From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, which is the apex body of all Igbo sociocultural organizations all over the world is undergoing serious trial at the moment.
There are growing fears that if the current challenge of defining its exact leadership is not properly handled, it might lead to the establishment of splinter groups. By implication ridiculing the image of the Igbo nation before other major tribes in Nigeria,Africa and the world all over.
This stems from the fact that three distinguished personalities are currently claiming to be the President General of the apex body of all Igbo organizations.
The personalities are Senator John Azuta Mbata, whose executive is presently the occupants of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National secretariat,located at No 7 park avenue, GRA,bEnugu.
Senator Mbata-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo moved into the national secretariat aftermath of the January 10,2025 General Election during which he was elected unopposed.
The second faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership is led by Barr.Uchenna Okwukwu as its President General. The group claims they were elected at a national convention of the organization held at Port Harcourt,the Rivers state capital and that it was massively attended by delegates from several Igbo communities.
The third faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide is led by Dr Jackson Omenazu as it’s President General. Dr Omenazu said his group doesn’t need to occupy the National secretariat at Enugu before it can operate, that they prefer to rotate their meetings from state to state so as to have grass root grip of events as they manifest in every part of Igbo land.
The AUTHORITY Newspaper checks revealed that the claims of the above three distinguished sons of Igbo tribe in Nigeria to be the authentic President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide at the moment, arose from the fact that the leadership of the apex body of Igbo organizations was zoned to Rivers state, after Imo state concluded their tenure.
This is in line with Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution which provides for rotating of it’s leadership among Igbo speaking tribes in Abia, Anambra,Delta,Ebonyi,Enugu,Imo and Rivers state.
To ameliorate the present crisis of leadership in the organization, the Senator John Azuta Mbata led Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, at the end of it’s inaugural meeting held on Friday, February 7,at Ohanaeze Ndigbo National secretariat,Enugu,set up a committee on dispute resolution,aimed at resolving the crisis and other feuding matters in Igbo land.
The committee is headed by Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey,a former President General of the organization who stood in when it was the turn of Ebonyi state.But an Igbo socio cultural and Religious pressure group known as Igbo Mandate Congress is raising a contradictory opinion.
The group said that for utmost peace to reign in the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide,the Senator Mbata led executive should step aside.
The Igbo Mandate Congress opined that the emergence of Senator Mbata led Ohanaeze Ndigbo led executive was through selection masterminded by the South East governor’s instead conducting proper election- as stipulated in Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide constitution.
A press statement signed by Rev.Obinna Akukwe and Rev.Paschal Nwaigwe,in their capacities as Director General and Head Internal Communications of Igbo Mandate Congress, they described the election of Senator Mbata led Ohanaeze Ndigbo executive as a charade perpetrated by the South East governor’s and advised all aggrieved aspirants not to lose confidence in the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.Instead,they should join hands with reformists to ensure such incidence do not repeat itself.
Part of the statement reads,”Igbo mandate Congress want to state categorically that what happened at the Old Governement lodge in Enugu is not Ohanaeze Ndigbo National election-.It is just a hand pick of select person’s by governors of the South East zone”.
“Igbo Mandate Congress has nothing personal against Senator Mbata. However,. Ndigbo is not owned by South East governors.Though Mbata may be a good man,the process that produced him is strange and it’s dangerous precedence for Ohanaeze Ndigbo”.
: The Igbo Mandate Congress alleged that the former Inspector General of Police,Mike Okiro was initially the preferred choice for the position of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide but for the fact that the South East governors do not like him, they ganged up against him.
“Igbo Mandate Congress was shocked that the former Chief of Police in Nigeria,Mike Okiro was conned by the five South East Governor’s and the Rivers state governor,Sim Fubara.
The group alleged that the selection process and hijack of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership started from the era of Chief Nnia Nwodo,manifested in the selection of George Obiozor and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu,both of blessed memories.
They questioned,”The selection processes have produced nothing for Ndigbo.Ohanaeze Ndigbo was helpless while Nnamdi Kanu is being used as judicial guinea pig by Nigerian courts and his numerous counsels.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo was helpless while an Ezeigbo in Ajao Lagos,Eze Fred Nwajiagu was imprisoned for two years over comments of which the court of law have declared as not treasonable.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo was helpless when FCT minister Nyesom Woke demolished 214 acre estate worth over N50 billion belonging to Senator Nicholas Ukachukwu and Synecu Group.
Igbo Mandate Congress further lamented that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide in the past years have not been able to curtail demonic practices springing up among Igbo youths in their unjust ambition to get rich quick.
