A major reason why the warrant chiefs were rejected in Eastern Nigeria was that

The warrant chiefs were rejected in Eastern Nigeria mainly because the system was not in line with the customary traditions of the people. The warrant chiefs were appointed by the British colonial government and were not chosen by the people themselves, which went against the traditional way of selecting leaders. Additionally, the warrant chiefs were seen as puppets of the colonial government and were not trusted by the local population. This led to a loss of respect for the chiefs and their authority, ultimately leading to their rejection. It is worth noting that issues such as the educational level or ethnicity of the chiefs were not the main reasons for their rejection.