“I Am Not a King”: Nigerian Man at the Centre of KuGompo “King” Scandal Issues Apology
- A Nigerian national's appointment as a senior Igbo community elder in KuGompo triggered violent protests that injured at least 13 people across the Eastern Cape
- Nigeria's Deputy High Commissioner personally apologised outside the embassy in Pretoria to protesters who marched over the alleged royal coronation
- Solomon Ogbonna Eziko says he remains a subject of King Sandile and takes full responsibility for the unrest that swept through South Africa
A cultural gathering in KuGompo City on 14 March 2026 changed the life of one man in a way he probably least expected.
Source: UGC
Solomon Ogbonna Eziko, a Nigerian national, was appointed as a senior Igbo community elder. What followed was one of the most explosive diplomatic crises South Africa had seen in years. Streets burned, shops were looted, cars were torched, and two countries scrambled to respond.
On 10 April 2026, Eziko finally broke his silence with a formal written apology, as reported by TimesLIVE. He addressed his apology to Kumkani Jonguxolo Sandile of the AmaRharhabe Xhosa Kingdom. He also apologised to South Africa’s broader traditional leadership and to the KuGompo community.
From a cultural ceremony to a national crisis
According to the statement, the 14 March event was never meant to install a king on South African soil. Eziko was appointed as a senior elder of the Association of Igbo Chapter in the Eastern Cape. However, videos from the ceremony showed him draped in royal regalia and celebrated with great fanfare. The title circulating on social media was “Igwe Ndigbo na East London”, a title that ignited fury. To most South Africans watching those videos, what they saw looked exactly like a coronation.
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Streets burn, embassies scramble
By 30 March 2026, residents and political organisations had taken their anger to the streets. ActionSA was among the groups leading the march against what they called a blatant disregard for South Africa’s sovereignty. The protest turned violent, leaving at least 13 people injured across the city. Cars were stoned and set alight, and foreign-owned shops were looted during the chaos. The AbaThembu Kingdom condemned the lawlessness while standing in solidarity with the AmaRharhabe’s legitimate concerns.
The apology that Mzansi had been waiting for
In his written statement, Eziko took full and personal responsibility for the crisis his appointment had caused. He said that no kingship was ever established and no land was ever claimed. He described himself as a subject of Kumkani Sandile and not a rival to his authority.
“I wish to extend my sincere and unreserved apology to Kumkani Jonguxolo Sandile (Aaaaaa Vul’ulwandle!) of the AmaRharhabe Xhosa Kingdom for the Igbo cultural gathering of March 14 in KuGompo City," Eziko said in a statement on Friday.
Source: Facebook
“I further extend my sincere and unreserved apology to the traditional leadership of the Republic of South Africa, the community of KuGompo and the good people of South Africa at large."
“I wish to seize this opportunity to clear the air that I was never coronated as a king. I am not a king and would not purport to be one."
He asked all parties to accept his remorse and commit to rebuilding calm in the community. He also expressed full support for ongoing engagements between South African and Nigerian authorities.
More articles about the Igbo King
- In another article, a Nigerian man known online as Lemon Mils shared his take on the coronation of a Nigerian man in East London, Eastern Cape.
- Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, shared the government's stance on the coronation of a Nigerian king in KuGompo City.
- CoGTA Deputy Minister Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe says SA will meet Nigeria over the alleged KuGompo coronation.
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Source: Briefly News
