Omu Okwei was born in 1872 to Igbo Prince Osuna Afubeho and one of his wives, a granddaughter of Abo king Obi Ossai.
In 1895 she married Opene of Abo, whose mother was Okwenu Ezewene (1896–1904), another wealthy woman trader.
Officials issued warrants to men that gave them the authority to sit in Native courts.
Okwei was one of few women who were offered a warrant and served in the Onitsha Native Court from 1912 until the 1930s.
She was the last merchant queen before the British replaced the Council of Mothers' traditional role supervising retailing.