MOST REV. (DR.) CHIBUZO RAPHAEL OPOKO, TFSG, DDB, JP
#4 Archbishop Avenue, Ugwunchara, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
E-mail: bishopopoko1960@gmail.com
Mobile: +234-806-002-7654
GOODWILL MESSAGE BY HIS GRACE, THE MOST REV. DR. CHIBUZO RAPHAEL OPOKO, THE METHODIST ARCHBISHOP OF UMUAHIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE 85TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF HIS ROYAL MAJESTY IGWE ALFRED NNAEMEKA ACHEBE, CFR, MNI, THE OBI OF ONITSHA AND CHAIRMAN, THE JOINT BODY OF SOUTH EAST TRADITIONAL RULERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF IGBO ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS ON PEACE AND JUSTICE IN ALAIGBO PRESENTED TODAY FRIDAY 15TH MAY, 2026 AT THE RETROFITTED MICHAEL OKPARA AUDITORIUM, UMUAHIA.
Your Royal Majesty, Agbogidi,
We, your children and well-wishers gathered here today in the ancient city of Umuahia, bow our heads in reverence and lift our voices in gratitude to Chukwu Okike Abiama, the Lord God Almighty for the gift of your life.
On behalf of the sons and daughters of Ndigbo gathered here today, the entire Christian faithful in Abia State, and on my own behalf and your in-laws in Umuahia, I respectfully offer you our warmest felicitations as you mark another year of a life dedicated to service, wisdom, the promotion of peace, justice and freedom, and the preservation of our heritage.
On this auspicious day, we celebrate not merely the passage of time, but a life lived in service to Ndigbo and to humanity. For two decades and four years, you have carried the weight of the Onitsha stool with uncommon grace, wisdom, and foresight. You have been a custodian of our customs without resisting progress, a bridge between the wisdom of our ancestors and the aspirations of our youth, and a voice of reason in moments when our land most needed calm and direction.
Your reign has been a masterclass in leadership and has elevated the dignity of traditional institutions and shown that a king can be both deeply rooted in culture and fully engaged with the demands of the modern and changing world. You have been the calm voice in the storm, the bridge between our ancestors and our future, a symbol of unity for Ndigbo everywhere. Under your leadership, the throne of Onitsha has remained a symbol of not just unity, but also of scholarship, excellence and moral authority.
For this, generations will speak your name with respect. Through your leadership, the stool of Onitsha has continued to command respect and honour, and your voice has remained a stabilizing force in matters of peace, unity, and good governance across not just the South East, but also Nigeria and the global space.
It is a mark of your stature that this celebration is being honored beyond the borders of Anambra State, here in Umuahia. That we mark your birthday in this hall, under the shadow of the legacy of Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, pragmatic Premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, is testimony that true leadership transcends boundaries, speaks to the reach of your influence and the collective soul of our people.
Your Royal Majesty,
True royalty is not bound by geography. Wherever integrity, wisdom, and service are valued, the name of Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe commands respect.
YOU ARE WORTHY
“For you were slain, and by your blood you bought for God’s people of every tribe and language and nation and race. You have made them a royal house of priests for our God.”
As you add another year, we pray that the Lord God Almighty grants you renewed strength, amazing robust and sound health, and clarity of mind. May your counsel continue to guide us, may your reign be long and peaceful, and may the peace and unity you seek for Ndigbo take firm root in our land. May the kola you break always bring good tidings, and may your enemies find no foothold where your people stand behind you.
Your Royal Majesty, Agbogidi, it would be gross injustice not to acknowledge and thank the host of this extraordinary occasion.
We extend our profound gratitude to His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, Governor of Abia State, for the honor of hosting this celebration in Umuahia. Your Excellency’s decision to celebrate Agbogidi here reflects a rare statesmanship and a deep respect for traditional institutions. By opening the doors of Abia State to honor the Obi of Onitsha, you have strengthened the bonds of brotherhood among Ndigbo and demonstrated that culture and governance can walk hand in hand. This act honors not only the Obi of Onitsha but also the institution of traditional leadership as a whole. It sends a clear message that our culture, our elders, and our custodians of heritage remain central to the identity and progress of our land. History will record this day as one where political leadership and traditional authority walked hand in hand for the good of the people.
We thank you for this beautiful gesture and pray that God grants you wisdom, peace, and success in leading Abia State to the Promised Land.
Your Royal Majesty Agbogidi,
Happy Renewing Birthday.
Age with grace and favour.
Daalu. Iseee! Yaa Mee! Amen!
Long live the Obi of Onitsha, HRM Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.
Long live our transformer Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, Chioma Ndi Abia.
Long live Abia State.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His Grace,
The Most Rev. (Dr.) Chibuzo Raphael Opoko, TFSG, DDB, DSW, JP
The Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia,
Chair, Abia Christian Fathers of Faith and Secretary General the Joint Body.
