, and all vehicular traffic be diverted away from that make-shift arrangement. While the war ranged for three years, the makeshift market grew and developed into a marvelous commercial center.

This was how the present commercial center was born, from bomb shelters to the greatest and busiest trade center on the African continent. To day, this center is an international world trade center, with trading partners and branch offices. This trade center is a brilliant testimony to the wisdom, initiative, fore sightedness, dynamic leadership and creative revolutionary spirit of the Igwe.

To summarize, the greatness and the success of Igwe Orizu III, have been possible not because the Igwe is an extraordinary genius, or that he has the wisdom of Solomon. The Igwe has been very successful because he has a very large heart, very listening ears, and very admirable and charming dynamic leadership qualities. He is so very approachable and full of humility and magnanimity. His mind and his palace are always open and receptive to all ideas: modern and strange, but also very mindful and respectful and   protective of the people's intrinsic social, moral and spiritual values.

Above all, His Royal Highness is highly religious and God fearing. This is why His Royal Highness is always seen and revered as the symbol of the Unity and the Strength of his people.