Popular Anambra native doctor Chidozie Nwangwu, widely known as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, has returned to his hometown of Umumpama in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following his recent pardon and release from prison.
A video circulating on Instagram shows scenes of his homecoming, capturing the moment the once-flamboyant traditional healer arrived back in the community where he built his reputation and businesses.
Residents and supporters are seen gathering as he makes his way through the familiar surroundings of his village.
Nwangwu’s return comes days after Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo exercised the prerogative of mercy and granted him a full pardon.
The governor announced the decision during a visit to the Correctional Centre in Amawbia on Friday, September 18, 2026, where Nwangwu had been serving the remainder of an 11-month sentence. Soludo also appointed him as Ambassador for Youth Reformation, a role previously directed by the court as part of his sentencing.
The popular figure, whose full traditional title translates roughly to “the egg that broke the palm kernel,” was arrested in February 2025 by operatives of the state’s Agunechemba security outfit. He faced charges linked to “Okeite” money-ritual practices, the preparation of charms allegedly used by criminals, and related offences under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law.
In February 2026, an Awka High Court presided over by Justice Jude Obiora convicted him after a plea bargain. The initial two-year concurrent sentence was reduced to 11 months after accounting for the 13 months he had already spent in detention. The court also ordered the demolition of his shrine in Oba and required him to publicly renounce ritual practices.
Anambra State Attorney General Tobechukwu Nweke (SAN) later explained that the early release combined the plea-bargain arrangement with the governor’s clemency. He noted that Nwangwu’s demonstrated remorse and the short remaining term made him suitable for the pardon, allowing him to immediately take up the youth reorientation assignment.
Born on January 29, 1998, in Umumpama, Oba, Nwangwu rose to prominence as a celebrity native doctor and entrepreneur. He owned the Triple P Hotel and Suites in Oba and cultivated a large social media following with displays of wealth and claims of spiritual prowess.
His career was marked by both popularity and controversy, including a high-profile kidnapping in 2023 from which he was released after a reported ransom payment.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Reformation, Dr Nelson Omenugha, welcomed the development, describing it as aligned with the administration’s focus on correction, restoration and giving individuals a new purpose. “This is the heart of Youth Reformation: not just punishment, but correction, restoration, a new purpose and A New Onye Anambra,” Omenugha said.
Nwangwu is now expected to fulfil his new role by publicly discouraging young people from seeking wealth through ritual or supernatural means and by supporting state campaigns on value reorientation.
His homecoming marks a significant shift from the high-profile traditional healer who once drew crowds to his shrine to a figure tasked with helping steer Anambra’s youth away from the very practices that defined his earlier public image.
Further details on any formal community reception or his first official activities as Youth Reformation Ambassador are still emerging.
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