Ohanaeze News

Eya Is Ohanaeze's Scribe, Uwechue Insists
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

PRESIDENT General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ralph Uwechue said yesterday that former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner, Chief Nduka Eya remained the authentic Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, having emerged from the election conducted by the Sir Onyesoh Nwachukwu-led committee.

He said Eya and no other person qualified to speak on behalf of the Igbo on any issue, expressing dismay at comments credited to Richard Ozobu claiming to be speaking for the Igbo.

Addressing reporters in Enugu, he said the new leadership had decided to peacefully resolve the differences that arose from the last election of the group in the interest of the Igbo, stressing however, that it would not allow certain persons to usurp the opportunity for their selfish interests.

Uwechue said bearing in mind the last crisis, which almost marred the organization, it decided to consult with stakeholders on the peaceful way out of the issue, insisting that it would in no way alter the outcome of the election that brought the new leadership to office.

"That same election was where myself and other members of the executive emerged from. At a point, the election of the Secretary General which should come from Enugu State was delayed; but the same committee that organized the election later approved the election of Chief Eya, who was sworn in the same day at Awka like all other executive members. Eya is the one occupying that position and that action has sealed the aspiration of any other person disguising as Secretary General," he said.
Source: The Guardian, 7^th March 2009.

Ohanaeze begs striking teachers to return to work
Written by Tony Edike

THE apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday, pleaded with striking school teachers in the South East states to return to work, while urging the governments of the states in the region to take immediate steps to reach an acceptable agreement with the teachers over their grievances. The teachers had commenced the indefinite strike on Monday in protest over the inability of the state governments to effect an agreed 27.5 per cent pay rise.

Secretary General of the organisation, Prince Richard Ozobu who made the plea in a statement in Enugu, lamented that the strike was coming at a time when the governments of the South East states were making great efforts to improve the lives of their respective citizens, adding that it was capable of derailing the progress so far made.

Observing that the welfare of teachers should be of paramount importance to the state governments, Ozubu however, said that resorting to industrial action may not be the best course for the teachers to take in view of the hardship and loss it would impose on both the students and their parents in ‘these trying times’.

“Ohanaeze is passionately pleading with the striking teachers in the South East and neighbouring states to return to work in the interest of the pupils and students while at the same time urging the governments of the South East states to take immediate steps to reach an agreement with the teachers and address their grievances. This is hardly the right time for such an interruption or disruption of activities in an any area of economic and social life of the people of the region,” he said.

He also called on the concerned parties to establish an enduring platform for dialogue and resolution of conflicts in order to prevent issues between them from getting out of hand.

On the lingering controversy over the rightful occupant of his office, Prince Ozobu restated that the issue had been resolved with the inauguration of the new Ohanaeze Executive led by Ambassador Ralph Uwechue with himself as Secretary General in Awka, Anambra State last January.

He added that the secretariat of the organisation at Park Avenue Enugu , was also formally handed over to him by the immediate past Secretary General, Chief Joe Achuzia and challenged those who claimed that one Mr Nduka Eya had been sworn in as Secretary General to provide evidence as to where and when such an event took place.

“I think some people are only trying to be either mischievous or untruthful when they say that some other person than myself has been sworn in as Secretary General of Ohanaeze. I challenge those people to tell us where and when such an action was carried out. I remember vividly that the only thing that happened in Awka on Janurary was that Ambassador Uwechue led executive of Ohanaeze was formally inaugurated and I was sitting right there with him with the other members”, he said.
Source: Vanguard, 4^th March 2009.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo: An agenda for Uwechue and co

Written by Dennis Agbo

JANUARY 30,2009 perhaps marked the point of reckoning for the Igbo nation. It was the day that the entire Igbo under its apex socio-cultural umbrella, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo at the Women Development Centre, Awka Anambra State, seamlessly transited from one set of executives to another.

The peace and joy of that event almost defeated the saying that the Ndigbo is a nation without a leader.

It was the first time since after the end of Nigeria/Biafra war that an Igbo across the Niger was handed over the mantle of leadership of the entire Igbo race both at home and in diaspora. The event also brought to rest the alleged vexed issue of two sets of Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution which was the main issue that almost disintegrated the apex Igbo body when Professor Joe Irukwu was in charge.
For some other reason, the new crop of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership under Ambassador Ralph Uwechue as President General and Chief Nduka Eya as Secretary General purged the old way of public presentations of Igbo leaders and a new mechanism and structure instituted for inauguration and swearing-in of the executives after a decent election.

Chairman of the inauguration committee, Engr. Chris Okoye at the occasion said that it is the fervent prayer of Ndigbo that the apex body should once more become the coordinating council of the civil society organizations and the conscience of the people in which Ohanaeze would become the foundation upon which a disciplined modern industrial democracy will rise in Igboland.

Interestingly, Okoye’s expectation is coming at a time Ndigbo had gone back to the drawing board to dust up its economic road map that was upswing before the break-out of the civil war in 1967. According to the new economic agenda when it comes to fruition, the South-East may once again become the leading economy in the country if not in the continent.

Away from the expected economic eldorado, Ndigbo as a race is presently confronted with many problems which Uwechue and his executives are being looked upon to resolve. One is on the Igbo culture and identity.

1. Though people like Professor Chinua Achebe through their writings like Things Fall Apart have repackaged the image of Igbo, the present day Ohanaeze if it must enjoy a lasting solidarity and reverence of all Igbo would have to look the way of encouraging with the cooperation of modern technology and the tertiary institutions, the Igbo studies so as to explore the entire terrain.

The immediate past President General of the apex Igbo body, Dr. Dozie Ikedife in his valedictory speech suggested to Uwechue to endow university scholarships, institutes and fellowships for Igbo studies.

Ikedife regretted that though the Igbo film which is a precursor to the present day home videos have stated penetrating the whole African continent, Ohanaeze has lacked funds and the organization of promoting Igbo language and culture in the proper manner.

Something quiet insulting happened to Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the process of Ikedife-Uwechue transition. At the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze along Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu, a group of political hirelings suspected to allegedly have the support of one of the South- East State governments, overran the Ohanaeze secretariat and locked the gate. It was quite a nuisance.

For whatever reason, no government, group or individual should hold Ndigbo to ransom. . If any state government feels that it is the owner of the Ohanaeze secretariat, it should understand that there are many towns in Igboland where Ohanaeze Secretariat could be sited.

The show of shame therefore throws a challenge to Uwechue and co to either obtain the C of O of that secretariat or begin the process of erecting a permanent structure for Ohanaeze Ndigbo where no thug could lay arsenal.

On politics, Ndigbo and Nigeria; it is high time Ohanaeze leadership clearly takes a stand on the nature of our federation. The Irukwu era was very insulting to Ndigbo, when three Igbo governors and the Ohanaeze leadership decided to support the third term ambition of Oluesegun Obasanjo.

The individualism of Ndigbo in the past few years produced an anarchic situation in which individuals and private caucuses make their bargains for private profit without regard to the public good. Ohanaeze cannot stand aside while the rot deepens.

According to Dr. Ikedife, Ohanaeze holds the opinion that it is when politics is based upon community values; when the people give their vote freely to a candidate in order to empower him pursue agreed goals, that politics becomes truly democratic and responsible.

“We need once again to take collective control of our politics. We must reorganize and empower our town unions to defend democracy at the grassroots. Town unions should be a fourth tier of government fully capable at their level of giving strategic direction to economic development and electoral practice in our communities,” advised Ikedife.

On education, between 1930s and 40s, Ndigbo pioneered an educational revolution which took the entire nation by surprise. That revolution enabled the Igbo meet and surpass within one generation, other regions which embarked on western education one century earlier.

Today however, there is stagnation in Igbo education that instead of investing enough in the training of youths to ensure competitiveness for them in the next generation, in the manufacturing and other service deliveries, more energy is concentrated on buying and selling. Ohanaeze should therefore prioritize education both in arts, science and mathematics.

The Nigeria/Biafra war that wasted the economy of Igboland needed a massive injection of stimulus capital at the end of the civil war. But instead of providing such funds the federal government adopted a policy of benign neglect or a punitive attitude. What Ndigbo need today is to pool their capital resources together for development.

They will also be in a better situation to borrow funds if they work together as a big economic entity. Ohanaeze is already aware of the South-East Nigeria Economic Commission (SENEC) which is a joint venture of the zone that involves private, public and community partnership. The apex Igbo body would have to mobilize the entire Igbo to make sure that the economic project succeeds.

The Igbo in diaspora usually suffer causality whenever there is outbreak of violence in any part of Nigeria, even in the entire Africa. The Igbo that conducts business either in Opobo or Utorkom will always become victim of looting or outright arson for cases they never knew their causes.

This has for a long time become a huge problem for Igbo nation. Ambassador Uwechue is expected to use his diplomatic experience to appeal on the sentiments of other tribes to please allow the Igbo be.

There is no doubt that these are herculean tasks but every generation confronts its problems to seek for permanent solutions.
It is of no immediate advantage struggling for “Igbo Presidency” when the economy and education of Ndigbo are in shambles. The much talked Nigeria President from Igbo extraction has either made some selfish politicians richer or attracted acrimony for their kits and kin. If the Igbo become strong rooted in Nigeria economy, the nation would come begging Ndigbo to produce a Nigeria Presidency.

Our focus for now should be on economic viability and social development of the South-East. Ohanaeze should be able to resolve the flight of Igbo youths to other parts of the country and redirect their attention to investing in the East. Jobs should be created so that the young people do not just walk out from their land to Lagos or Abuja in search of jobs.

It is perhaps here that every effort should be made to make sure that South-East Nigeria Economic Commission (SENEC) succeeds. All hands must be on deck to make the ailing industries in Nnewi, Onitsha, Aba, Enugu, Nkalagu and parts of Igboland functional. They should be revitalized and agriculture practiced in large mechanized manner.

Though Ohanaeze is not a government institution that receives monthly allocation, it enjoys acceptability of all Igbo as a traditional body and has more repect than the present dissected states of Igbo nation.

Ohanaeze would have to pursue or urge the state governments into having common economic agenda, using especially a platform like SENEC.
Source: Vanguard, 3^rd March 2009.

Ohanaeze Plans Relocation Of Secretariat From Enugu
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

The crisis in the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over the position of secretary general of the group, assumed a new twist yesterday, as the new leadership of the organisation plans to relocate its secretariat from Enugu State.

It was gathered that the plan to relocate the secretariat of the organisation from Enugu was borne out of the desire to reposition it to enable it serve the overall interests of Ndigbo, coupled with the recent threats to the existence of the organisation by members of a political group in Enugu state.

It was further gathered that the continued operation of the group from its national secretariat in Enugu has come under serious threat since its leadership failed to recognise Prince Richard Ozobu as secretary general after a series of pressure from the state government that he (Ozobu) was its preferred candidate for the position.

Rather, the leadership had on Friday in Awka sworn in Chief Nduka Eya, described as an "enemy of government" to the position, a development said to have taken the state government by surprise.

A reliable source told The Guardian at the Ohanaeze secretariat in Enugu yesterday that the new leaders of the group were no longer comfortable "with the several incursions by some sponsored persons into the secretariat", adding that, the development has become a major threat in the continued existence of the secretariat in Enugu.

The source referred to the "forceful invasion" of the secretariat by a group allegedly led by a Special Adviser to the governor, which on November 27 last year, met and approved the candidature of Ozobu for the position of secretary in defiance of an earlier election by the state chapter, where Chief Nduka Eya emerged as winner.

"After the action, the group had stormed the organisation's national election at Awka on November 29 and forced it to suspend the election of secretary general which was allocated to Enugu State

"The same group had also on Friday January 16, disrupted the imeobi (inner caucus) meeting of the organisation called to fine-tune plans for the inauguration of the new national executive, forcing the leaders at the meeting to relocate to another venue to hold their meeting," the source added.

He stated that the incessant incursions into the secretariat had become a source of worry to the leadership of the organisation, adding that the new thinking was to "pave way for peace as well as ensure that the constitution was not tampered in any way".

The source said that though the Enugu governor, Sullivan Chime, had always denied involvement in the several incursions made by the group loyal to his administration at the secretariat, he might not have forgotten the role played by some new leaders of the organisation during the governorship tribunal sitting in Enugu. Eya, for one, testified against him.

It was further gathered that last Friday when the group led by Ozobu arrived in Awka and discovered that Eya had been recognised and sworn in as the new Secretary General of Ohanaeze, they vowed not to allow the group have access to the secretariat any longer.

The source added: "We cannot continue to be threatened because somebody wants government interest protected outside our constitution. We have do abide by our constitution to the latter and that is why we won't give up.

"Some people have told us that the secretariat belongs to Enugu and that was why they did not obtain permission from the managers of the people before invading it to hold a purported election or come into it anyhow. It is sad and the height of ignorance," the source added.

It could be recalled that the contention between factions in Enugu State over the preferred candidate for secretary between Eya and Ozobu, made the national leadership hold down the election into that position during the national election last year.

It added: "We don't need to be in Enugu to run the affairs of Ohanaeze and that is why we are not bothered about the recent attack on the leadership by some group in Enugu state. We believe that they are enjoying support of government and that is why nobody cares to call them to order. But we have alternative and that is what we intend to do."

The national secretariat, which is bereft of modern facilities, was donated to the organisation by the administration of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo in 1991. Since then, no effort has been made to renovate the structures at the place.

Efforts made to reach the new leadership of the organisation on the development yesterday proved abortive, as none of the leaders could respond to calls on their mobile phones.
Source: The Guardian, 25^th February 2009.

Ohaneze: The Body Should Be Self-funding And Independent Of Government's Interference - Okorie

Chekwas Okorie founder of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was the youngest member of Elders' Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Igbo socio-political organisation. He spoke to SAMSON EZEA on the emergence of the new leadership of the organisation, the crisis over who should be its national scribe and other sundry issues.

How do you see the emergence of Chief Ralph Uwechue as new President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, considering where he comes from and the situation in the organization before he took over?

THE emergence of Chief Ralph Uwechue as President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo is like a breath of fresh air. It is a development which every well- meaning Igbo person has given his or her support. There is a high expectation that he has the experience, the maturity, the intellectual capacity and the exposure that will equip him to re-focus the pan -Igbo organization on the path of serving the interest of Ndigbo especially in the areas of unity, the promotion of the rich Igbo cultural heritage and the protection of Igbo identity in Nigeria and in the Diaspora. The part of Nigeria that Chief Uwechue comes from is rather a source of strength to Ohaneze rather than weakness. It is part of Ohaneze zoning arrangement contained in the organization's constitution to elect its President General from Anioma part of Igbo land after the turn of Anambra State in alphabetical order. It will be recalled that Dr. Dozie Ikedife the immediate past President General of Ohaneze who is from Anambra State succeeded Prof J.O Irukwu who is from Abia State. By complying with the provision of Ohaneze constitution, the Igbo people of Anioma are now convinced beyond any doubt that they are as much Igbo as any other in spite of insinuation to the contrary by mischief- makers. It goes to follow also that at sometime in the future the Igbo people of Rivers State should equally provide leadership for the entire Igbo nation in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

Do you agree that his emergence marks a new beginning in the organization?

As I mentioned above there is high expectation by Ndigbo that Chief Uwechue's leadership shall be a watershed in the chequered history of the Igbo people after the end of the Nigerian civil war. The extent he succeeds will depend on his ability to rise to the demands of the office and the extent the various forces in Igbo nation cooperate with him. He has a very challenging assignment on his hand. Ndigbo have never been more disunited as they are as at this time. They appear to be pulling on different directions at the same time. His ability to reach out to the major stakeholders and the contending forces to achieve a reasonable measure of cohesion and unity will determine to a large extent the level of success the executive of Ohaneze under his leadership will record within a short un-renewable tenure of two years.

What do you think are the challenges before the new leadership of the organization?

In addition to what I said above, the other challenge that will immediately confront the new leadership of Ohaneze is being able to establish a respectable, independent, bold, courageous and self sustaining pan -Igbo organization. The Ohanaeze that will command the loyalty and followership of Ndigbo must be seen to be honest, transparent and non-partisan in the leadership that it provides and the position it takes on issues that concern Ndigbo. It is important to recognize the fact that Ndigbo are domicile in different parts of Nigeria in large numbers. In this regard an Ohanaeze leadership that is docile, and stationed at its National Secretariat at Enugu without moving out as occasion demands to interact with Ndigbo at their different locations in Nigeria will not be satisfactory.

Do you think that the new leadership has what it takes to checkmate the overbearing influence of politicians and government in the affairs of the organization?

It will require tremendous amount of leadership sagacity, maturity and savvy to extricate Ohanaeze from the stranglehold of politicians and governments especially at the state level. I was vehement in my opposition against government involvement in the affairs of Ohanaeze.

The argument against my position was that the governments that controlled the Igbo speaking areas were necessary facilitators in the area of providing funds to the organization. Shortly after this robust debate at the Elders Council where I have been member for a long time, the leadership of Ohaneze under the leadership of Eze Ozobu as President General and Professor Ben. Nwabueze as Secretary General approached the Governors of the five Igbo States to nominate the State Executive members of Ohaneze. By that singular act Ohaneze lost its independence and freedom of expression. When it was time to elect a new national executive of Ohaneze according to the provision of its adopted constitution which prescribes the rotation of the President General of Ohaneze in alphabetical order, the Abia State Ohaneze was required to nominate three candidates for election where multiple candidates aspired for the office of President General. Naturally the Executive members of Abia State Ohaneze who were practically appointed by the Abia State government reverted to their sponsors. And by some manipulations that saw to the disqualification of a renowned Professor and a retired Admiral of the Nigerian Navy, Professor J.O. Irukwu emerged as the President General of Ohaneze having been endorsed by the Government of Abia State at the time. Using the same style the Anioma people put forward Chief Joe Achuzie as Secretary General and all the remaining states filled their own slots in the National Executive with officers approved by their State governments. Since all the state governments at that time were of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Ohaneze unwittingly returned to the dark days of the Second Republic when Dr. Azikwe pulled out of the organization.

Many Igbos believe that Ohanaeze has failed the people. Do you agree?

Ohanaeze cannot be described as a total failure. However it has not met with the high expectations of Ndigbo. Let me recall that during the sitting of the Oputa Panel, Ohanaeze presented the Igbo position in a manner that impressed Igbo people and attracted to the organization the admiration and respect of Nigerians. The leadership provided by Justice Eze Ozobu was quite purposeful but the occasional power tussle between him and Professor Ben Nwabueze, the then Secretary General affected the quality of leadership of the organization most of that period. But with the involvement of Governors who were all of the PDP extraction, Ohanaeze completely derailed. The open support of the third term agenda during the Joe Irukwu era was like a coup disgrace to Ndigbo. Ohanaeze degenerated to its lowest ebb.

There has been crisis over who will be Secretary General of the organization between Prince Richard Ozobu allegedly supported by Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime and Chief Nduka Eya. What is your position on that as you recently witnessed the chaos that marred IMEOBI caucus over the issue recently in Enugu?

The controversy over who should be the Secretary General of Ohanaeze which was zoned to Enugu State is unnecessary. Any person who has followed my narrative in this interview will see the connection between the State Executive of Ohaneze in the various states and their state governments. For the office of the President General, the people of Anioma met and proposed Chief Ralph Uwechue as their sole nominee and their wish was respected. Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State witnessed the election of the national election of Ohaneze at Awka and the national officers from Abia State are those endorsed by his government. The National Officers from Imo and Ebonyi States were also endorsed by their Governments in accordance with the present tradition. The Enugu State Executive of Ohaneze practically appointed by the State Government according to the recent tradition of the Ohaneze proposed Prince Richard Ozobu a member of the Elders Council of Ohanaeze as their nominee for the Office of Secretary General. I do not see any reason why the out-going leadership of Ohaneze that supervised the election should not extend to Enugu State Ohanaeze the same consideration that was accorded the other States, including Anioma and Rivers. I am not impressed by the argument of those who are opposed to Prince Ozobu's emergence as Secretary General. When I was over-ruled in the involvement of government in the affairs of Ohaneze, the argument against my view was that Ohaneze needed the support of government for funding. Enugu State Government is the permanent host and landlord of the Ohaneze National Secretariat. To over-rule Enugu State Ohaneze on the important issue of filling the slot of Secretary General zoned to the State will be laying a dangerous foundation for an incoming Executive that requires everybody's cooperation to succeed.
Source: The Guardian, 25^th February 2009.

Ohanaeze's task in charting new identity for Ndigbo
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

THE new national executive of the Igbo apex organisation, he Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been challenged to reposition Ndigbo towards ensuring that they maintain their place in the main stream of Nigeria politics.

In his valedictory speech at the inauguration of the new executive in Awka, Anambra State, the organisation's outgoing President General, Dr Dozie Ikedife said the challenge of uniting Ndigbo worldwide was should be taken seriously.

Ikedife said that Ndigbo, as citizens of the largest nation in the Africa, appreciates peace and unity and would continue to uphold that in the quest of carrying out their legitimate business in any part of the country.

He said that although Ndigbo, more than any other tribe in the country, felt at home in any part anywhere in Nigeria, there should be parity of states within the geopolitical zones and that a sixth state should be created in the South East.

He said: "We resent the lack of federal amenities in our area, the despair of federal roads, and the discriminatory allocation of appointments and resources." He said that the challenge therefore, was for the new leadership to believe in the position of Ohanaeze that, "the Nigerian economy will not be diversified nor will there be property until the constitution is reviewed to provide for six or eight federating units."

He restated the position of Ohanaeze on electoral reforms to the fact that existing electoral laws and the strict sanctioning of electoral offenders are the ways to transform the quality of governance in the nation.

On the internal politics of the South East, he said that the task was for the new leadership to take control of politics, organise and empower the town unions to defend democracy at the grassroots. He stressed that town unions should be the fourth tier of government fully capable at their level of giving strategic direction to economic development and electoral practice in the communities. In this regard, he talked on Igbo economy, which he said is being revitalised through the South East Nigeria Economic Commission, a joint venture between state governments, private sectors and Igbo communities to promote economic and social development in the state. He asked the new leadership to buy into it.

The new leadership may be mapping out its strategies after an enlarged inaugural meeting at Ogwashi Uku, in Delta State where far-reaching decisions on how to advance the cause of Ndigbo were reached.

All members of the executive attended.

The Secretary General of the organisation, Chief Nduka Eya told The Guardian in Enugu that the collective enthusiasm was an indication that none was ready to be part of any acrimony that could send the zone backward in the affairs of the country.

According to him, the meeting viewed that Ndigbo had not lagged behind following discords and personal quest for lucre. The President General Ambassador Raph Uwechue lamented the infiltration from outside that has become the major problem confronting the development of Igboland.

Eya said: "Never again will the organisation be used by politicians to feather their nest. Never again should we allow any person or group to use the name of Ohanaeze to foment trouble. All these we have tried and allowed to happen in the past and they never paid us any good. Rather, it created so much disunity, discord and infighting. It is our desire to nip it in the bud and move the organisation to play her role as socio-cultural organisation and not a political grouping."

According to him, the organisation would soon unfold a blue print on how to reorganise the state affiliations to enable them play their constitutional roles in the communities by galvanising "our people into doing that which is in line with the culture and tradition of Igbo person."

He said that Ndigbo has for long been on the receiving end by allowing themselves to be used by others in political matters.

"But what we see is a situation where our people are used to divide us. We are kept in a position where we have nothing to offer, we cannot speak for our people for fear of losing our jobs. It is our view that we will champion the cause of our people. We have noted the near impassible roads, lack of adequate federal presence, decay of infrastructure and others. We intend to do is to keep our house first in order," Eya said.

To reconcile all divergent interests in the organisation and present a united front, Eya said that the meeting agreed to meet with members with divergent views to make them realise that development would continue to be distorted in Igboland unless the zone spoke with one voice. According to him, achieving the set goals of the organisation required the full support of everyone.

Eya said that another priority was how to return Igbo language, culture and tradition and work towards regaining the zone's lost identity while imbibing foreign culture.

That move towards recapturing the lost identity and culture of Ndigbo became real at the weekend when leaders of the zone gathered in Enugu to celebrate the first Igbo Culture and Civilisation using the Prof. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.

Ohanaeze led other Igbo organisations to the three-day event, which was held at the OfuObi Cultural and Arts Centre, Enugu. Others are the Catholic Institute for Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), Conference of Democratic Scholars (CODES), Izu Umunne in Jos, Plateau State, Ndigbo Lagos, Aka Ikenga, Igbo Studies Association USA and Whelan Research Academy, Owerri.

Those who spoke at the event including Prof Laz Ekwueme, Uwechue, Prof Uzodinma Nwala, Prof Richard Okafor, and Prof Emeka Okpala among others. The Director of CIDJAP Prof Obiora Ike, told The Guardian that despite all that have been said about Igbo culture, that Achebe's book, which has been acknowledged as an 'exceptional piece" portrays the "uniqueness and beauty of Igbo nay Africa."

He said, "I would say that the Igbo nation is ancient. It is rich in value, in history in ethnology and in culture. The African people did not have much in terms of written tradition. They have a long-term established oral tradition. Often times in the past, African history, Nigerian history, Igbo history was written by others and our voices were only listened to by interpreters. Achebe was the first who wrote a history, a literature piece telling the Igbo story as an Igbo and a Nigerian within the context of Nigerian history with Things Fall Apart.

"What we are, our essence, our ambition, our life style and that book come within the context you might say, of modernity and antiquity. Achebe sees in the British poet Yeats, the epitome of the drama that happened in Africa, in Nigeria on Igbo territory as a result of colonial incursion. Achebe therefore reflected the verse "the center cannot hold, things fall apart, mere anarchy be loosened upon the world." This is the background that drives us."

Ike, a former Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, said the coming together, which would also be replicated in other states of the zone including Delta and Rivers was a way of ensuring that "our sons and daughters, whether they are politicians, church leaders, academics, traders, men and women including the youth, all can come together to celebrate our culture. We are focusing on artworks, visual arts, drama, poetry, songs, music including masquerade, all these interlocking within a framework where the correct questions of governance, politics, social studies, history and gender are asked and answered.

Stressing that a people or tribe without culture was a lost tribe, he said, "culture is the entire way of life of a people, culture is the language, religion, artifacts, culture, habits, clothing, signs and symbols, dance and music. When we say culture is the entire life of a people, we understand culture as a fundamental structure; every other thing comes under it. Culture is important, it is relevant; it transmits to us about the past, present and continuity in future."

He said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had begun well by showing full support to ensure that the programme was observed. He added that observing the event annually would help change the orientation and negative views the people hold about their identity.

Ike noted that Ndigbo lost their culture through colonialism when they invaded the territory and "tried to replace our fundamental values like language and dressing mode and our way of life. Their efforts took its toll on our psyche and in the way we look at ourselves."

Indeed, it is new dawn in Igboland and if promises of a better tomorrow by her leaders were anything to go by, then, the Igbo would once again bounce back to reckoning.
Source: The Guardian, 19^th February 2009.

Ohanaeze and the future of Igbo institutions

A press statement released Monday February 9, 2009 by the Igbo group, Ndigbo Lagos on the initial controversy on the nomination by the Enugu State chapter of the Ohanaeze of a secretary general for the National Executive Council of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The NEC, led by Ambassador Raph Uwechue was sworn in on Friday January 30.

OVER the past few weeks we have watched the unfolding drama of the question of who from Enugu State becomes the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Though we had expected this to be quietly resolved without the excesses we have witnessed recently, it has not been, hence the need to make this statement.

At the heart of this confusion is the attempt to truncate Constitutionality and uphold the rascality of oppression. We stand against that and pitch our tents firmly for the defense of our Constitution and Institutions

Ndigbo Lagos has over the years remained non-partisan over issues that concern Ndigbo, and have demonstrated this in various ways, most especially in the provision of un-dented leadership in areas often neglected by most: Standing for the Truth! Ohanaeze has firmly wrested on Constitutionality and we hope it remains the same.

Ohanaeze is a multipurpose platform for addressing Igbo questions and has over the years striven, even if with difficulty, to stand up for our people. In the last five years it became much politicised thanks to Prof. Joe Irukwu's and Chief Joe Achuzia's insensitivity and misapplication of the trust given to them by Ndigbo. We are not unmindful that external influence played a major factor in that.

When they took us through the wrong turn, it appeared as if none would ever speak up for Ndigbo again; Ndigbo Lagos came in to fill the gap, like they have done countless times. It was the process of standing up for Ndigbo, which led to the emergence of Dr. Dozie Ikedife, who if history is any guide, would be vindicated for upholding the Constitution of Ohanaeze, and faithfully seeing through a process that has brought in the present eminently credible leadership of Ohanaeze under Ambassador Raph Uwechue.

Up till the very week of the election, some of those who now strive to lead Ndigbo, or influence who does that, continued in their negative penchant for insulting the leadership of the institution they now crave to lead. They have maintained and carried out multiple anti Igbo actions including debasing our Constitution, Institutions and most brazenly our Values. They have proved by their antecedents that they do not possess the right kind of character Ndigbo can trust in the management of their affairs, and hence should not even aspire to be in the Ohanaeze National Executive.

We have heard a variety of arguments including some people purporting and pretending to be 'a candidate of the Governor of Enugu State'. This has been denied both by the Governor and his aides. Besides, even if someone stands as the nominated candidate of the Governor of a State, it does not translate to a justification to force such candidacy upon Ndigbo. States may have had candidates elected, who may have been favoured by their Governors, even if this were true, does tacit support by a Governor translate to suitability or electability? And who says that the Governors, who are Ohanaeze members, cannot lend their voices in nominating the candidates, but the final decision lies on the General assembly to choose such person.

Without any shadow of doubt, we commend the very good job the Governor of Enugu State is doing and welcome also the dignified manner in which he has tried to approach the issues of governance in the state. Those trying to use his name or associate him with their anti-Igbo activities and actions are surely on their own and would fail.

At the heart of these problems lies the rascality of the few who are determined to impose themselves on us. It sing-posts the deeper question of the collapse of values that have been bastardized and thus threatens to destroy every attempt at building and nurturing strong Institutions amongst Ndigbo. We would not be fooled again and would not allow our moral right to good leadership be jeopardized again by a handful of thugs posing as Igbo leaders, and pretending to be supported by a state Governor or even in time past by federal might.

The Executive

There is no question of where we stand on the matter. Ndigbo had by electing and swearing in the following: Ambassador Raph Uwechue (President, Anioma, Delta State); Chief Nduka Eya, (Secretary, Enugu State), Chief Eddy Onuoha (Deputy Secretary, Imo State), Chief Garry Emwo-igariwey (Vice President, Ebonyi State), Chief Alozie Nwogu (Vice President Abia), Barr. Hyacinth Nweke, (Vice President, Anambra), Chief Chris Asoluka, (Vice President, Imo) Chief Isaac Wonwu, (Vice President, Rivers State), Chief Enechi Onyia (Vice President, Enugu), Chief Elder E. O. Okparanta (National Treasurer Abia) Elder Nweke Anyigor (National Financial Secretary, Ebonyi), Chief Ralph Ndigwe (National Publicity Secretary, Anambra) Chief Barr. Reuben Okoro (National Legal Adviser, Imo) Barr. Elder Oyibo Chukwu (Asst. National Legal Adviser, Enugu) Barr. I. O. Ahize (Asst. National Treasurer, Anambra), Barr. Ifeanyi Olunkwa (Asst. Publicity Secretary, Abia), Chief Emmanuel Ajoku Alariche (Asst. National Financial Secretary, Rivers), Dr. T. N. Atanmo (State chairman Anambra), Chief Chimkwe Ndimele, (Chairman, Abia), Dr. J. B. Okolle (Chairman, Imo), Chief Augustine Ogbonna (Chairman, Ebonyi), and Chief Obi Emeka Nwaka (Chairman, Anioma), as the National Executive Council, in Awka, by Justice Ononiba, on Friday January 30, 2009 made a good turn. We stand by that and warn that those who think Ndigbo would shy away from fighting head on this time around to have a rethink. All those who think they can take us for granted and continue rubbishing Ndigbo would meet with firm and honest opposition, and we assure them that their brazen attitudes would not go unchecked and would be countered.

Our Pitch

We do not take it lightly that over the years, all over Igboland, not a few rascals, charlatans, mediocrities and self-seeking men and women have taken over our land and its values and Institutions and appropriated it as if it were their own. This ought to stop and must stop!

To the Uwechue team, we reiterate our support and commitment to the task you have been entrusted with on our behalf and urge you to go on without fear of intimidation to carry them out. To Ndigbo everywhere, we urge you to rise up and defend that which belongs to all of us. We cannot shy away from our duties and responsibilities, one of which is to stand by the Uwechue team today.

The values we have all shared and the Institutions we all have will be upheld by us. Ofo na Ogu awaits anyone, from within or outside who works against the Igbo ethos. In our watch, Igbo values, Institutions and Ethos would be upheld.

This we Chief Chris Ezeh (President), Prof. Anya O. Anya (Vice President), Chief Anthony Idigbe (Secretary), Admiral Allison Madueke (Executive member), Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (Executive member), Dr. Chijoke Kanu (Abia State President), Chief Emma Anyadike (Anambra state President), Engr. Victor Amorha (Enugu State President) Chief. Emma Ohakwe (Imo State President)

Chief Dr. Sylvan Ebigwei (President Aka Ikenga), Igwe Laz Ekwueme, Dr. Uma Eleazu and Chief Dave Nwachukwu on behalf of Ndigbo Lagos, stand for and would urge Ndigbo everywhere to pitch in.
Source: The Guardian, 11^th February 2009.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo demands creation of 6th South-East state
••• As Uwechue takes over leadership
From GEOFFREY ANYANWU, Awka

Apex Igbo socio- cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo at the weekend insisted that time for creation of one additional state in the South-East geo-political zone to bring the zone at par with other zones of the federation was now, warning that any attempt to further delay it would amount to intentional denial of the right of Ndigbo.

The immediate past President General of the organization, Dr Dozie Ikedife who made the statment in his valedictory speech at the inauguration of the new Ohanaeze leadership elected last year at the Women Development Centre, Awka, said the South-East stood for justice and fair play.

The new executive of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is led by Ambassdor Ralph Uwechue who hails from Anioma in Delta State. His election was done in accordance with the organization’s rotation of presidency policy and the decision that Anioma would produce the president after Ikedife.
Many had, however, wanted Ikedife to continue because of his leadership qualities but he declined, insisting that the constitution of Ohanaeze did not have room for second tenure and must be adhered to strictly.

He said:“We demand that there should be parity of states within the geo-political zones and that the sixth state promised to the South-East zone should now be created. We resent the lack of federal amenities in our area, disrepair of federal roads and the discriminatory allocation of appointments and resources. Our country should make us proud if justice and equity prevail.”

Ikedife, however, called on Ndigbo to take seriously the creation of the South-East Nigeria Economic Commission, which is a joint venture partnership between state governments, private sector operators and Igbo communities to promote economic and social development in the zone.
The commission, he said, enjoyed the support of Ohanaeze Ndigbo because it was planned to be the beginning of a new economic order in Igboland.

In his acceptance speech, the new President General, Amb. Uwechue said time had come when Ndigbo should work for the upliftment of their legitimate interest.
He assured that his administration would strive hard to establish self confidence in the Igbo people, stressing that “nobody will deter the new executive from performing their duties, neither will they be frightened by anybody.”

Ndigbo, he advised, should put doubt behind them and work for the future, adding that the legacies of his predecessor on whom he showered praises, would be kept alive.
Also speaking, National Chairman of the Inauguration Committee, Chief Chris Okoye advocated an Ohanaeze Ndigbo that would once more become the coordinating council of the civil society organizations and concept of the people in Igboland.

He said,“Ohanaeze will become the foundation upon which a disciplined, modern day democracy will rise in Igboland.”

Chairman on the occasion and Dean, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa blamed the problem of Ndigbo on their extreme republicanism and urged them to come together and work as one family in the overall interest of the Igbo race, adding that if that was done Igboland would be a greater challenge to the Nigerian nation.
Source: Sun, 2^{nd February 2009.}

Restructure Nigeria, Ohanaeze Tells FG
By Emmanuel Nzomiwu,Reporter, Enugu

Ohanaeze4

Others who were recognised include Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN), Sir Chris Okoye, Prof. Ben Obumselu and newly-inaugurated Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya.

Outgoing President General of Ohanaeze, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, presented certificates to these personalities at the weekend during the handing over ceremony of Ohanaeze Ndigbo at Awka, Anambra State.

Delivering his valedictory address titled 'The Ethnic Group and the Nation', Ikedife thanked the entire Ndigbo for electing him to the high office and supporting him whole-heartedly during the difficult years of his tenure.

In the address that contained some parting words to his successor, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue, he noted that the presidency of Ohanaeze is ideally a full-time job, though people do not appreciate fully what it entails presiding at Imeobi (inner caucus) meetings, National Executive Committee meetings and several other committee meetings.

The Igbo patriot recalled that the last two years under his reign were exceptionally difficult characterised by problems, some of which arose from the way the 2003 election was conducted.

According to him, in some South East states, the people knew which parties won election but did not know who their candidates were while the Houses of Assembly were torn by factional conflicts between Abuja men and local men.

Also recalling that the tenure of the Governors was always in danger, Ikedife noted that Senate presidents of Igbo extraction were also liable to step on banana peels, all being manoeuvrings of the imperial presidency in Abuja which wanted to take personal control of politics in Igboland.

Pointing out that Ohanaeze believes in justice and equity in the country, he demanded that there should be parity of states among the geo-political zones and that South East gets a sixth state to bring it at par with other zones that have at least six states each, though one has seven.

Ikedife regretted that Nigeria became a federation only in name but a unitary state in reality, where economically, it narrowed the perspective of government from many development issues which regional issues used to address to petroleum only.

"Ohanaeze Ndigbo is convinced that the Nigerian economy will not be diversified until the constitution is reviewed to provide for six or eight federating units," he said.
Source: Daily Independent, 1^{st February 2009.}

Ohanaeze Plans Relocation Of Secretariat From Enugu
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

Rather, the leadership had on Friday in Awka sworn in Chief Nduka Eya, described as an "enemy of government" to the position, a development said to have taken the state government by surprise.

"After the action, the group had stormed the organisation's national election at Awka on November 29 and forced it to suspend the election of secretary general which was allocated to Enugu State

Ohaneze: The Body Should Be Self-funding And
Independent Of Government's Interference - Okorie

How do you see the emergence of Chief Ralph Uwechue as new President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, considering where he comes from and the situation in the organization before he took over?

Do you agree that his emergence marks a new beginning in the organization?

What do you think are the challenges before the new leadership of the organization?

Do you think that the new leadership has what it takes to checkmate the overbearing influence of politicians and government in the affairs of the organization?

Many Igbos believe that Ohanaeze has failed the people. Do you agree?

Ohanaeze exco takes oath without scribe
From Nwanosikle Onu, Awka

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo is in serious crisis, despite the swearing-in of new executive yesterday, to pilot the affairs of the body in the next two years.

The new executive, led by Ambassador Raph Uwechue, was done without the secretary of the body.

During the election late last year, the group from Enugu State, whose duty it was to produce the secretary of Ohanaeze failed to harmonize on whom to pick as the State Government was bent on having one Richard Ozobu as the secretary from the state.

This exercise at the Women Development Centre in Awka, was delayed for so long, prompting the body to postpone the swearing in ceremony to the beginning of 2009

However, despite the controversy, the immediate past president, Dr. Dozie Ikedife who many wanted to continue with the headship of the organization went on to swear in Uwechue and his team.

He charged them to continue making sure peace reign in the zone, adding that no group or society functions without unity.

Ikedife, further told them in his address not to allow political sentiments to divide the body, adding that Ndigbo held the present team in high esteem.

Ambassador, Raph Uwechue, in his speech in Igbo language, promised to bring the people of the zone together, adding that it was a big honour asking him to lead an organization like Ohaneze Ndigbo.
Source: Nation, 1^{st February 2009.}

Fresh crisis rocks Ohanaeze over choice of Sec-Gen

A fresh crisis yesterday rocked the pan Igbo socio cultural umbrella body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.This time it is the choice of the national secretary which was specifically zoned to Enugu.

Members of the Enugu State chapter stormed the National Secretariat of the organization in Enugu to foil what they saw as an attempt by the outgoing President-General, Dr Dozie Ikedife to name a new Secretary General other than Prince Richard Ozobu who was said to have been elected last November.

Ikedife had refused to announce Ozobu's election at the National Congress of the organization in Awka last year that also produced Ambassador Ralph Uwechue as his successor, claiming that the issue was unresolved because another group from Enugu had put forward Mr Nduka Eya as their candidate for the position.

Ikedife had summoned a meeting of the Imeobi - the second highest decision making body of the organisation to 'resolve' the tussle. The Enugu chapter believed that the meeting which they said was beyond Ikedife's powers to convene, was a ploy to endorse Eya as the new secretary General .

After a protracted argument, Ikedife asked the Imeobi members to retire to a smaller hall so that the meeting would commence. It was however, not to be as the Ohanaeze leader's attempt to exclude the delegates presented by the state chapter was stoutly resisted.

The chapter, while insisting that the delegates were legitimate also counter-accused him of admitting non members and when the situation became very rowdy, Ikedife left. He declined making any statement.

Addressing newsmen on the development in Enugu, chairman of the organization, Sir O.A.U Onyema accused Ikedife of illegally trying to change the results of an election which he had organised himself and even sent representatives to supervise.

He insisted that there was no going back on the election which, apart from Prince Ozobu, also produced Engineer Dons Ude and Barrister Michael Nwakife as National Vice President and Assistant National Legal Adviser respectively.

He explained that the Chapter was granted the right to fill the position courtesy of a zoning arrangement adopted by the organization last year.
Source: Nation, 17^th January 2009.

Mob Sacks Ohanaeze Caucus Meeting In Enugu
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu and Samson Ezea, Lagos

A TELLING tale of our time it is. The Irish poet W.B. Yeats captures it aptly in his classic piece, "The Second Coming", inspiring a peerless tale from the heart of Igboland: "things fall apart; the centre cannot hold/mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...

Indeed, the "ceremony of innocence" was "drowned" as "the best lack all conviction" while "the worst" were "full of passionate intensity" yesterday.

How? Well, with a youthful but fierce-looking mob invading the gathering of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze, disrupting the elders' Imeobi (Inner Caucus) meeting at its National Secretariat in Enugu!

The modus operandi of yesterday's dissonance was similar to the bedlam that led to the disruption of the 2008 Igbo Day celebration last year in Enugu. The mob, alleged to be enjoying the support of the Enugu State branch of the Ohanaeze, stormed the organisation's secretariat brandishing dangerous objects and insisting on the adoption of Mr. Richard Ozobu as the group's Secretary-General or no meeting.

Out-going President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dozie Ikedife, who had called the meeting and some other members of the Imeobi, narrowly escaped being lynched as the angry mob flung objects into the arena.

For over two hours, tension reigned at the secretariat. Some prominent Igbo leaders who witnessed the state of chaos expressed disappointment at the turn of event, saying it, as it is-another sad commentary on the affairs of the Igbo nation.

Former Minister of information, John Nnia Nwodo; founding Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie; legal luminary, Enechi Onyia (SAN), and Brig. Gen. J.O.J. Okoloagu were among the leaders who got to the venue of the aborted meeting at about 3.00p.m, midway into the anarchy.

Somehow, reporters were able to catch up with Ikedife at the secretariat's entrance in full flight for dear life. But the attempt to have a few words with him was swiftly and violently truncated by the mob, which pushed all on its way aside, making for the president-general. The interviewee needed no further prompting before making good his escape in his waiting vehicle.

Ikedife confirmed that the mob chased away members of the Imeobi who arrived for the meeting and that the mobsters claimed to be holding a state meeting of the Ohanaeze.

Although Onyia, who witnessed the confrontation from the start, as well as Nwodo and Okoloagu did not support disrupting the Imeobi meeting, Okorie, who spoke with reporters before the chaos, supported the action.

The crux of the matter has been the issue of who in Enugu State occupies the post of general secretary zoned to the state. It could be recalled that when the general election of the Ohanaeze was held in Awka, Anambra State last year, the position could not be filled owing to disagreement among members from Enugu.

Whereas the state chapter of Ohanaeze, led by Onyia, had more than three weeks to the national election produced Nduka Eya for the position, the protesting group, allegedly drawing support from the state government and led by OAU Onyema, returned to the national secretariat two days to the national election to choose Ozobu.

It was gathered that during a recent meeting of the leaders of thought of Enugu State with Governor Sullivan Chime, the matter was treated and that following the submission of elder statesman and former Governor, Chief C. C. Onoh, it was resolved that Enugu North Senatorial District where Eya comes from should be allowed to occupy the position.

Eya, who is allegedly favoured by Ikedife and his group, had testified in favour of the Labour Party (LP) candidate at the election petition tribunal against Governor Sullivan Chime, hence the state's alleged opposition to his candidacy.

Okorie who spoke with reporters before the bedlam broke out, stated that there was no way somebody opposed to the state governor would be allowed to occupy the Ohanaeze post.

He added: "My position is very clear. Ohanaeze has played into the hands of government for so long now and every effort to detach it from government has failed. In other states in the zone, the government nominated candidates who represent them in the organization, so Enugu's case should not be an exception."

Mrs. Ethel Nebo-Ezeabasili, who seemed to support the mob action, said nobody was going to prevent Governor Chime from making input in the matter and that even during the general election in Awka, she stated this many times. To her, the governor must have a say in who becomes the secretary because governors also fund the organization.

However, Onyema, who claims that he is chairman of the Ohanaeze in Enugu State told reporters that Chime had no hand in Ozobu's selection.

The Ohanaeze chieftains later met at the private residence of an Igbo leader to continue with the botched meeting where Ikedife said that he was unfazed by the skirmishes at the secretariat, describing them as "a reflection of enthusiasm that is now in Ohanaeze."

He disclosed that the meeting decided that the new executive of the Ohanaeze would take office on January 30, 2009, among other far-reaching decisions.
Source: The Guardian, 17^{th January 2009.}

Ohanaeze asks Enugu chapter to agree on candidate for scribe
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

ALTHOUGH, it had asked the feuding factions in the Enugu State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to go and harmonise their list with a view to presenting one candidate for the position of Secretary General of the group, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said at the weekend that it would not be intimidated in the selection of a scribe for the organisation.

It however, stated that the crisis in Enugu chapter notwithstanding, the planned inauguration of her national executives fixed for Asaba, Delta State on January 29, 2009 would go on as scheduled.

He said the Imeobi Ohanaeze, which is the highest decision making body for the group had for sometime now engaged the various interest groups in dialogue, stressing that it could be forced to over rule the state on the issue.

Outgoing President General of the association, Chief Dozie Ikedife, told The Guardian in Enugu that their decision to step down the election of Secretary General, a position allocated to Enugu State during their national election held in Awka last year was basically to allowed the contenders settle the issue amicably.

He said: "It was not out of fear nor that we don't know the truth. We know the truth and believe that some people are really out to cause trouble and confusion. We wanted them to see reasons why we cannot go into further contention because there is a constitution guiding Ohanaeze. Personally, I feel we should allow them resolve the issue, but where they fail, Ohanaeze will take a final decision."

The position of secretary general and other positions for the apex group expected to be filled by Enugu state has remained contentious for sometime now, following interests by parallel group working in the state.

While the state chapter led by Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN) had weeks before the national election of the organisation elected Chief Nduka Eya for the position, another group led by Mr. OAU Onyema had two days before the same election, approved Prince Richard Ozobu for the same position.

Thus, the national leadership had suspended the election for the positions for Enugu State following the emergence of the two lists and asked them to reconcile and forward their candidates for the inauguration.

Last week however, the two groups in separate statements in Enugu refused to shift their ground on their chosen candidate.

But reacting to the development, Ikedife said that Ohanaeze would not be cowed into doing what is unconstitutional, expressing regrets that some people were out to plunge the group into another round of crisis.

He said Ohanaeze was not a political party, adding that some of those who now want some people to be part of the new executive have never been interested in the affairs of the group and wondered on their sudden interest in a position allocated to the state.

The January 29 inauguration, Ikedife said that arrangements were in top gear, stressing that the outgoing executive would do all in her powers to enable the new leadership succeed.

He called on Ndigbo to pray for the success of the exercise, saying that the election of Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue would mark a new lexicon in the history of the zone.
Source: The Guardian, 13^{th January 2009.}

Enugu Ohanaeze groups differ over choice of scribe
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

THERE may be no end yet to crisis in the Enugu State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo over the choice of Secretary General for the apex-Igbo socio cultural organisation, following the insistence of the leadership of the groups in the state that there was no going back on the choice of their preferred candidate.

The state chapter had for sometime now been divided over Prince Richard Ozobu and Chief Nduka Eya as the preferred candidate for the position.

Following the division, the apex socio-cultural body, which held her national election in Awka in November last year, suspended the election of a secretary general, a position zoned to Enugu State, as the two groups came to the venue of the exercise branding parallel lists of candidates for the position.

While the group led by state Chairman O.A.U Onyema brought a list containing Ozobu as its preferred candidate for the position, the other group led by Ohanaeze Imeobi member, Chief Elechi Onyia (SAN) brought the name of former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Chief Nduka Eya as its chosen one.

In a statement circulated in Enugu yesterday, however, Onyema group stated that there was no going back on the choice of Ozobu as the Secretary General and urged the national leadership to inaugurate him.

According to him, apart from Ozobu, other officers elected to fill positions zoned to Enugu at the National Secretariat of the organisation, included Dons Ude (National Vice President) and Michael Nwakife (Assistant National Legal Adviser).

He said, Ozobu remains the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo having been elected at the congress of Enugu chapter held on November 27 at the Ohanaeze National Headquarters, Enugu. In accordance with rules of the congress, two officers from the Ohanaeze National Election Committee, Dr. S.C Chiaha and Chief Ethel Nebo-Ezeabasili were in attendance as observers and forwarded their report and the election result sheet with their comments to the National Election Committee of Ohanaeze. That report stands and nobody can change it."

But the Elechi Onyia group yesterday dismissed the statement with a wave of the hand, insisting that Eya remained the elected Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in line with the constitution.

Onyia, while reacting to the statement told The Guardian on phone, that Ohanaeze was not a political party, alleging that there was a plot by some group of people to cause crisis in the group by the imposition of a candidate, who was never part of the election.

He said: "Ozobu is being used to cause trouble in Ohanaeze. We have made our choice long before he was smuggled in. Ohanaeze is not a political party for anyone to do anything he likes. We have a constitution, which the Imeobi followed in the choice of Eya. We don't know this Onyema, he does not understand the constitution and whatever they are saying is nonsense. They should however, wait till January 29, 2009 when the inauguration will be made and we will see who will be sworn in."
Source: The Guardian, 9^th January 2009.

Ohanaeze: The task before Uwechue

By Emmanuel Obe

Saturday, November 29, 2008 marked another milestone in the history of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex social cultural organisation of the Igbo speaking people in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria and two South-South states and Rivers.

The venue was the Women Development Centre, Awka where the leaders and members of Ohanaeze gathered to conduct election into the soon-to-be vacant national offices of the body.

At the end of the day, eminent diplomat and former ECOWAS representative to Cote d’Ivoire on Peace, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, was returned as the President General of the organisation.

Uwechue, who has had a successful career in diplomacy and the academia, was before his ECOWAS job, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Ambassador for Peace in Africa.

His return was facilitated by a shadow election that was conducted a week earlier at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien where he was unanimously nominated as the candidate of the Anioma (Igbos) in Delta State for the presidency of Ohanaeze.

By the provision of the constitution of Ohanaeze, which provides for the rotation of the presidency, it was the turn of the Igbo in Delta State to produce the next president general.

Though flowing from the crisis that gave birth to the outgoing leadership of Ohaneze, the atmosphere did not seem quite smooth as it ought to be. The presence of one governor and representatives of three other governors showed that Ohanaeze was united again. The only governor absent was that of the host state, Anambra, Mr. Peter Obi, who the master of ceremony reassured the audience would soon join the party. But he never did.

The Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who was present, cleared every doubt that the governors were not united behind Ohanaeze. He said they were all working together for the interest of the Igbo race. Two former governors of Igbo states, Ogbonnaya Onu of old Abia and Ndubuisi Kanu of old Imo were present.

At the adoption of Uwechue in Asaba a week before the election, the former secretary general, of Ohanaeze, Col. Joe Achuzia (rtd), was present, thereby removing every vestige of doubt that the body was united. In fact, no court order was issued to stop the election.

Uwechue’s election was smooth. Not so for the election into the next most important position of the organisation. Because of the irreconcilable differences between the national leadership of Ohanaeze and the Enugu State government, a consensus could not be reached on who should be presented for the post.

Apart from the delay in the commercement of the programme, everything at the venue of the election had appeared to be going on smoothly until the outgoing President General, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, announced that there was a deadlock in picking the consensus candidates for offices zoned to Enugu and Rivers States.

Soon afterwards, the delegation and contestants for the posts of vice president and other positions zoned to Rivers State came forward to present their candidates, who were subsequently unanimously adopted by the gathering.

But the Enugu deadlock could not be broken as the backers of the two main contestants for the position of secretary general did not want to yield grounds.

At this point, Ikedife announced that the election into the office of the secretary had been suspended pending the resolution of the deadlock. He however quickly pointed out that the Imeobi (Elders Council) of Ohanaeze had met and taken a decision on the position of secretary.

Though Ikedife did not mention the position Imeobi took on the position of the Secretary, it was all over the place that it wanted elder statesman, Chief Nduka Eya, to occupy the post.

That position stood against the request by the Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, to allow Mr. Rich Ozobu, the younger brother of a former Ohanaeze President, Justice Eze Ozobu, to hold the position.

Ordinarily, when an effort at reaching a consensus to pick a candidate fails, the house would go into election proper where the delegates would vote for their preferred choice.

But the Ohanaeze leadership would not go that far. Ikedife said that election could disturb the peace of the organisation. Therefore, further consultations would be entered into to reach a truce.

But the reality was that Ohanaeze’s candidate would have lost the election because the Enugu State branch of the organisation was under the firm control of the state government.

And the convention of Ohanaeze is that it is the delegates from the states to which certain positions are zoned that elect the candidates from their state.

Ohanaeze’s grouse with Chime stemmed from the failure of the state government to give any support to the group when it hosted the last Igbo Day celebration in Enugu.

So, though it was conventional for the body to accede to requests and wishes of the governors of the Igbo states, this time around, the national leadership of the organisation is seeing the opportunity as a payback time for what the Enugu Government failed to do for it.

And who is to pay for it? Ozobu, who has had a history of service to Ohanaeze? Though Chime was not there at the election venue, his representative made a spirited appeal that his principal’s position on the matter be accepted.

The situation leaves an arduous task for Uwechue, who might have to start work next month without a substantive secretary.

First, he must have to achieve a rapprochement with Chime and the Enugu government, which must be carried along, if the new Ohanaeze must start on a strong footing of unity and peace.

Coming from Delta State, the new President General must first shake off the minority toga identified with Delta Igbos. As he himself said in his acceptance speech, there was no way the Igbo west of the Niger should not be accepted to lead the Igbo race if the Ijaw could adopt Chief Edwin Clark from Delta State in which they are minority as their national leader.

He recalled the price the Igbos of Delta State had to pay during the Nigerian civil when thousands of its vibrant young men were gathered together at village squares and shot dead by invading federal troops for being Igbos.

The Aniomas are also not known to be fearful. Nigeria’s political history would be gaping wide if mention is not made of radical elements from the area that led the first violent change of government in Nigeria. And mention must be made of the late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, who after leading the coup of January 1966, died fighting during the civil war.

But he appealed that the rest of the Igbos East of the Niger must provide support in the struggle ahead. He anchored his speech on the need for the Igbo to speak with one voice and join in the regeneration of the Igbo race, which he said had become imperative.

Lacking in central traditional and political leadership, the Ohanaeze comes in to serve as the rallying point for the more than 40 million Igbos spread across the world. What emanates from the leadership of the body could therefore have a great impact on the fate and resolve of the Igbo and indeed Nigeria.

In the past, Ohanaeze had come very close to charting a solid political course for the Igbo. But petty and narrow political interests of its leadership had squandered the legitimacy and strength of the organisation.

Not too long ago, the organisation was split down the line after its leadership voted to support the unconstitutional tenure elongation proposed by Obasanjo.

That slip by the leadership of Prof. Joe Irukwu ruined the effectiveness of Ohanaeze. It was good news that that factions within the body had fizzled out before last month’s election. But Uwechue must watch out for the proverbial banana peel.

Being an accomplished diplomat, observers expect that he would use his skills and experience to unite the interest of the Igbo leaders, who had in the past never appeared to find a common ground to pursue the interests of the Igbo people in the Nigerian polity.

Would the Igbo still pursue the dream of Igbo presidency? What about the cry of marginalisation? How far can the Igbo find markets for their countless traders and businessmen? Male dropout in schools; is the end in sight? Can Uwechue do anything about the rampaging gully erosions across Igboland? These and many more posers are waiting for the diplomat to find answers to as he steps in for the next two years to drive the boat^{of one of Nigeria’s largest and most vibrant ethnic nationality.
Source: Punch, 29th December 2008.}

Charge MASSOB members to court, Ohanaeze urges govt.
By Alex Kalejaiye

The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not comfortable with the continued detention of members of the Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), without efforts to arraign them.

Although the Igbo socio-cultural group would not campaign for the release of anyone found guilty of offence, it abhors violation of human rights, especially when such action is" rooted in pure malice, according to its president, Dr. Dozie Ikedife.

Reacting to the allegation of detaining about 2000 MASSOB members without trial, Dr. Ikedife, argued that such detention was paralleled to the tenets of democracy.

Ikedife said that although he was still waiting to be "informed" officially about the development, his approach had been that if anyone has committed offence, government should go ahead and arraign the person.

"It makes nonsense of democracy for people to be kept indefinitely in detention without any efforts to charge them to court, just because somebody does not like them", he argued.

The Ohanaeze leader said slamming over 2,000 able-body’s men into detention in an awaiting-charge situation, at a time the country is not at war, calls for concern.

Ikedife challenged the federal government to charge the MASSOB supporters in a competent court "if they have committed any crime or breach the law".

The fate of the MASSOB adherents had remained uncertain since the release of their leader, Chief Ralph Nwazuruike.

Some members of the group have lately accused Nwazuruike of betrayal. There were speculations that he has been warned against agitating for the release of his members in detention.

The government’s calculation, it seems, is to ensure the leader of the troubled group does not have enough foot-soldiers to cause serious threat.

Regional Administrator of the Movement, Mr. Alphonsus Ajuka, recently raised alarm that over 2,000 of its members were still being held by the federal authority.

Ajuka appealed to well-meaning Nigerians and the international community "to put pressure on the government to ensure their release from detention."
Source: Nation, 15^{th June 2008.}

Ohanaeze Blames North For FoI Impasse
FROM LAWRENCE NJOKU, ENUGU

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo rose from her meeting in Enugu, yesterday urging the speedy passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill, just as it declared that the delay in passing the bill was part of the northern agenda to hold political control of the country.

It said those against the passage of the bill might have realized that it would expose shoddy deals that go on in government and, as such, would continue to truncate efforts in ensuring that it received speedy passage.

Ohanaeze said when the bill is passed; Nigerians could now have the opportunity to make certain inquiries about government, adding that the bill would serve federal government's war against corruption, especially in high places.

At the meeting, presided over by the President General, Chief Dozie Ikedife, which may have signaled the end of hostilities in the Igbo apex organization, Ohanaeze also asked the South East governors to ensure the realization of an international status for the Akanu Ibiam airport in Enugu, insisting that several months after the federal government promised to upgrade the place, nothing has been heard about it.

At the meeting were former Enugu governor, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Rear Admiral Alison Madueke, Prof Ben Obumselu, Chief Ralph Uwazulike, Prof Offiah Nwali, Prof Uche Azikiwe, Prof Pita Ejiofor, Prof J.C.Ogbonna and Major General JOJ Okoloagu rtd, among others.

South East governors had, last month, given an endorsement to the Ikedife-led Ohanaeze as the authentic group to serve the interest of the zone till November this year, when a fresh election would be held for a new executive in the organization.

Following the recognition, the keys of the secretariat that were said to have been seized earlier by the former Secretary General of the group, Chief Joe Achuzia was released to Ikedife. Before now, meetings of the group were held in hotels.

In a communiqu? released at the end of the meeting, Ohanaeze condemned the alleged delay in the passage of the FOI bill by the Senate, insisting that 'external forces are at place to thwart the bill following the realization that it would serve as war against corruption in the country".

Ohanaeze challenged members of the National Assembly to live to their vows and pass the bill in the interest of the people of the country.

"There is no other way in which the people can feel proper representation unless the bill is passed and signed into law", it said.

The Organization observed that the economy of the South East has almost collapsed, due to epileptic power supply and urged the governors of the zone to take the lead in ensuring that alternative power supply was provided for the people to enable commerce thrive in the zone.

It further appealed to the federal government to find ways of bringing succor to South East zone, by ordering the repairs of vandalized pipelines in the area. The organization, lamented that for several years now, the depots in Enugu, Aba and other places in the zone have not functioned, adding that it has tripled the cost of petroleum products in the zone.
Source: The Guardian, 8^{th June 2008.}

OKEKE-OGENE : 'Ohanaeze Dream Is Dead, I'm Sorry'

Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, a foundation member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, personal adviser to the pioneer President-General, Justice Eze Ozobu, a representative of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) in the Ohanaeze Exco, served in various committees within the body and represented it at the annual World Igbo Congress for six years. He opened up to CHUKS COLLINS.

WHAT actually is the problem with the Ohanaeze leadership?

The problem is the ego of the leaders; nothing more, nothing less.

Then what is the way forward?

The way forward is a serious revolution, to inject fresh, young blood with ideas, drive and Igbo interests at heart, not personal interests.

The Southeast Governors met recently and adopted Dr. Dozie Ikedife as the accepted President-General. What is your take on this?

It's clear inconsistency on part of the governors. I have respect, regards for them, but as far as Ohanaeze is concerned, I hold the governors responsible.

How?

The previous governors at Abakaliki in 2005/2006 altered the stand given to Irukwu to deliver at Ebonyi, which never included anything on Third Term ambition of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The executive rejected it. But with the blind ambition of some of the governors, namely Dr. Sam Egwu, Chimaroke Nnamani and Achike Udenwa with the exception of Dr. Chris Ngige and Dr. Orji Kalu, they supported Third Term. Therefore, they lured Irukwu to say that the Ohanaeze executives would support whatever the governors decided on.

Dr. Orji wasn't present at the meeting and the other three governors that were there outweighed Ngige. Irukwu then said he concurred with them, contrary to the submission by Ohanaeze. So, it was these three governors, driven by selfish Third Term ambition that sowed the seed of confusion in Ohanaeze till date.

The crisis is far from being over. Thereon, they didn't relent in manipulating Ohanaeze into a PDP tool. They hijacked Ohanaeze for PDP with Irukwu and Co on the driving seat. Neither Irukwu nor Ohanaeze survived that Abakaliki self-inflicted injury and plot against the Igbo race. It gave rise to the PPA (Orji) forming a breakaway Ohanaeze led by Ikedife without other executives.

Orji then apparently started taking care of the Ikedife faction. In the light of this, indigenous Bishops from Southeast invited both factions to the Catholic Retreat Centre at Emene in Enugu. After three meetings, they resolved that:

Everyone should sheath his sword and to accept their verdict as God's intervention.

That they had prayed day and night before the meeting for the resolution to become the final.

That Irukwu be given a soft landing between June/December 2006, to remain in office while election holds in December 2006 for a new, united executive to emerge.

That a new constitution be adopted.

That any party that disobeyed the resolution would be doomed.

But Dr. Dozie Ikedife and Rear Admiral Ndubisi Kalu (retired) backed out. This now made Irukwu to continue, showing that the efforts of the men of God were in vain. The crisis then continued.

But the governors, who put the Ohanaeze into the predicament, met again but with new the face of Peter Obi as the chairman. They met at the Enugu Governor's Lodge and resolved that a committee, headed by the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Nnaemeka Achebe of Onitsha, Chief Ezeikpe, Ndubuisi Kanu and Senator Ellah, should re-organize and conduct fresh election within three months. They were also mandated to produce a new constitution for Ohanaeze.

Even within the committee, there was sharp disagreement as the alleged Kanu was imposing his opinion on them. Senator Ellah consequently resigned, and after few meetings without encouraging responses from key actors in the dispute, the Asagba became almost frustrated. And the committee went into coma till date. Within this period, Irukwu's tenure ran out and his group chose Chief Ifeanyi Enechukwu as acting President-General.

The present governors adopted Ikedife to conclude his onslaught against the PDP, despite the fact that prominent respected Igbo sons and daughters are in PDP. That's why Chief Joe Achuzia went on a solitary egocentric courtesy call to Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, the national chairman of PDP. He did not go or consult with any other person.

So, for how long would these elders play with Ohanaeze and Igbo destiny and sensibilities? It is clear and obvious that none is representing Igbo interest; if so, they would have listened to ordained men of God.

When did the Ohanaeze dream die, according to you?

Ohanaeze died after Chief Ben Nwabueze (SAN) and Justice Eze Ozobu, both learned men, could not agree on which of the two conflicting constitutions drawn by the same executive, should be used. Both men were Secretary and President-General respectively.

I have worked with Ohanaeze for decades and had remained within the leadership circle for nearly 20 years. I saw all of them not having any interest to hand over the baton to anyone. They chose to rather drop the baton inside their graves when they die instead of handing it over to anyone.

I regret my involvement in Ohanaeze. I am ashamed we did not achieve anything with the group, except endless crises. I regret the elders handed no knowledge or experience to us. I resigned my position as a factional Anambra State chairman of Ohanaeze and apologized for the inability to move the body and Igbo forward or reconcile our elders.
Source: The Guardian, 1st June 2008.

OKORIE: Like Afenifere, Ohaneze Must Define Its Role In Politics

Chief Chekwas Okorie was a member of the Igbo Forum that metamorphosed into Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1979. Former president of the Igboezue Cultural Organisation, he became the youngest member of the Ohanaeze strategic committee in 1995. In 2002, he founded the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), He speaks on the problems of Ndigbo, the crisis in Ohanaeze and the way forward in this interview with Samson Ezea

WHAT is the origin of Ohanaeze Ndigbo?

Ohanaeze has a chequered history. It has been going on and off crisis. I was there at the inception of the body. By 1976 when I followed my uncle, Prof. J.U Agwu to join the Igbo Forum, I was an undergraduate. The late Dr. Akanu Ibiam was the chairman of the forum; the late Justice Daddy Onyeama was the vice-chairman; the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the patron and incidentally the only patron Ohaneze has ever had. Chief Jerome Udoji was the secretary and my uncle; Prof. J.U Agwu was the Deputy secretary.

In 1979, it was changed to Ohaneze Ndigbo; the new leader became the late Chief Mathias Ugochukwu, a business tycoon and the then traditional ruler of Umueze in Anambra State. Being a businessman, he aligned with the NPN-led federal government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Dr. Alex Ekwueme as the vice president.

The NPN easily penetrated Ohaneze and that made Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to be annoyed and he withdrew from Ohaneze though he did not formerly resign as a patron. And going with Zik were Jim Nwobodo, then Governor of Anambra State and Dr. Sam Mbakwe of Imo State, who were members of the NPP with Zik. With NPP's pull out, Ohaneze became more of NPN affairs.

That was the first crisis and it lasted for a long time until about 1983 when Ohaneze was re-organised and people started coming, calling for the removal of the organisation from partisan politics. The organisation never made any impact or sign of protecting and promoting Igbo interest.

The time of recovering fully again was after the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Panel in 1999. It was in the panel that the body made such a wonderful presentation that restored the confidence of Igbos in it. So, the credibility of the body was rekindled, and we thought we could keep it. But unfortunately, by 2003, another group had infiltrated the Ohaneze, this time trying to get the body to endorse a Presidential candidate.

I warned them, as somebody, who had been there for a long time. I was there before Professor Ben Nwabueze left the UBA to join the organisation; I was there before many of these people. I remember vividly that those who were there before me that are still there now are few.

When they came up, trying to endorse General Nwachukwu, I vehemently fought against it. I said, "We are now going to make the same mistake we made several years ago. It is better Ohaneze did not dabble in politics but if we must do so, they should look for a platform and not a candidate."

I insisted that instead of taking General Nwachukwu, they should take the APGA as a platform. That stalled the discussion that day because the plan to endorse Nwachukwu had been completed. But to change the arrangement and talk of platform brought a lot of confusion and Ohaneze was saved from dabbling in partisanship.

Things became worse when Prof. Joe Irukwu became the president-general of the organisation. He is from my own side of Igboland. I came strongly against his emergence, as president of the body. He might be a boardroom guru, an academic of repute and a professor of insurance law but he does not have the necessary qualities to lead Ohanez- a group that represents people that were under siege and he was too much of an establishment man to lead Ohaneze.

We were not just looking for somebody who's rich but somebody who was self-contented. And I did not see Irukwu as somebody, who was contended. But before we knew it, his insurance company had fat accounts with the NNPC and other government bodies. The language of Irukwu changed immediately. Everything became pro-Obasanjo. He carved out so brazenly in support of the failed Third Term of Obasanjo.

To lay strong foundation for the agenda, the state executives of the organisation were anointed by various PDP State governors in the South -East and card- carrying members of the PDP were chosen as the state executives of the organisation. The governments started hosting Ohaneze meetings. We know that he who pays the piper dictates the tune. Because of that, Ohaneze went into full partisan politics with the PDP.

Knowing that the president of the body had a leverage to reap bountifully from government, the struggle to become the president of the body began. Prof. Irukwu said his tenure was no longer for two years, whereas the Ohaneze constitution says two years. I was part of the people that wrote the constitution. The Ikedife group said no, that Irukwu's tenure was for two years.

Now for the first time, we had a factionalised Ohaneze. When we wanted to resolve the differences, they brought the governors, who are neck-deep in partisan politics. I think Ohaneze is in a deep mess. It will take a long time to extricate it from the bidding of politicians.

I don't see the future of Ohaneze. Igbo people are not very inclined to cultural organisation. When the Igbo State was strong in the First Republic it was because it directly aligned itself with the NCNC. Except we now change Ohaneze and make sure it is not a partisan organisation so that people can relate to it as belonging to any party like Afenifere. Afenifere does not pretend about its political agenda for the Yoruba.

Ohaneze say they are not political yet we play more politics than others do. It is difficult now to remove it from the grip of politicians but we better re-orientate the organisation. Ohaneze should choose a platform to control and the Igbo people can choose who will represent them.

Don't you agree that the constitution of Ohaneze that gives more power to the secretary-general than the president is a major problem of the body?

Prof. Ben Nwabueze tampered with that aspect of the constitution, no doubt, because that was not what we did. We tried to oppose it because I felt that what he was trying to do was turn the body into a Soviet communist party where the secretary is more powerful. Even if he meant well, that could fall into the hand of somebody who would abuse it. That was not changed.

The moment Irukwu became president and Col Joe Achuzia emerged secretary; he began to invoke those sections of the constitution, trying to use them against Irukwu. Irukwu and Achuzia never worked in harmony from the beginning because of the powers of the secretary, as stipulated in the constitution that Nwabueze tampered with.

Is true that the election that brought Ikedife to power was stage-managed by Chief Orji Kalu to actualise his political ambition?

No. That is not true; people are mixing up things. As a matter of fact, the election that Orji Uzor Kalu played a major role in was the one that produced Joe Irukwu. That election was conducted in Owerri and they manipulated the election planning committee.

It was part of our arrangement that the presidency would rotate across the member-states in alphabetical order so it was the turn of Abia. There were people like Dr. Ume Eleazu, Prof. Anya O Anya and even Ndubuisi Kanu, who were interested. But Orji Uzor Kalu fenced them off and said that Abia had brought three people from three senatorial zones - Joe Irukwu from Abia North, Chief Adiele from Abia South and Chief Bob Ogbuagu from Abia Central.

The arrangement was that Ogbuagu and Adiele would step down for Irukwu. The plot was hatched and Irukwu emerged unopposed from Abia State. The other contestants were not allowed into the ball; they were excluded from participating as delegates. That was the one that Dr. Kalu played a major role in.

One thing about this Third Term of arrangement, Prof. Irukwu turned around and made Kalu a target. Kalu became a victim of Irukwu's allegiance to the authorities in Abuja because Orji was now in confrontation with Obasanjo. The monster Orji created became a monster against him.

In the case of Ikedife, factions were already there, and Orji Uzor Kalu already had a face-off with Irukwu. The Ikedife group, looking for support to be ahead of the other faction, found Orji Kalu very attractive. Kalu, too, knowing that his own brother whom he installed had turned against him, found the Ikedife group attractive. He did not install the Ikedife group but he gave them adequate support in all fronts and they, in turn, endorsed his candidate in 2007 presidential election. The moment they endorsed his candidature, Odumegwu-Ojukwu reacted by saying that Kalu was a political misfit. This was because he did not accept that the Ohaneze should endorse anybody as a presidential candidate.

Do you think that the endorsement of the Ikedife-led group by the Southeast governors is the solution to the problems bedevilling the body?

No. I said it earlier in my opening statement. The crisis can never be resolved like that. Ohanaeze's involvement in partisanship will have to be redefined. If Ohanaeze wants to be involved in politics, it must redefine its mission in politics. It can begin to pretend that it is a non-politician body. It has to go back and do what Afenifere does so that it can become clear. We have much to do to correct the damage. It took us years to correct that mistake of aligning with the NPN in 1979; now the PDP has done another damage to us, it will take us years to come out of it.

There is the belief that the Igbo have no leader. Do you agree?

The republican nature of the Igbo people is not a disadvantage; that is what propels them to be very enterprising. Igbo people recognise their leaders and they follow them sometimes sheepishly until those leaders disappoint. The late Azikiwe was not an Igbo leader; he was a Nigeria statesman. Without planning it to be so, he became a rallying point for Igbo politicians and the intelligentsia. Majority of Igbo people were inclined to the NCNC in the First Republic.

In the homefront, Dr. M.I Okpara showed such purposeful leadership and selflessness that if you paired him and Zik for a contest, Okpara would have easily won in Igboland. The good thing was that they worked together. Our people did have the difficulty as to whom to follow. There was no divided attention at all because following Okpara was like following Zik. That paid off even after the Civil War.

Just nine years after the war, the same Zik reared his head, knowing that our people had lost self-esteem, as a result of the defeat during the war. Rather than aligning with the octopus - the NPN, he went to the small NPP in order to give it a coloration of an Igbo platform so that his people could use it to restore their dignity. And it worked. The two Igbo States then were won by the NPP and they were able to get allies in the Middle Belt - Benue and Plateau States. That was a major achievement.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

IKOKU: Ikedife Is Acting As Sole Administrator Of Ohanaeze

Chief Guy Ikoku spoke to LAWRENCE NJOKU in Enugu on the leadership crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo and suggested ways of solving it.

COULD give us the origin of the Ohanaeze?

Ohanaeze Ndigbo started in the 70s when the military handed over to civilians. You then have the problem in Igbo between the haves and the have nots and most of us, the younger generation coming out of the war, said we must assert our independence as a people and that we were not a conquered people.

By then there were those who said they belonged to the older generation and they wanted to go to where there was money; most of them were in the NPN (National Party of Nigeria). So, they did not take kindly to the idealistic assertions of the younger generation. Of course, you know that the NPP (Nigeria Peoples Party) cleared the eastern zone; that is old Imo and Anambra States and so they formed Ohanaeze as a pressure group of the elderly mainly to confront the younger generation or track the person into line with the NPN-controlled federal government.

But over the time, it didn't work and so there was a metamorphosis, to try and get everybody on board. With everybody now agreeing that Ohanaeze should remain the apex cultural body for Ndigbo, it was agreed that it should not be partisan, politically so that everybody could identify with it and then we talk about Igbo interest.

It does not matter what political party you are in but the thing that will unite the Igbo is what matters. That is how it came to be stabilized as a non-partisan cultural body so that over the years you see that with the overwhelming acceptance of Ndigbo, the philosophy of Ohanaeze was also translated abroad for our people as a cultural body embracing all the cultural groups and tribes in Diaspora. That is the basic origin.

What happened along the way?

After sometime, you found out that people, who were in actual partisan politics and wanted to canvass for platform, wanted to use Ohanaeze as an instrument. And it always led to friction and division. In recent times what had happened - and it's clear to everybody - is that Ohanaeze was being dragged into partisan politics. And many people in Ohanaeze even the people in PDP, resisted Ohanaeze being used for a third term objective of Obasanjo even the people in PDP.

Ohanaeze itself had a position paper on Ohanaeze interests at the Abuja conference to reform the polity. But Third Term was not part of Ohanaeze's agenda because we knew that with such a term, other zones would be shortchanged.

There was this cleavage at Abakaliki - the presentation of Ohanaeze position on constitutional review. And I call it a mistake by the leadership then of Prof. Joe Irukwu. When they were asked, they said that the (Southeast) governors had identified with the Third Term and they spoke for the people. You can see the problem there, and most Igbo rejected that notion. Governors speak for themselves when it comes to such matters because most of them were being intimated by the EFCC, which was an instrument of coercion by Obasanjo to toe the Third Term agenda even when most of them were not for Third Term. They also knew their people were not for Third Term but they could not say so openly. The same thing was applicable to the legislators at the federal level except the few who were courageous in the National Assembly to oppose it publicly

Was there another factor at play?

The other issue was the tenure of Ohanaeze. Many people within Ohanaeze said the tenure was two years but others like Joe Irukwu and co said it was four years. That was immediately they were sworn in, that there was a committee headed by Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu to amend the Ohanaeze constitution to elongate the tenure and that the committee actually elongated the tenure from two to four years.

But many of us said, yes, even if the Iwuanyanwu committee reviewed the constitution and was recommending four-year tenure, under the Ohanaeze constitution is procedure for such amendment. You have to call the Imeobi, you have to call the General Assembly and you have to pass it by way of resolution, given a formal notice to amend the constitution. And if you get the requisite majority of two-thirds or whatever is prescribed by the constitution, then the constitution will be amended.

That was the point of division and it was carried on till the point that it split the organization. So sub-groups decided to summon an Imeobi as a pressure group and to insist that it is two years that the executive should be dissolved for new elections. This matter was taking to various elders, traditional rulers, Bishops and Attorneys-General of the five States and they said that having looked at the circumstances, it should be two years until the constitution was properly amended.

Even the Archbishops said it, but added that two yeas was too short and that when it was amended, they would recommend three years so that any new executives would have the first three months to take over formerly and two and half years to work and then the last three months to disengage for a new executive, which makes sense. That has not been effected yet; it is just a recommendation from that panel of clergymen.

Then the governors met on August 12, 2006, called the stakeholders on both sides of the divide in Enugu here, and agreed that an election committee should be set up headed by the Asagba of Asaba. Senator Francis Ellah of the blessed memory was a member; Rear Admiral Ndubisi Kanu was a member because he was leading the Lagos and other groups who said it was two-year tenure and then the Obi of Onitsha. It was a four-man committee with guidelines to conduct an election in 2006 for a new executive.

The Asagba went abroad for medicals and did not come back until the end of October. That committee, before then, had met once or twice and had appointed seven election officers from each of the States including Rivers and Delta (Anioma) area, who would supervise the elections in their own States and collect nomination papers; and supervise the delegates' election for States in accordance with the constitution. The election date was set for November 4, 2006 and the General Assembly to be preceded by an Imeobi on November 3 at Umuahia.

WHY the stalemated Umuahia election?

Something happened: the tragic accident of the ADC aircraft at Abuja in which Sultan Maccido died and the whole country was thrown into grief. Almost at the same time, Irukwu and others went to court in Enugu here, because having waited to see to the implementation of the guidelines for delegates' elections - and that was not happening, on the basis that if a General Assembly were held in Umuahia, delegates would be appointed. Just like what is happening in elections in Nigeria - some persons will sit down in their hotel rooms and write lists of delegations without election. That would not be democratic.

So, they took out an action in Enugu High Court, suing the election committee: that the election should be withheld until delegates were properly elected in accordance with the Ohanaeze constitution, because what they advertised in the papers was that stakeholders would arrive in Umuahia for an election.

The constitution of Ohanaeze does not recognize stakeholders. You cannot stay, for instance, in your bedroom in Enugu and start writing names of delegates for Anioma when there is an Ohanaeze executive in the state in Anioma. They are the ones to call their people to a general meeting, accredit them and send their names to the zonal electoral officer, to the General Assembly and to the Imeobi. It is a very simple procedure; the same thing will also apply in all the States. There are state executives of Ohanaeze in all these States and they have not been dissolved. But that wasn't done and it was the reason for the court action, to compel them to adhere to the Ohanaeze constitution.

I was one of those canvassing that there should be a General Assembly to elect a new executive. I was at Umuahia and when we got there, we found that on the third of November, which was a Friday, when an Imeobi should be meeting, the Asagba of Asaba, who had returned from the United States and was briefed about the pending court actions, said no; that Ndigbo could not go washing their dirty linens in the public. After due consultations, he postponed the General Assembly of Umuahia until further notice or consultations to do the right thing in accordance with the Ohanaeze constitution. This was also on the network on that Friday at Umuahia and all of us saw it because it was so widely broadcast; many delegates from the States did not show up.

So, the Imeobi for that Friday did not have a quorum and all of us attributed it to that broadcast and announcement. How can you hold an election when the chairman of the electoral committee has postponed it? Like in Nigeria, if INEC said there wouldn't be any election in Enugu State, that they were postponing it due to certain logistics or other factors, could the Enugu State governor then call his SSG to come and conduct an election in Enugu on behalf of INEC? It is not possible with INEC when other electoral officers are absent and then you say it is an INEC conducted election.

You see our people, who have read political science, who are observing the Constitution, the electoral laws are in the forefront telling the president and so on, don't rig the elections, don't do this; Iwu we want credible elections and so on. Why will you now do the contrary? If you do the contrary, you lose the morality. You see what happened at the National Assembly? How can the presiding officer in the House of Reps inflate contracts without due process and then he will be the one to set up a sub-committee for oversight functions to probe ministries and other agencies?

How did the participants take it in Umuahia?

It was not taken well by the general populace but they insisted in Umuahia that election must go ahead. So, on that Saturday morning, the Obi of Onitsha came as a member of the electoral committee and was told there was going to be an election. The man said he wouldn't be part of it. That he just came to pay respect for Ndigbo with his Prime Minister, former Attorney General of the Federation, Ofodile (SAN) and said they would just attend to opening session and leave. He advised that the meeting should get a committee to go and meet with the Asagba and the electoral committee and he left.

Immediately, they appointed Onyenso Nwachukwu to chair the session and Uma Eleazu, who is a doctor in Political Science and Economics, to be a returning officer. There were some delegates from the World Igbo Congress and they asked for our views and we said we should select a committee to go and meet with the Asagba. But they insisted there must be an election even without the delegates. The only group that came with a delegation was Anambra State where Dozie Ikedife is the chairman of Ohanaeze. And I want to tell you that he is still the chairman because his executive has not been dissolved. What it means is that he is doubling both as chairman in Anambra State and protective president at the national level. It does not work; it is not possible. Obasanjo or Yar'Adua cannot be president of Nigeria at the same time a state governor. You have to relinquish one.

So, the Anambra delegation met, selected delegates and they were there. No other State did that kind of delegation. When they called for accreditation of states, Ebonyi was not there absolutely; Rivers State not there absolutely; Anioma, Enugu, Abia and Imo States were not there, as delegations. How can six States be absent and you say you are holding an election?

Eleazu protested, saying that with the absence of all these people, it was not easy to conduct an election. But they insisted on election or a kind of appointment. They started with the president and it was only Ikedife. Most of us said we would not subscribe to that kind of procedure and we did not submit any forms. The Monsignor of the Catholic Church, who is Anambra's electoral officer, was not there and he was the person who collected all the nomination forms and supervised the delegates' election in Awka. He was absent and so how then do you accredit the delegates from Anambra?

We have tape recordings of the whole thing. There was no election. But funny enough, they got a judge to swear them in. Orji Uzor Kalu gave them N6 million. Babangida was there at the Government House, Umuahia. An Ohanaeze meeting, which was supposed to be at the Michael Okpara auditorium, was moved into the Government House, which was again unusual because the Michael Okpara auditorium was free. Babangida came and greeted all of them and I asked why the presence of Babangida and why move the event to Government House, Umuahia? We don't attend election of the Arewa or Afenifere and why should that of Ndigbo be different if not that somebody was fuelling it.

So, the next thing we started hearing was that there's a new executive of Ohanaeze. We said, okay, if Ikedife is the President-General, who is his Secretary? The position of Secretary-General was zoned to Ebonyi State, and they have not nominated anybody. There is supposes to be five chairmen, one for each Igbo State; they have not nominated. There is supposed to be a deputy president and that deputy president is to come from Anioma (Delta), which is the Asagba's constituency. They have not nominated any deputy president. So, Ikedife has no deputy president; he has no vice president, no secretary-general. Who is his treasurer, who is his financial secretary, who is the publicity secretary, who are the ex-officio members? All these are lacking and so what you have now is a sole administrator, a one-man executive.

In order to give himself credibility he started aligning with Oji Kalu. It is now history but we all saw it: that Ohanaeze under Ikedife started attending rallies of the PPA (Progressive Peoples Alliance). You see them seated at even political rallies for the presidency. They held Igbo Day at Awka, which the governors said should be cancelled. But Ikedife went ahead with Governor Peter Obi and held one where they were given N17 million, as we understand, to organize it. What happened on that day? They presented a plaque to Orji Uzor Kalu, as the new Igbo leader. Is that the Ohanaeze? It has become so partisan.

Ikedife issued a statement on the presidential election: that all Igbo persons, who vote for PDP or Yar'Adua would be ostracized or excommunicated. It was giving very wide coverage and used for the election: that Igbo were against PDP and Yar'Adua. The elections had come and gone and he (Ikedife) now finds himself in the minority in alliance with AC and PPA. Is that the Ohanaeze we are canvassing for?

WHAT have you to say about the Governors' recognition of Ikedife?

Now, to complicate the whole thing, the governors met some weeks ago and said that they had endorsed Ikedife, as the president-general of Ohanaeze. A one-man executive? The governors lack the jurisdiction to do a thing like that because in their earlier meeting, they had asked that all cases in court should be withdrawn. There are four cases in the Enugu High Court here. The second case was by the Ikedife group, saying that Irukwu's group should no longer parade themselves as officers of Ohanaeze because their tenure had expired long time. There was an injunction to that effect by the court; there was an appeal against it and that is why it is still in court. So, the secretariat now is without any officers.

Another action from lawyers in Lagos said Ikedife and any other person working with him should come to Enugu High Court and tell the court why there shouldn't be an election of Ohanaeze executive. But if they said they held an election in Umuahia, to tell the court what kind of election took place and who were those elected with Ikedife.

It is unfortunate the whole thing is this way. As a people, it reduces us in the estimation of other Nigerians because the questions will be whether there is a one-man Afenifere; do you have a one-man ACF in the North? Absolutely not! The case is filed for them to come and show whether there was an election in Umuahia and to submit to an election under that committee of the Asagba. They had not put up an appearance in court, which means they do not want to submit themselves to a court in Igboland. The case had come and adjourned and they had not put up any appearance and so the Lagos lawyers have filed a motion for judgment. The motion came up two weeks ago and had been adjourned for this (last) month of May.

Meanwhile, Ikedife has ignored traditional rulers, who have said there should be a new election under the constitution and went to the governors through Peter Obi and they came here to say they were recognizing Ikedife as what, because he told them that they should, on their own, nominate people into his so-called executive to fill the vacancies? How can you do that without a General Assembly? It cannot be done. You have to have an election so that people can fill the vacancies. Under the constitution, any state that is given the secretary-general will present three names for that post, and the General Assembly will pick one of them. It is not for one man to decide because like a governor, who works for Ohanaeze, he will certainly influence the action of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

So, that is the crux of the matter right now. We want to build a credible Ohanaeze that is devoid of partisan politics. Members of Ohanaeze can belong to any political party of their choice. We have no problem with that, but on Ohanaeze platform itself, they cannot bring their partisanship to bear on Ohanaeze so that it becomes an appendage. We might lose our credibility; Ohanaeze will not be able to speak independently for the Igbo and in the interest of Igbo.

That is the procedural requirement and if there is the need for amendment of certain clauses and so on, it is the General Assembly that will do that, and not the governors sitting in their offices. The governors cannot amend the Ohanaeze constitution because they are members of the General Assembly, they are members of Imeobi and not synonymous with Ohanaeze. They were elected by their own political parties. But Ohanaeze comprises people of different political linings and therefore, should always do things that are in the interest of Ndigbo to get all the governments in Igboland to harmonize their policies and activities to integrate the Igbo.

What the Ohanaeze stands for is cultural integration of Ndigbo, a pressure group to get the Federal Government to give Ndigbo their due in infrastructure and so on. The roles should be integrated, if there is a road from Enugu here that should continue to Onitsha, you can't stop at Abia and turn round again to get to Onitsha. This is what Ohanaeze stands for: to bring back our culture; in education to get Ndigbo into technical education or college of education and not partisan politics. That is exactly where we are now.

Could the Irukwu executive still be recognised?

Irukwu and his executive had resigned and so, there is no executive at the moment. They had written letters calling for an election. Ikedife didn't have an election in Umuahia and he's only one parading himself as the sole administrator of Ohanaeze. He should come and have a proper election. All the States of Ohanaeze with their executives should, in accordance with the constitution, elect their own delegates according to the guidelines.

He cannot predetermine the outcome of an election sitting down in his bedroom. That is why we are blaming the government and INEC. Why can't we do it the proper and democratic thing? Ikedife can contest for the presidency of Ohanaeze. He is eminently qualified like any other candidate, but he cannot appropriate it to himself to the exclusion of others. These are issues.

But it does not appear that Ikedife is operating alone. He has leaders and elders of the zone backing him?

What I am saying is that there should be rule of law and that is the origin of this problem. Those who do not know the origin of this problem, maybe his friends, associates, when he was Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) for Shehu Shagari in the NPN, will say this is my friend and they will put their muscle behind him. They didn't attend the General Assembly at Umuahia and then they go by what they read in the newspaper and so on.

Look at what we are doing in PDP. Every state we went to had three or two groups and each of the groups would attend our hearing with massive number of vehicles and people. In Anambra, the two major groups came with almost 200 vehicles. So, if we go by this, we may not look at the constitution and guidelines and every member of the group can do anything he likes because they have people that have come with them. This kind of thing does not give one legitimacy. If there is legitimacy, it becomes less expensive. You don't have to spend money to rent crowd or induce people.

Based on circumstances in Ohanaeze, there is a general feeling that it has nothing to offer Ndigbo in the polity.

So, what organization can then be relevant? The zone or people cannot be naked like that. It is like saying there is no well-meaning Igbo and things like that. There are so many well-meaning Igbo but they should be given the structure and platform to perform and to bring credibility to Ndigbo. That there are few individuals of queer character does not mean that Ndigbo has nothing to offer. Afenifere has similar problem; they split into three and you know that. Only the ACF in the North is more or less intact because they have had a proper succession for leadership.

What is the way forward, looking at the pronouncement of Southeast governors?

The governors call for all cases in court to be withdrawn within four weeks but none was withdrawn. What they should do now is to call the stakeholders of both contending sides to a meeting and not select a one-sided meeting of stakeholders. They know what to do, like the stakeholders that came for August 12, 2006 meeting. If you convene them, it is those stakeholders that will go and withdraw the cases from court with their lawyers. But before they do that, the governors must fully accept that there should be a new election by the electoral committee with the guidelines and they will agree with what is obtainable in the Ohanaeze constitution.

If they like, let them set up a constitution committee and give them four weeks to write a new constitution for Ohanaeze to the satisfaction of everybody. Then call a meeting where these things will be agreed upon and then on that basis, you set up the structures. If you like, you can set up the structures at the state levels and after that at the national level.

Do things correctly. If you don't do things correctly, can you preside over anarchy? Can the governors usurp the jurisdiction of the courts? They can't because the court is just an arm of government. So, the governors must respect the judiciary in doing their functions especially when the matter is sub judice. There are three or four cases in court and the proper way of resolving cases in court is by judgment or discontinuance by parties that went to court. Parties will have a freer mind to discontinue when they know that the alternative is for rule of law and constitutionality in the interest of the people not otherwise. They cannot withdraw the cases only for you to hand absolutely illegal conception to a sole administrator.

I believe the governors are not being properly advised. They should go and look at the provisions of the constitution of Ohanaeze, as they (former governors) did on August 12, 2006. They should revisit all the memos written then and call for an election. They should call the Asagba of Asaba and discuss with him on why the election did not hold then and his programmes. There are Ohanaeze executives in the States still intact and you cannot brush them aside no matter your thinking. They should be highly involved if we must resolve this problem.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

Azikiwe, NNUBIA: Igbo Suffering Due To Ohanaeze's Crises

Chief Chukwuma Azikiwe, the eldest son of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief I.G Nnubia, the Anya of Ihembosiin Ihiala Council of Anambra State, have reacted to the lingering leadership crisis in the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo...They spoke to Chuks In Awka

Azikiwe:

BECAUSE too much water has passed under the bridge and hence made seeking room for compromise relatively far-fetched, let them go for an election to choose a new executive.

Since the 2007 Igbo Day celebration disagreement, where the two sides refused to yield to the other's views, it really narrowed down room for any compromise and many now see election as the way out. I am ready and willing to play a role in making peace.

It's disheartening that we allowed the last administration to insult our vision and focus by manipulating the entire organisation. Many of the elders found themselves either becoming docile or speaking from both sides of their mouth. It was unacceptably strange to learn of another 'constitution' which provided for a term of more than two years for the executive, other than the one, which was presented to some of us. I was given a constitution, which provided for a two-year tenure, which I accepted and was convinced to encourage others to accept it, too.

The zone suffered untold pains under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. We were even the greatest victims of election rigging in the country under that regime, until what his party men then described as the Tsunami of 2003 in the Southwest when he struck and left his people speechless.

I, however, wish to caution that Ohanaeze was a dream with an aim and vision. It is only men with passion for that dream and vision that can save the organisation now. Unfortunately, some of the foundation members, who still hold on to the dream like our brothers from Rivers State, have warned that they may pull out if the crisis is not settled soon. This crisis of confidence has robbed us of many development projects.

Chief I.G Nnubia:

I AM not happy with the goings-on in Ohanaeze, and it's the same for many other true and patriotic Igbo. Those at the helm for whom we hold to high esteem have disappointed us. They have been playing with our collective sensibilities as the prolonged leadership and ego clash has robbed the Igbo countless opportunities and development both in terms of national and international appointments and projects.

Ohanaeze was expected to be a rallying point for the people but unfortunately, it has not been so. There's now urgent need for the leaders to come together and once again have a common front. Let us stop giving our enemies and opponents the opportunity to play with our destiny and collective will.

Our competitors and outsiders know that no government in Nigeria can stabilize or excel without Igbo's support. It's unfortunate the former executive allowed the former President to manipulate, use, disagree and dump them. Let us, however, put everything behind, conduct fresh election and choose a new executive.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

IKEDIFE: We Shall Reunite Igbo

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-political body of all Igbo has for years been factionalized. But recently, the Southeast Governor's Forum chaired by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, succeeded in harmonizing organisation under Dr. Dozie Ikedife, as the president-general, who barred his mind to CHUKS COLLINS in Awka.

HOW has the struggle been to unify Ohanaeze Ndigbo under one umbrella?

The struggle has been on for quite sometime. It's like the fight of the lizards - they don't draw blood, but there are strong feelings on both sides. We are all happy it has now been resolved in my favour and everybody is encouraged to come under one umbrella once again under the leadership of Dr Dozie

Ikedife, as the president-general of Ohanaeze Worldwide and the Ikenga-Nnewi.

I also wish to say that we have our hands wide open, ready to accept anybody who was on the other side of the divide before. The battle is over and the issues have been resolved. We are willing to forget the past and move forward. We are not going to point accusing fingers especially on those who earlier went round confusing and misinforming people. The battle is over.

While the struggle lasted, we lost a lot as a people; we lost relevance, we lost positions, we lost cohesion and we even lost trust and focus. We lost initiative in every thing. We ended up speaking in diverse and opposing views, thereby confusing our audience, especially when someone says one thing and another person says shut up, you are not our leader or spokesperson. So, no one knew whom to deal with. The disagreement actually cost the Igbo a lot of opportunities, even in governments and political parties.

What is the agenda for restoration?

I don't have any personal agenda but a general Ohanaeze agenda. But we must first of all come together, to talk with one voice. We are already articulating programmes, like the Southeast Economic Zone. We are urging our people to henceforth think less as an Enugu State man, an Ebonyi man or an Abia man, etc. Think more of an Igbo man, and with bigger number, you'll be able to tackle bigger economic, political or social issues.

Certainly, we need communication, power generation/distribution, etc. We need to work together. If we develop, say, Abia State alone, it will not make proper impact. But you have to develop all of them together - Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta, Rivers, etc. Then we can say we have started. We have enough of good and bright ideas; we only need to convince the people that this is the way we should all go.

What is the position of Ndigbo in contemporary Nigeria? Could you say you have arrived?

Obviously, we have lost a lot of ground and are still losing. But I have strong faith in the Igboman's ability to survive. The Igboman is, in fact, like the typical beetle, which cannot be killed. Our detractors know our weaknesses and have been exploiting them. We shall overcome all these and become relevant because even in the big political parties, the Igbo are not relevant. An Igbo, for example, is the chairman of PDP, but his position is a very weak one when you have the chairman, Board of Trustees that can overrule not only the party but also the government.

It is shameful (please, permit me to digress a little) for anyone to talk of a party ruling this country for the next 60 years. That sounds very ominous and dangerous. It is not good for democracy. Even among those who have practiced it for long, you may get someone ruling for so many years but you have to change hands. Honey is sweet but if you go on eating only honey, you won't have balanced diet. Even in Communist countries, they have tried continuous unchangeable leadership and have all ended up finding it counter-productive. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is unfortunately shortsightedness for anyone to think and say he's going to rule for the next 60 or 100 years. No one thinks or says such in a proper democratic environment. Change is the only thing that is permanent in life, and we must allow room for change. We need to have a sustained conscious opposition to help you put checks and balances, do a re-think; otherwise, it becomes a train rolling uncontrollably down the hill.

Many say that some Igbo turn their back on their people once they get to higher office.

No, it's a broad generalized statement. But mind you that most of them are in positions where they can do absolutely nothing. They are marked round about, hence cannot take meaningful decisions, or implement meaningful programmes outside what they have been ordered to do.

Igbo are never cowards but we don't have the opportunities. It is until you are given opportunity to play before you can be assessed as a poor, moderate or excellent player. If the leadership of this country is given to an Igboman, he will certainly lead the country aright. When people talk of shift of power, there are aspects of power you cannot shift in Nigeria. The economic power is where it is: not in the hands of the Igbo. The same with bureaucratic power, the military power, etc.

All we are saying is let the leadership be given to an Igboman because we are broad-minded; we don't think about ourselves first. That's why you say they turn their back on their people. They depict broad-mindedness, accommodating and never wanting anyone to feel bad.

Have Ndigbo in Diaspora and the World Igbo Congress really been effective in activities here at home?

They are most invaluable part of the Igbo nation. No one can ever quantify the amount of help, assistance, impetus and encouragement they are giving the Igbo at home; so don't ever mess with them because I will come out fighting in their defence wherever they are. Other Igbo in Diaspora organizations are also doing their best notwithstanding that not long ago, a functionary of Ohanaeze was touring the globe, confusing people, giving them all kinds of information and wrong signal. But presently, we hope all that has come to an end.

However, no one should blame anyone who goes ahead to set up another body, especially when someone was going round collecting money from people and making them chairman here, chairman there, Eze-Igbo here, Eze-Igbo there. It bothers on criminality but that phase has come to an end and henceforth, all the organisations know where to go and who to talk to.

Talking about Eze-Igbo here and there, this has become a disturbing trend. Which is the way out?

The stand of Ohanaeze on this has not been given wide publicity. We believe that wherever the Igbo are, they should come together and have leadership and spokesman, and not to have, say, you are Eze-Igbo in a foreign country or state outside Igboland. It sounds illogical and improper. It is a desecration of our custom.

You can only become Eze-Igbo of an autonomous community, and not for a collection of people in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos or wherever. Do not act as if you are translocating the Igbo environment where you are. You may imitate it but you do not translocate it because you are desecrating it by so doing. You need leadership, you need advisers to the leadership but they should be given proper name that depicts that role.

How worthy is the institution of a Hall of Fame/Shame for deserving Igbo sons and daughters?

It has been there and we have been honouring distinguished Igbo sons/daughters. During the last Igbo Day celebration, we combed out a few of them and honoured them. The other side of it - Hall of Shame - is a little bit delicate to put someone's name, as having qualified for the Hall of Shame because if he's alive, he will fight or his people will do the fighting.

But suffice it to say that the voice of the people is that of the spirits. Anyone who performed poorly need no other special induction or ceremony to know he's qualified for the Hall of Shame. There are certain Igbo today that wherever you mention their names no one wants to associate with them because they are already in a hall of shame where they put themselves even without formally hanging their names on the wall somewhere. However, we need to be more vocal in condemning iniquity, evil and unpatriotic act. We should be more vocal about it. The ignoble list currently exists in the hearts and minds of the people.

Which areas in the electoral system would the Ohanaeze see reformed, now that another opportunity has come?

The most important area that needs reformation is to introduce punitive element against those who perpetrate electoral fraud, rigging or prevention of actual voting but ending up with handwritten results. Anybody found guilty of having committed any electoral offence - it should be made part of the Electoral Act and Constitution - should be barred from holding or contesting for any public office at whatever level, for 10 years or even for life. That will begin to bring sanity. It will also include those who procure people to perpetrate the offences on their behalf.

Another important thing is that election petition tribunals should be made to conclude the cases before the date of swearing in of the new elected persons. This will enable the person to face the work with the necessary concentration without having to go up and down the tribunals, and worry over whether to start implementing his programmes or not.

Also if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is found lacking or deficient in anyway, it should be dissolved, and new members reconstituted. At times, it appears we tend to perpetuate iniquity. For example, whoever conducted the last election cannot say he has done very well, Therefore, he should not be allowed to organize bye-elections as ordered by the tribunals.

Are you satisfied with the current level of government/people's relationship? Do you think the government is carrying the people along?

There's still a lot to be done. We are, however, hopeful that when President Yar'Adua settles down, he will tackle some of them.

How far with the issue of a new state to be carved out of the Southeast zone to bring it at par, at least with some other geopolitical zones in the country?

It has been raised, discussed and agreed. Discussions are still going on, but what is worrying me is that some people may go to hang on to a particular proposal without considering other possible proposals. Such a situation again may end up portraying us as speaking in diverse tones.

Won't Ohanaeze come in early for such discussions to be appraised and concluded internally before going public formally?

Yes, Ohanaeze is involved and we are discussing it. But at this stage, it may be counter-productive to begin to discuss it in the media. We are certainly discussing it.

A preview of the probes into the last eight years of democratic rule in Nigeria has revealed a lot, especially as the Igbo nation appeared worse-off. What do you advise President Yar'Adua?

The president should first gather the information and avoid surrounding himself with sycophants and praise-singers, who would be feeding him with twisted information. He should thereafter do well to remedy the anomalies.

The only painful thing is that you hear these things (allegations); songs and dances are made of them; committees created to look into them. But soon the accused persons walk home with all the loot happily. It doesn't make any sense. Any looter should naturally be made to vomit it and should swallow some bitter pills of his wrongdoing. It's not enough to write in the newspapers that so and so has been found to have stolen such amount of money. Then the National Assembly, FG, EFCC, ICPC, etc., set up this and that committee, after which the issues die down.

It looks as if the committees were usually set up to douse the fire. For example, a certain Inspector General of Police was disengaged from service compulsorily and arraigned for allegedly stealing huge sums of money. He was arraigned amidst fanfare but was later jailed ridiculously six months, which made him walk away to his house from the court. Simply put, he did not feel any punishment. That will not stop any other person from committing the same or similar offence again. And his successor has already been indicted and no one knows what is going to happen.

These make things ridiculous and it looks as if we are just joking, as everything is swept under the carpet. Now, the underside of the carpet is full; let us sweep no more. If we want to be respected by other countries of the world - because they are watching and judging us - there's no need spending billions to launder your image when what you need is simply to launder your cloth. Then your laundered cloth will launder your image for you.

Let us clean up our acts so that other nations will see some seriousness or resemblance of it in us, not when we wallow in iniquity, we make songs about it and then do nothing. No one will take us serious no matter how much we spend on CNN, BBC or Voice of America, trying to say we are clean.

In Igbo language we say that, agugo amu-ibi bu kponie akwa gi, meaning if you are accused that something is wrong with your anatomy, then raise your dress to expose that anatomical part to clear yourself. If we are accused of being corrupt, let us show that we are not, by not being corrupt not just by saying we are not, we are not.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

Ohanaeze Ndigbo ...Trouble In The Family

Despite efforts by some interest groups from the zone to resolve it, the protracted leadership crisis in the Igbo apex social-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo appears unabated. But the Dr. Dozie Ikedife- led faction of the body says the problems are over, going by the recent endorsement by the Governors of Southeast States. SAMSON EZEA takes a cursory and retrospective look at the origin of Ohanaeze, and the crisis and efforts the resolve it.

THE Igbo are among the earliest races to practice democracy, as monarchical institution makes their skins crawl. As republicans, power has always been with the people and bodies that appeal to the masses. In earlier times, authority lay with the elders and the first male child who belonged to a council called the Ama-Ala. Married women, known as Mgboto or Umuada that wielded immense authority, usually complemented their efforts. The youths (Umu Okorobia) carried out law enforcement and other directives from the above two bodies.

Though there are parts of Igboland that imitate foreign forms of government, these are generally alien to the Igbo traditions (Igbo enwe-eze). This is why the British colonists found them a hard nut to crack during the build-up to colonisation.

Before the Nigerian Civil War that erupted in1967 due to political differences between the then military administrator of the Eastern Region, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the General Yakubu Gowon-led Federal Government, the Igbo were more united, strong and focused than any other ethnic group in Nigeria. By the time the war ended, things had fallen apart, as the centre could no longer hold for the once united people. They came out of the war traumatised and divided due to alleged roles played by some individuals against the people's interests and wellbeing. It was alleged that some Igbo played the role of saboteurs by divulging secret information and supplying arms to the federal troops. That brought about name-calling, conspiracy and suspicion among them at the end of the war.

It was learnt that in a bid to articulate and evaluate their positions in the pre and post Nigeria civil war that the likes of Late Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Dr. Michael I Okpara and other prominent Igbo citizens came together to form the 'Igbo Forum' in 1976. Akanu Ibiam was the chairman of the group while the late Dr Daddy Onyeama was the vice-chairman. While the late Chief Jerome Udoji was the secretary and Prof. J.U Agwu the deputy secretary, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe became the patron.

It was through the activities of the Forum that they realised that they had lost all their positions in the affairs of the country and that the 'No Victor, No Vanquished' pronouncement of General Gowon after the war was a mere political rhetoric to calm frayed nerves at that moment. Following this development, they decided that there was need for the Igbo to have a common front to articulate, propagate and protect their interests in the affairs of the country.

In 1979, after the military handed over power to the civilian government, the Forum metamorphosed into the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the late Chief Mathias Ugochukwu became its president. However, Ugochukwu, being a businessman, aligned himself with the National Party Nigeria (NPN)-led Federal Government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari with his Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, who incidentally came from Anambra State. It was alleged that Ugochukwu did that to protect his business interests and those of members of the executive like Udoji, the late Joe Nwankwu and others at detriment of Igbo interests.

They felt that the NPP-dominated government in the zone was too utopian, idealistic and forward and that they were pushing the zone into the opposition instead of mainstream politics, as canvassed by Ekwueme and his group in the zone.

The Southeast governors then comprised of Chief Jim Nwobodo of Anambra State and the late Sam Mbakwe of Imo State, together with the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) presidential candidate in 1979 general election, Dr. Azikiwe, protested the partisan political position of the Ohanaeze. That resulted in the battle for supremacy between Nwobodo and Ekwueme over who controlled the state (Anambra) and the organisation during the Second Republic. In the scheming, Nwobodo teamed up with the young generation of politicians in the zone while Ekwueme was in alliance with older generation of politicians in the zone. The older generation wanted to lord it over the younger generation but they rebuffed it strongly.

In 1983, there was agreement among them to stop the infighting especially on social-cultural front. That brought about internal reformation in the organisation to distance it from partisan politics. They started having normal joint meetings between the (Oha) - the people and (Ndieze) - the kings. Following the amendment of the organisation's constitution, the kings (Ndieze) were empowered to have their own forum considering their status and position in society. After taking their decision, they would meet the representatives of the people at the IME OBI. The organisation has state executives in the seven States of the Eastern Nigeria comprising Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Imo, Anioma (in Delta State) and Rivers State.

In 2003, attempt by the Ohanaeze to endorse General Ike Nwachukwu as the president candidate of National Democratic Party (NDP) created ripples and deep crisis in the organisation but it was later resolved.

However, the current crisis rocking the organisation started when Prof. Joe Irukwu emerged as its president for a two-year term, according to the constitution of the group allegedly drafted by Prof. Ben Nwabueze, its former secretary for years when the military was in power. The constitution stipulates that the secretary is the accounting officer of the organisation, thus giving more power to the secretary than the president.

After Irukwu's inauguration, the Ohanaeze executive saw the need to amend its constitution by setting up the Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu committee, which recommended a four-year term. It was read to Ime Obi. Though noted, it was not adopt it because it had not become law yet.

Irukwu and his secretary, Col. Joe Achuzia, started having differences at the early stage of their administration over who controlled the organisation. Irukwu subsequently summoned all Ohanaeze state executives and fired Achuzia. That was in their first month in office. But the Ime Obi summoned Chief C.C Onoh, Eze Ozubu and others and they told Irukwu that he could not fire the Ohanaeze secretary like that. Meanwhile, Achuzia's people in Anioma (Delta State) had protested the Irukwu moves. They accused him of marginalising their people in the Igbo affairs. Achuzia later took the Ohanaeze constitution and registered it at the Enugu High Court - that their tenure was two years.

But in a twist after the Ohanaeze Ime Obi meeting in Enugu in May 2006, Prof. Irukwu declared:

"There is only one Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which has Prof. Joe Irukwu as president-general and Col. Joe Achuzia as secretary-general with elected national officers that constitute the national executive committee, NEC, inaugurated for a four-year tenure on 31st January 2004. The term of the present Ohanaeze leadership will expire on 31st January 2008."

He was strongly opposed by the Ohanaeze Transition Committee (OTC) led by personalities like Ndubuisi Kanu. The OTC moved the headquarters away from Irukwu. But Irukwu insisted that 7, Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu, was the secretariat and headquarters of Ohanaeze. Every effort by various Igbo citizens and groups to convince him to bow out proved abortive. After reviewing the constitution, all interest groups agreed that it provided for a two-year term.

On August 12, 2006, the Governors of Southeast called a meeting of stakeholders of the two sides in Enugu. They resolved that the constitution provided for a two-year tenure that the two years had elapsed. So, they constituted an election committee headed by the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien with the late Senator Samuel Ellah, the Obi of Onitsha and Ndubuisi Kanu as members. They were mandated to meet and get produce the necessary guidelines, as stipulated in the constitution of the organisation and hold election between October and November 2006.

The bone of contention was whether the Irukwu-led executive had been dissolved, but the governors were silent on this. Irukwu continued in office but his greatest undoing was his support for the controversial 'Third Term' agenda of former President Obasanjo against the position of the organisation.

Under the constitution, Chief Ifeanyi Enechukwu, as the deputy-president of Ohanaeze, wanted Irukwu to hand over to him in writing. Irukwu refused knowing the implication of such an action. Rather, his resignation went to the executive, which, however, agreed that Enechukwu, being the deputy president, should be acting until the Ime Obi met to decide on whom to nominate from Abia to complete Irukwu's tenure.

Following the Governors' resolution, the Asagba of Asaba met with his committee members and set out guidelines for the General Assembly. They agreed that there should be seven electoral officers from the seven member-states of Ohanaeze. They agreed that the election would take place in October or early November of 2006. Then the Asagba travelled overseas for medical check-up and came back by October ending.

Before his arrival though, Ndubuisi Kanu was reportedly restless, thinking that there was plan to sabotage the committee. Thus himself, Chris Okoye, Dozie Ikedife, Emeka Onyeasor and Elechi Onyia (SAN) allegedly decided to summon the General Assembly for the election in the absence of the Asagba of Asaba. They announced a stakeholder meeting at the Mike Okpara auditorium, Umuahia.

However, the Irukwu faction protested to Prof. Edozien four days to the meeting and obtained a court injunction stopping the meeting. But the meeting was shifted to the Banquet Hall, Government House, Umuahia. Still, a day to the meeting, Prof. Edozien announced its cancellation because of the ADC plane crash that occurred a few days to the event. But investigation revealed that it was because of the suit instituted by the Irukwu group against the electoral committee.

Thus, the turn out of people, especially members of Ime Obi was very poor at the meeting. Dozie Ikedife, who was then chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Anambra State chapter, came with his full executive. There were individuals from other member-states but they were not representing their various state executives or elected delegates. Kanu was advised to adjourn the meeting till the election committee met. The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Achebe came in the morning but left immediately when he realised that nothing genuine was happening.

Still, the participants forged ahead with the 'election', picking Dr. Ume Eleazu as the returning officer. Crowds were allegedly rented within the Umuahia metropolis and election was conducted. Anambra was ordered to nominate a candidate for the president and it nominated Ikedife. Ebonyi was to nominate the secretary but there was no delegate from the state.

It was alleged that immediately Ikedife was nominated as president, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, came out to congratulate him. Former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, who was then governor, reportedly gave the Ikedife executive some millions of Naira to take off.

In a bid to resolve the crisis, Chief Mbazuluike Amaechi enlisted the traditional rulers from Southeast. A meeting was summoned in Enugu and later rescheduled for Owerri, chaired by Mr. C.I Ilomuanya, chairman Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers. Prof. Edozien attended the meeting, likewise the delegates from the two factions.

The question that was posed to Dr. Ikedife was whether he had an executive. He had no secretary, no treasurer and other executive members. The meeting agreed that there was need for a properly organised election for Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The battle by Igbo politicians to use the organisation to achieve their political ambitions in the 2007 general elections contributed immensely to the polarisation of the body. It was alleged that the real reason for Ikedife's insistence as the president was the pressure from Orji Kalu, who wanted to use the organisation to achieve his presidential aspiration of Nigeria. Ikedife was disposed to endorsing Kalu as the Igbo candidate for president but was strongly opposed by the Irukwu camp.

Investigation also revealed that the crisis has affected the World Igbo Congress (WIC), the umbrella body of Ndigbo in the Diaspora as pro and anti-Kalu members are allegedly at each other's throat over who controls the group.

Despite suits instituted in court by various factions to the crisis, which are still pending, the Southeast governors recently endorsed the Ikedife-led executive as the authentic leadership of the Ohanaeze. But mixed reactions have trailed their action. The question is has peace returned to the organisation? If not, when will it that happen and when will it live up to expectation in protecting and propagating the interest of Ndigbo?

By November this year, the Ikedife executive's tenure will expire and there will be elections to elect a new executive, with the president-general emerging from Anioma in Delta State.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

Why Ohanaeze crisis persists, by ex-leader
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

FORMER President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, His Highness Eze Ozobu yesterday hinged the problems of the zone on the issue of leadership.

He, therefore, called for spiritual cleansing, if the Igbo must entrench themselves in the nation's political mainstream.

Ozobu said that the attitude of the leadership of Ndigbo to issues bothering on the zone was responsible for the problems its people were undergoing at the moment. He explained that the development triggered off the leadership crisis which had in the past two years fictionalised the apex cultural body.

The monarch stated that it would be an exercise in futility to continue to call a truce among the feuding members of the Ohanaeze, since, according to him, self-centeredness, lack of respect for constituted authority, greed among others, which have crept into the leaders, would not allow any peace effort to be achieved.

He said the leadership of the Ohanaeze must first believe in the oneness of the zone and her people as well as see themselves as servants for the crisis to be checked.

Ozobu, a former chief judge of Enugu State, said that he had since leaving office as president-general of the organisation some years ago, resisted moves to be drawn into the crisis by shunning meetings called by governors of the zone among other interested parties.

He advised that his action was hinged on the belief that there was nothing in the first place that could have happened to cause divisions in the leadership of the body, insisting that events that have taken place around Ndigbo since the country's independence calls for serious sober reflection to find ways of moving the zone forward for the good of the people.

He said: "I know too well that it was the easterners who insisted that the white men should go even when the other zones never wanted it. This could be the cause of our problem in this region. You can imagine how the country has thrived since independence, how steps have been taken to address imbalances among other things. And I want to ask, how many did we get from it all?"

"We are the weeping child of every administration. The attitude of our leaders in the zone has not helped matters and that is why we will continue to suffer. I have therefore, called for this spiritual cleansing so that in the event of God being annoyed with us, probably based on the role we played during the country's independence, he could at least exercise some mercy," he added.
Source: The Guardian, 22^nd May 2008.

I’m acknowledged worldwide as president-general of Ohanaeze — Ikedife
Written by Chioma Gabriel

Dr. Dozie Ikedife was recently approved by the South-East Governors Forum as the authentic president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a move which was not accepted by Joe Irukwu/Joe Achuzia faction of the group which claimed the governors have no right to approve or disapprove anybody as authentic leader of Ohanaeze or otherwise because the socio-cultural organisation has no business with politics.
In this interview, Dr. Ikedife bares his mind on the problems plaguing the group. Here are excerpts.

I was elected 2006. It is not an elevation.

There was no faction. You need to be corrected. There is one Ohanaeze and at the end of the term of one executive, another executive assumes office. And when the former executive led by Chief Joe Irukwu completed its term, they wanted to extend it unconstitutionally. I was elected president-general, November 4, 2006, at Umuahia. I took off in January 2007.

So, any other person claiming to be any other thing or the president-general of Ohanaeze other than myself is just beginning. That would be contrary to the constitution of Ohanaeze which brought our Joe Irukwu and Joe Achuzia into office. It is the same Ohanaeze. Now, they wanted to extend their tenure along with the spirit of the extension of the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

They wanted another term in office and we said no. And since 2007, I have been working and I’m now acknowledged all over the world as president-general of Ohanaeze. Any other person would be a pretender, either Joe Irukwu, Joe Achuzia or whoever it is. But finally, they have now succumbed to the truth of the fact that their term was long exhausted and finished.

Now, these governors of the South-East were just confirming what their predecessors have already acknowledged as far back as January 2007 even before the general elections. Leadership of the churches in the South-East has acknowledged me. The leadership of traditional rulers in the South-East has acknowledged me and 95% of the people of the South-East worldwide has acknowledged that Dozie Ikedife has been the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo since January 2007, detractors and pretenders notwithstanding.

Anybody can claim to be anything. This is a democracy. If for example, someone tells me he is Mr. Bush and goes further to say he is the president of United States, it is either the person is hallucinating or down-right a liar or a pretender or even an actor. And I would not kill him because it is democracy. But down the line, he may realise the folly of what he said.

Let me answer that. Number one, No. 7 Park Avenue is not the only address in Enugu or Igboland. I have been operating as the president general of Ohanaeze. My operation does not depend on 7 Park Avenue. It does not depend on an address. That is the secretariat given to Ohanaeze by former Enugu State governor, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo. But any rascal can go and lock up the place.

And I want to also tell you that we went to court because Achuzia held the key to No. 7 Park Avenue and was pretending to be secretary-general of Ohanaeze which he ceased to be in 2006. Now, an Enugu High Court on January 24, 2008 issued an injunction against him, Joe Irukwu and Mr, Ifeanyichukwu Ememchukwu restraining them from pretending or parading or answering or addressing themselves or allowing themselves to be addressed as functionaries of Ohanaeze.

That is a court order which is still subsisting. It has not been discharged. And if Achuzia says in the open that he is the secretary-general of Ohanaeze, let him be arrested for contravening a court order and therefore he should go to prison. That is the legal position today.

We are fighting our cause together but we cannot run away from the fact that this is a democracy. People must say their mind whether they sound sane or insane. We don’t punish them for that. But the facts are sacrosanct. The facts are well known. I can tell you that I enjoy at least the support of 95% of Ndigbo both at home at abroad. All the Igbo organisations that are affiliated to Ohanaeze here in Nigeria and outside, in towns outside South-East, towns outside Africa are affiliated to the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Now, anybody can go about claiming that he is this or that whereas he is neither.

Yes, we can fight our cause together but it is not easy for ten or twenty people to share a common view on anything. And I can tell you confidentially that some detractors, some people who are conscious and afraid of Igbo leadership are flaunting surrogates and puppets to give the impression that there is no unity among the Igbo. These are third agents, fifth columnists. Today we are not talking about Ebonyi, Imo, Abia or Enugu. We are talking about South-East economic bloc.

Now the South East governors are talking together, irrespective of the political parties they belong to. They are now talking of interest of the people of the South-East in a united economic front. That’s what we are talking about. And of course, there would be detractors who would say they don’t agree with what this or that person said. And those doing it are doing so because of the price of being paid to them.

Well, it is a matter of personal conviction. People are more interested in a mesh of porridge with no consideration for people or for tomorrow. All we can do is feel sorry for them for their short-sightedness. And then, you can pray for them.

When your enemy drums for you, don’t dance. That is an old saying credited to Okotie Eboh. That many Igbo came out to contest the position of national chairman of PDP is an indication that there is a plethora, an excessive number of people who are qualified for that position. And I tell you, that position is not even worth fighting for because the position of chairmanship of PDP is worth nothing at all because as long as the constitution of the PDP has the position of chairman of Board of Trustees who is more powerful than the rest of the party or even the government set up by the party, the chairman of the party is just an errand boy. So, it’s not worth fighting for.

Now, you said Igbo are being used against Igbo, I have already told you that a few people were planted to destabilise the Igbo structures on the ground. It is not even only the Igbo structures. It has gone in many spheres. It is just unfortunate that we allowed ourselves to be cajoled into playing these destructive fifth columnist roles.

Look at the organisation APGA. It was formed to be relevant and significant but the leadership tussle, either man-made or created has frustrated its growth and hindered it from expanding to other parts of the country. There are other bodies that have been infiltrated and made impotent. So, the situation of Ohanaeze is not a surprising thing. The Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political and Arewa, the Hausa group have also been equally decimated and made not as powerful, not as united as it used to be. It is not peculiar to Ndigbo. But such criticism of Ndigbo should not make us sad. It should make us think.

This is a phase and Ndigbo would soon get over it. Once the face of the mask has been opened and we know who it is, things would become a little bit different and we will certainly come together, speak together with one voice for the benefit of Ndigbo and for the benefit of the rest of the country.

So, one should rest assured that your own time will make a difference in this direction?

I can’t promise you that. I will only do my best. It is for God to perfect everything. All I can tell you is that I’m a thorough-bred Igboman with all the faults and I will serve them to the best of my ability.
Source: Vanguard, 4^{th May 2008.}

Ohanaeze Ndigbo: A group divided against itself
Written by Chioma Gabriel

There is a common place saying amongst the people of South-East Nigeria that Igbo enwe eze,a phrase which literally means that Igbo don’t have a king. Indeed there are kings, ezes and obis amongst the people but the phrase depicts the individualistic nature of the people. You can hardly get the entire Igbo to pay allegiance to only one man. This makes it easy to manipulate and decimate their ranks. History told us that the earliest attempt to find an institution that would hold the people bound to a constituted authority was not on ground, a move that led to the emergence of warrant chiefs who were appointees of the colonial government.

Despite this attempt, the people always fell back to their normal way of life and by the end of the civil war, 1967-1970, the battered Igbo nation saw itself seeking a platform to speak out her frustration, a platform under which her ego would be massaged and her battered psyche renewed.

Many Igbo are yet to believe that the Civil war of 1967-1970 is really over because of the unenviable place of Ndigbo in the present day Nigeria. Cries of marginalisation of the people by the powers of the day are still renting the air. Those who subscribe to the fact that the war is over still think Ndigbo are being treated like defeated people despite the pronouncement of ‘no victor, no vanquished. Anytime Ndigbo sit down to evaluate themselves and their participation in the country they call their own, they don’t fail to realise that so much is still left in their imagination. In the midst of the rest of the groups that make up Nigeria, it is very evident the people have been left out in the cold.

1. Worse still, the fact that the people cannot work together has not helped matters. That Ohanaeze, the pan-Igbo group founded just like Afenifere or Arewa Consultative Forum has waned in influence and can no longer speak for Ndigbo is more evident with each passing day.

Where the people easily blame others for inability to take their proper place in the present day Nigeria, they have failed to look inwards to know where they are constituting problems for themselves. It is easy to blame fifth columnists who in turn would blame other fifth columnists for the problem of Ndigbo. But who are the fifth columnists in Igbo land? The fact remains that where one finger is pointing at something, the rest will be pointing back at the pointer.

It, therefore, means that the Igbo people need to go back to the drawing board and separate the chaff from the substance. It is not a strange thing that an Igbo person in an elevated position would not like to help the next. When an Igbo man reaches the peak of his ambition, he assumes a national toga. He stops being an Igbo man and becomes a Nigerian and begins to make nationalistic statements. He becomes King to those who feed from crumbs from his table. Hence, as many Igbo as there are who manage to get to certain dignified position either in government, politics or business are Kings . They feel hesitant to make new Kings so that they don’t lose their position of Kingship.

Whoever it was that dreamt about Ohanaeze Ndigbo and brought it into existence as a platform for the people to speak from a common position perhaps did not imagine it would come to this.
Ohanaeze has been impotent for quite sometime, speaking from two sides of the mouth. The organisation has two factions but you don’t know who is who because ‘there is no art to find the mind’s construction on the face.’
So, who is the real Ohanaeze? /Irukwu/Achuzia or Dr. Ikedife faction. Saturday Vanguard tries to find out.

Rtd. Colonel Joe Achuzia is the secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Joe Irukwu faction. In this encounter, he insists that nobody has been elected to replace him and Joe Irukwu as secretary general and president general respectively of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and until that is done, anybody claiming to be the president general is fake and should be disregarded.

He also said the South-East governors are politicians and as such have no mandate to choose the peoples’ leaders or acknowledge anybody as one. And on the court cases which acknowledged Ikedife as president general, Achuzia said the group was formed by the people and as such nobody has the right to make decisions on behalf of the group as he reveals in this encounter.

Sir, should we say that the factions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo have been united with the South-East governors’ acknowledgment of Dr. Ikedife as president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo?
I don’t agree with your assertion because the governors did not reach Ohanaeze and whatever they are doing, they are no authority on the socio-cultural organisation. If they want to say anything to Ohanaeze, they should write us and call us to a meeting. They cannot sit in their office and say what they like.

We realised there was a court order restraining you from parading yourself as secretary-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo...

It is not possible. Ohanaeze is a cultural organisation of Ndigbo. It is not a government parastatal. So, it has no business with anybody coming to lord it over us or telling us what to do. If it is that way, it means any court can rule against you and say, you are not an Igbo person. Stop parading yourself as an Igbo, It is not possible.

So, when is No. 7 Park Avenue Enugu going to be opened up for Ndigbo?

Until Ohanaeze holds a proper election. When we hold a new election, then a new secretary general will emerge and I will handover to the person.

Things will continue to be this way. Ndigbo cannot speak with one voice again?

We are speaking with one voice. I haven’t been speaking with many voices.

If Ohanaeze has not held a proper election, who is Dr. Ikedife?

If Ikedife has respect for Ohanaeze and he needs to reach the secretary general, he should do so. There is nothing like he being acknowledged president general by Ohanaeze worldwide. There is nothing like Ohanaeze worldwide. There is one Ohanaeze and every other group is an appendage of that one body.

t accept the fact that 95% of Ndigbo have accepted him as president general of Ohanaeze?

No. No election has been held to replace Irukwu and Achuzia. Before an election could be held, the executive of Ohanaeze will appoint those who will first of all start new elections from the local governments. Each governor has Ohanaeze executive in his state. If they want, they could call the executive of their states who will tell them the stand of Ohanaeze on the national basis.

The governors we have today are new people. None of them has ever attended Ohanaeze meeting and they don’t know the stand of the pan-Igbo organisation on many issues. And it is a shame for someone to manipulate these new people because all the files of Ohanaeze and the minutes of the last meeting held are at No. 7 Park Avenue which contrary to the opinion of many, is still open for business. Anytime you come here, this office is open for Ohanaeze business and you always meet me here until there is a new proper election and new people are elected to replace me and Joe Irukwu.

So, who will reconvene the meeting of Ohanaeze now?

Myself and the executive. I’m the secretary general. When the executive asks me to convene a meeting, I will do so.

But this place, No. 7 Park Avenue is not always open for business?

It is not locked up. Last week, we had a lot of activities here. There were functions all the time. Anytime you come here, you will meet me. This place is never locked up. There is only one Ohanaeze which is the one former president Joe Irukwu is president general and he operated from this office.

I, Chief, Colonel Joe Achuzia (rtd), is still the secretary-general. Ikedife was the chairman of Ohanaeze Anambra State but he was suspended because of the misbehaviour of his executive July 2006 and a new ad-hoc executive was put in place. Anyone who speaks for Ohanaeze must speak from here, No. 7 Park Avenue Enugu. Let these people who are outside stop parading themselves as Ohanaeze and allow Ohanaeze to play its role as it’s been doing all these while.

s unity?

That’s not correct. Ohanaeze is not a political party. We are not supposed to play politics. Ikedife and his group are playing politics with a socio-cultural organisation and that is what we disagreed with.
There are 36 political groups in the country, which one do you want Ohanaeze to ally itself to? We are not interested in political groups in the country. We don’t interfere in political crisis. We are a socio-cultural group. Political crisis does not concern Ohanaeze. We are elected on the condition that we don’t play politics, we don’t belong to any political party.

What do you feel about Ndigbo in the present day Nigeria. Is the civil war really over?

We have to separate politics, economy and cultural. Ohanaeze is concerned about the socio-cultural life of Ndigbo. So, when you talk about position of Ndigbo politically or economically, you mix them up. We are a socio-cultural group. We are one faction. Forget Dr. Ikedife and what he is parading himself as. I have told you Ikedife is a doctor doing his job. If he has time to do something for Ohanaeze, he has been accorded with what Ohanaeze wants.

There is no point challenging him because I have never seen anything he has said so far that requires me challenging him and he, Ikedife, has never heard me criticising him publicly or say something that is not in accordance with Ohanaeze mandate. We have a constitution. We don’t hold meetings with traditional rulers. They have their own forum and we don’t challenge that. So, you cannot say anybody has been acknowledged by traditional rulers because we don’t hold meetings with them.

That is not the way the pan-Igbo group does things. And we have not been challenged from the way we do things.
What people are doing is trying to divert the organisation from its usual way of doing things but we are holding fast to the mandate of how it was supposed to be. So, it must not dabble into politics.

So, what are you promising Ndigbo? Will you save Ohanaeze from going down by making sure the factions become one?

There is one faction. If Ikedife wants to work with me, he knows he is free to reach me anytime. That’s how Ohanaeze is. I don’t play to the gallery or try to go outside to criticise him on any issue. If anybody in Ohanaeze has any problem, he brings it up in the Ohanaeze Forum and we discuss, not on the pages of newspapers.
Source: Vanguard, 4^{th May 2008.}

South East Governors Resolve Ohanaeze Feud
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

THE tussle over the leadership of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was finally laid to rest yesterday with a unanimous affirmation of Southeast governors that the Chief Dozie Ikedife-led executive remained the authentic leaders.

The governors also decried the perennial shortage of petroleum products in the zone and called on the Federal Government to urgently repair the Aba-Enugu-Makurdi NNPC depots, as well as the vandalised pipelines.

Rising from a meeting, which lasted more than four hours, the governors, who met with the factions within the group, resolved that Ikedife would continue in office till November, when his tenure ends.

Anambra State Governor and Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, Mr. Peter Obi, who briefed reporters after the meeting at the Protea Hotel Nike Lake, Enugu revealed that the contentious tenure of office of elected executive of the group had been restored. He hoped that the resolution would end the disagreement within the group.

For over a year now, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had been factionalised following the insistence of the Chief Joe Irukwu-led executive that they were elected to serve a four-year tenure, which would expire at the end of the year.

After much pressure to quit office without success, some members of the group broke away to conduct an election, where Ikedife emerged as a factional chairman.

At the peak of the crisis last year, Irukwu had resigned from office and handed over to Chief Ifeanyi Enechukwu, even as the internecine struggle for power shifted to the Federal High Court, Enugu.

The governors had urged the warring factions to withdraw the litigation and a committee headed by Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi was set up to find ways of resolving the imbroglio and bring a return to united Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Obi told journalists that the governors were unanimous in their resolve that Ikedife was the authentic president general of the group and called on Ndigbo to give him support. He added that the group was the only recognised organisation that could represent the Igbo.

Also at the meeting were Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, his Imo State counterpart, Mr. Ikedi Ohakim and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Mr. Chris Akoma.

Earlier in a communiqu? read by Obi after a separate meeting of the governors at the Exco chambers of the Enugu Government House, the governors lamented that the Southeast depots had been abandoned for several years, following reported vandalisations.

They rejected the excuse by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) that the three depots were unproductive as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals.

"This is no longer tenable because the depots in other parts of the country suffer even more vandalisation and are yet functional," the governors said.

Furthermore, they proclaimed their preparedness to assist in the surveillance of the pipelines if needed and expressed willingness to help in the repair if the Federal Government permitted.

The governors also announced that in furtherance of their earlier resolve to facilitate the formation of Southeast Nigeria Economic Commission (SNEC), they had agreed that each state would be represented in the SNEC steering committee by its Economic Adviser or Chairman of Economic Advisory Committee.

While affirming that meaningful economic development could only thrive under a peaceful environment, the governors called on the people of the zone to support governments' efforts to ensure peace and progress in the Southeast.
Source: The Guardian, 12^{th April 2008.}

Ohanaeze and the fate of Igbo

Southeast Bureau Chief, , in this piece, evaluates the effects of the division within the rank of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, and the recent efforts of five Igbo governors on the development of the South Eastern geopolitical zone.

WHEN the five governors of the South East and leaders of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo met in Enugu, Enugu State, few months ago, expectations were high and there was hope that the two major warring factions of the pan-Igbo group would soon end their feud, especially as the 2007 general elections had since ended with the Igbo loosing out in the major political office open for occupation.

Many political watchers had said that the people of the South East ought to have learnt their lesson from remaining in disunity. In fact, the first signal that it was not going to be easy for the Eastern state chief executives in resolving the crisis in the Igbo union was when it became obvious that only members from the camp of the Dr. Dozie Ikedife-led were in attendance at the meeting held at the Nike Lake Hotel, located at the outskirts of Enugu metropolis. The Professor Joe Irukwu-led group was conspicuously absent from the meeting. This heightened speculations that there was no end in sight for the protracted crisis in the union.

The meeting, which was held in two stages, lasted for several hours into the night of Friday. Investigations conducted by the revealed that the governors held their own meeting before joining members of the Igbo socio-cultural association. The one-page unsigned communiqué issued at the end of the meeting stated that the troubled Igbo group had only one constitution, which specified two-year tenure for its elected officers. According to the communiqué, “the is not divided, just as the unity of the members was not negotiable. We appeal to all Igbos to embrace peace and unity.”

As a matter of fact, the position of the elders, according to a source who preferred to remain anonymous, was that the national convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Abuja recently had shown that the Igbo had been marginalised in the party “which arguably is the soul of the country.” The intrigues and horse trading that characterised the emergence of the eventual winner of the party’s national chairmanship tussle, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, had further exposed the problem of as they could not muster enough influence to be involved actively in the selection of their son as the national chairman of the party.

A few hours to the convention, bookmakers had narrowed their permutations to two major contenders, former Governor Sam Egwu and Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, both of Ebonyi State. The reason, as pundits claimed, could be the fact that major stakeholders in the PDP from the South East geopolitical zone, to which the chairmanship position was zoned, were said to have reached a consensus in their series of meetings in Enugu that Ebonyi and Imo states were expected to produce two candidates each for the party’s national convention.

But characteristic of Nigeria’s politics, a dark horse in person of Chief Ogbulafor emerged from the blues and became the toast of key players in the party, making a good number of state governors to queue behind him. Investigations by the revealed that if the Ohanaeze leadership was not in disarray, the group, although a non-partisan association, could have influenced the choice of the PDP chairmanship candidate at the Abuja convention for the interest of the Igbo.

Disturbed by the development, a former Deputy Secretary General of the organisation, Dr Joe Nwaorgu, said the PDP event clearly portrayed once more that were irrelevant in the PDP power play. “The Abuja event exposed how irrelevant the Igbo are in the Nigerian political terrain. Even at that, all hope is not lost for as we will now liberate ourselves from bondage,” he said.

Tracing the imbroglio to selfishness and greed, a chieftain of the pan-Igbo group noted that the only way to solve the internal squabble in the union was for the leaders to bury their ego and follow the right path, adding that the governors of the South East states had already set the ball rolling for a true reconciliation. According to the Igbo leader, the governors had told the warring factions to withdraw their cases from the law court and it would be for the interest of if they respect the suggestion of the state governors.

However, it was learnt that even the governors are sharply divided as a result of their different political inclinations, although they appear at the surface to be calling for a truce. As it is, the PDP is no longer controlling the majority of the states in the zone as it was before 2003 general elections. This might have affected the governors’ influence as each of them is bound to work for the interest of his party instead of that of the pan-Igbo group.

Be that as it may, an average Igbo man strongly believes that some day, the storm in Igbo nation would be over as the on-going crisis in is just part of evolution process of an ethnic group that lost a civil war. The solution to the association’s problems lies within it.
Source: Tribune, 11^{th April 2008.}

Ohanaeze backs power probe, tasks Reps on Alaoji
Written by Tony Edike Monday

THE Pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, threw its weight behind ongoing probe of the nation’s power sector by the House of Representatives asking the committee to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that surrounded the decision by the Obasanjo administration to relocate the multi billion naira Alaoji Power Plant in Abia State to the West as well as the delay in the project’s take off.

The organisation believes that the refusal of the then government to finance the execution of the contract for the construction of the Alaoji power project and the decision by the then government to move the project to Ota, Ogun State was part of the deliberate plots to deny the people of the South East the benefits of such project.

The Obasanjo government had in 2003 approved the relocation of the Alaoji power project to Ota in Ogun State but the decision was reportedly suspended following pressures mounted against it by leaders of the South East. Though the project was left at Aba, nothing meaningful was done since then to ensure its execution.

Recent reports said the equipment mainly turbines, electricity generators and other accessories in 125 containers with load capacity of 266 tons meant for the Alaoji Project and others under National Integration Power Projects (NIPPS) valued at over $34 million (about N3.9 billion) are currently rotting away at the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Onne terminal in Rivers State.

According to the report, the initial project cost for Alaoji project awarded to Rockson Engineering in March 2005 was $164.5 million for installation of three gas turbines but was later extended to accommodate construction of additional turbine and conversion to combined circle circuit at a cost of $95.3 million and $357 million respectively.
The project was however frustrated following the non-release of funds to the contracting firm, hence the project site has remained fallow since 2006.

Disturbed by the report, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, represented by its President General, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, said that Ndigbo are very much eager to ascertain what became of the Alaoji Power Plant after billions of naira were expended by the Federal Government for procurement of turbines and other equipment for the project.
Source: Vanguard, 7^{th April 2007.}

My Third Term Regrets, By Irukwu

“I never believed in third term, I never promoted it and I didn’t say that Ndigbo supported

Professor Joe Irukwu5 (ThisDay)

it. These are the handiwork of my detractors.”
Those were the exact words of former President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. Joe Irukwu, on Thursday, as he relieved his experiences and role in the ignoble agenda believed to have been sponsored by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to extend his tenure, which expired May last year.
Irukwu was responding to a freshreference, by Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, to his outing in Abakaliki in February, 2006, before the joint National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Review, where he was quoted as saying that 50 million Ndigbo supported the agenda.
Irukwu, had since remained the butt of many of his kinsmen, who have been venting their bile on him, for allegedly betraying their interests.
The allegation, which was also highlighted by Clark, in his recent interview with Sunday Independent, was that Irukwu, after submitting the Igbo memorandum to the panel, which backed a two-term of four years tenure, had on his own made an oral submission that contradicted the official position of the people he represented.
Even when he was said to have been reminded of the contradiction, the former Ohanaeze boss, was quoted as saying that since the South East governors had accepted the third term agenda, Ohanaeze would have to go along with them, since it was the organisation’s position not to disagree with them (governors), as a matter of corporate policy.
But the ex-Ohanaeze President, even though accepted alluding to the thinking of the governors, added that his statement in that direction, was heavily distorted by some Igbo interest groups, who had laid siege to the conference, with the main intent of misdirecting the public on his position.
For this, he said he regretted ever being physically present at the Abakaliki event. His words: “On the eve of the Abakaliki meeting, we learnt that some of our brethren and detractors, who had been fighting for years to take over Ohanaeze and deploy it in pursuit of their selfish political programmes, including the sponsoring of one of the governors as the sole presidential candidate, which is not the function of Ohanaeze. I kept telling them, Ohanaeze is not a political party. We have no right to present one candidate and say it was the sole candidate. That was where my problem started.
“They had met and resolved to discredit us, by claiming that we were being sponsored by Obasanjo to support his third term project, and that we were to make a declaration to this effect at the Abakaliki meeting. Since, we had no such plans, we naturally dismissed this information as worthless.”
Irukwu, said it was actually at a meeting with governor of the host state, Dr. Sam Egwu, and his counterparts from Enugu and Imo, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and Achike Udenwa, where it was shown that the third term agenda had been endorsed by all the governors of other states in the federation, that his delegation got into a dilemma, having been notified of the Ohanaeze position not to disagree publicly with Igbo governors.
Source: Daily Independent, 23^rd March 2008.

Joe Irukwu:Another Peep Into The Third Term Madness

Adorning the walls of the office of former president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor Joe Irukwu (SAN), at Etim Inyang Close, Victoria Island, Lagos, are all manners of laurels. They compete with every available space with historic pictures of the septuagenarian and arguably one of the nation’s most accomplished insurance moguls. Thus the first impression one gets on entering the office, apart from its affluence and utter grandeur, is the fact that the owner has not only come a long way, but has been immensely compensated by an appreciative society. Indeed, it appeared a firm confirmation of the national and international recognition Irukwu has attained as an academic, businessman, lawyer and Igbo leader, in the last five decades or so. How come a person that has gained such a high recognition, becomes the butt of the same society that has shown him so much gratitude, surely would be the natural question that would come into the mind of a discerning visitor. That was the same question one was forced to ask repeatedly, some minutes after taking time to observe this striking ambience, last Wednesday. But then, that was the purpose of visiting the professor of Insurance Law in the first place.
The arrangement had actually started penultimate Friday, when one of his aides called yours sincerely to express the reservation of the former president of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation to an interview published in the Sunday Independent of March 9. In the interview, Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, had used Irukwu’s supposed support of the third term agenda, allegedly planned by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to extend his stay in office, to illustrate his contention that Igbo leaders had lost political focus, because of their selfish pursuit of individual pecuniary gains. The insurance magnet had therefore written a personal letter to Clark, who he acknowledged shared a warm relationship that started with both of them being room mates at Hans Crescent in London, about 50 years ago. His aide had requested that the letter be published in the same paper and probably given the same prominence, so as to put the records straight. But seeing the difficulty in this, and pointing out same to the aide, it was suggested that an interview would be the best, so that all issues raised by Clark could be dealt with in more details than the proposed letter. Having thus agreed, the next difficulty was how to get some time out of Irukwu’s very tight schedule. In fact, the original schedule was last Sunday or Monday. Both failed. The suggestion that the appointment be fixed for a date after Easter was jettisoned on the argument that the iron would be better hit when hottest. Thus the night of last Tuesday the aide was to call back with the message: “Prof. will see you at exactly 2 p.m. tomorrow, provided you will be there by exactly that time.”
Because of the light traffic, occasioned by the public holiday, it was not difficult to make it on schedule. Instead, it was the host that was not in the office. He had been there earlier and left, his secretary had explained, while assuring that the waiting was not to take too long. Indeed, less than 20 minutes later, Irukwu was to appear, accompanied by the aide with whom the arrangement was made.
Though the exchange of pleasantries was warm, it was not difficult to fathom immediately that the subject matter that Irukwu wanted to address was one he took quite seriously. He would not, in fact, start the interview, till his letter to Clark was read, digested and clearly understood. It was one in which he sought to clarify what actually happened in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital in February 2006, during the South East edition of the National Assembly Joint Constitution Review Committee (JCRC) for the proposed amendments into the 1999 Constitution. He had been quoted as saying at the event that 50 million Igbo people, whom he represented, supported the (third term) agenda, contrary to the document prepared by the Ohanaeze, which was pressing for an Igbo man to be the president of the country, and had definitely stated that the president’s tenure of two terms of four years, as enshrined in the Constitution, should remain.
The septuagenarian had actually set out to pooh-pooh the allegation, for which he has been berated to no ends by not only Ndigbo, but a great many Nigerians, including what must have been a very bad experience for him shortly after the Third Term outing. So much had been the bashing that in August 2006 in Owerri, Imo State, he and other supposed apologists of Third Term were booed by stakeholders at the Igbo Summit, a socio-political forum put together by some prominent Igbo leaders. Immediately, after this outing, Irukwu’s presidency of Ohanaeze was to become a subject of intense crisis, until it ended in controversial circumstances, last year. However, apart from presenting a different perspective to the events of that time, the elder statesman was to delve into other issues bordering on the nation’s general socio-political environment.
Couching his words in diplomatese, he was nonetheless less combative, especially on what he said were certain misconceptions about his Igbo ethnic group. For instance, Clark’s contention that Ndigbo had sold themselves to love of money seemed to have caught him on the wrong side. He was to delve into a lengthy lecture to put his “friend” and others like him right; his take being that the suggestion was a complete exaggeration.
“I am not here to defend Ndigbo; I am here to tell the truth as I see it. Igbo are not the only Nigerians who love money. In fact, if you allowed me, I will say that since after the civil war, Nigerians have developed such a great love for money. Some of the people, who have embezzled the bulk of the nation’s money, who didn’t know where to stop in stealing the nation’s money, are not Igbo. I think it is a Nigerian problem. Many Nigerians in positions of power tend to love money so much, that they would sacrifice everything else in the pursuit of money. When you give them a job, give them an assignment, the first thing they are thinking is how much they can make from it,” Irukwu said.
While acknowledging that the poverty, which struck Igbo land, shortly after the civil war, could have tended to cast its people in this mould, because they appeared ready to do anything to make ends meet, he was quick to emphasise that events had since shown that the phenomenon is a national malaise.
He also went to a great length to proffer solutions on the larger society, the Nigerian polity. In fact, he has just written a book, Nation Building and Ethnic Organisations, where he tried to articulate the factors that must be in place for the nation to move forward. His treatise is that Nigerians must go into extensive reconciliation with one another, to achieve social justice.
“I think what is most important is that we must realise that until every ethnic group in Nigeria feels a total sense of belonging, until every Nigerian, irrespective of his ethnic group or religion, feels protected by the Nigerian nation, we cannot make it as a modern nation. So the leadership, the political leadership and the leadership elite have a duty of embarking on a serious mission of national reconciliation. Nobody should be absent at this meeting of national reconciliation. Nigeria has been very much bruised in all sorts of ways. The leadership has not been fair to the followership. And the followership has dictated a certain degree of lack of concern for themselves, because they don’t recognise the importance of selfless leadership. So, there is a lot to do about national reconciliation,” he said.
Irukwu said he would never get tired of documenting most of his postulations on national issues through his writings.
“I am a lawyer; I am a writer. All I do is that when I find something that is upsetting me very much, or something I am aggrieved about, I write a book about it. And luckily, because I write internationally and I am known as an acknowledged publisher, my books sell worldwide,” he said.
But why?
“I don’t want to die without passing on the experience I had. So, I documented it. And in documenting it, I want people to read it and pick the good things and leave the bad things – if there are any bad things. But I have put out the things I see as our problems.”
He admitted that one of the greatest problems of the Igbo man was that his leaders had failed to approach issues with unity of purpose, adding that by the time this problem would be solved, both the political and economic emancipation they had been looking for would be achieved.
His words: “The greatest asset of the Igbo man is that he is enterprising, and he is creative. But he is only creative for his own good and for the good of his family. That thing that is the greatest strength of an Igbo man is his greatest weakness, because we have not yet developed the capacity to work as a group. And the first person to denounce an Igbo man is his fellow Igbo. This is our greatest undoing. And the thing is that the ordinary Igbo man is so basically good.”
Source: Daily Independent, 23^rd March 2008.

Ohanaeze crisis: Factions agree to S/East govs' mediation
Written by Tony Edike Thursday

ENUGU—THERE are indications that the lingering leadership crisis in the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo may be soon resolved as the two contending camps agreed before an Enugu High Court yesterday to embrace current efforts by the South East governors to mediate in the matter.

The governors of South East States had resolved at their meeting in December last year to “strictly work together for the interest of the south east at all times” adding that they were thus fully committed to resolving the crisis within the apex Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo “once and for all”.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Mr. Martin Elechi was subsequently appointed to head a reconciliation committee to settle the dispute that has torn the organization apart.

At the resumed hearing of the suit filed by Chief C.C Onoh, Col Robert Akonobi and Professor Obumselu against seeking to restrain Chief Joe Irukwu, Chief Joe Achuzia and Chief Ifeanyi Enechukwu from holding themselves out as President General, Secretary General and Acting President General as well as an order for them to take over the secretariat of the organization, the plaintiff through their counsel Mr Nath Izuako, applied for a long adjournment to enable the south east governors to carry out their peace plan.

The defendants in turn refused to oppose the application saying that they were also interested in having the governors resolve the crisis. Justice I.S Amanoh who had earlier granted the injunction required by the plaintiffs against the defendants, consequently adjourned the suit to the 19th of May for report of settlement.

Speaking with reporters in Enugu yesterday, Secretary General of the organization, Chief Joe Achuzia has described media reports of an injunction issued by an Enugu High Court restraining its leaders from further parading themselves as such, as having been masterminded by some renegade members of the organization with the aim of distorting facts relating to the suit for their own selfish purposes.

Achuzia, who noted that the injunction which was issued last January and was being challenged on appeal said the order was deliberately made to appear in the press on the day the court was to hear the substantive suit as if it was new.

Achuzia, who spoke through his aide and member of the Imeobi, Prince Richard Ozobu, said the press reports in “March of an injunction issued as far back as January” and which was being challenged on appeal must have been intended to create the impression that the crisis in the organization had escalated when the rival camps only turned out to agree to submit themselves to the intervention of the south east governors.

Ozobu said: “Whoever masterminded that report was obviously up to some mischief. He did not tell the reporters that the injunction was issued as far back as January and neither did he tell them that it has been appealed against and more curiously the reports appeared on the day hearing was to resume only for the plaintiffs to apply for an injunction to enable the South East governors intervene.

The whole idea is to give the impression that they have taken over the organization which is as false and as untrue as can ever be.”

He further explained that the organization had gone to the appeal court to challenge the injunction by Justice I.S Amanoh on the grounds that the Judge had inexplicably refused to hear a preliminary objection challenging the locus standi of the plaintiff to institute the action against its leadership.
Source: Vanguard, 13^{th March 2008.}

Top Ohanaeze News 2

OHANAEZE
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Ralph Uwechue, OFR
President General
Ohanaeze

OHANAEZE
List of Officers

Amb. Ralph Uwechue, OFR
PRESIDENT-GENERAL
Chief G. Nnachi Enwo-Igariwey
DEPUTY PRESIDENT-GENERAL
Chief Alozie Nwagwu
VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL - Abia
Barr. Hyacinth A. Nweke
Vice President - Anambra
Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN)
Vice President - Enugu
Chief Engr. Isaac Wonwu
Vice President - Rivers
Chief Chris Asoluka
Vice President - Imo
Chief Nduka Eya
SECRETARY-GENERAL
Chief Eddie Onuoha
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
Prince(Engr. ) Ralph Ndigwe
NATIONAL PUBLICITY SECRETARY
Chief Elder E. O. Okparanta
NATIONAL TREASURER
Chief Nweke Anyigor
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Chief Reuben Okoro
NATIONAL LEGAL ADVISER
Barr. Ifeanyi Olunkwa
Asst. Nat. PUBLICITY SECR.
Barr. I. O. Ahize
Asst. Nat. TREASURER
Mr. Ajoku E. Alerechi
Asst. Nat. FIN. SECRETARY
Chief Bar. Oyibo Chukwu
Ass. Nat. LEGAL ADVISER

Dr. Ikedife's HAND OVER SPEECH

Group Politics Editor of Independent Newspapers Limited (INL), Sunny Igboanugo; and distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ahamba; were among eminent Igbo men who were awarded certificates of recognition by the pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo for their contributions to the cause of the Igbo nation. Others who were recognised include Chief Enechi Onyia (SAN), Sir Chris Okoye, Prof. Ben Obumselu,Prince( Engr.) Ralph Ndigwe and newly- inaugurated Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nduka Eya. Outgoing President General of Ohanaeze, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, presented certificates to these personalities at the weekend during the handing over ceremony of Ohanaeze Ndigbo at Awka, Anambra State.Delivering his valedictory address titled 'The Ethnic Group and the Nation', Ikedife thanked the entire Ndigbo for electing him to the high office and supporting him whole-heartedly during the difficult years of his tenure.
In the address that contained some parting words to his successor, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue, he noted that the presidency of Ohanaeze is ideally a full-time job, though people do not appreciate fully what it entails presiding at Imeobi (inner caucus) meetings, National Executive Committee meetings and several other committee meetings.
The Igbo patriot recalled that the last two years under his reign were exceptionally difficult characterised by problems, some of which arose from the way the 2003 election was conducted.
According to him, in some South East states, the people knew which parties won election but did not know who their candidates were while the Houses of Assembly were torn by factional conflicts between Abuja men and local men.
Also recalling that the tenure of the Governors was always in danger,
Ikedife noted that Senate presidents of Igbo extraction were also liable to step on banana peels, all being manoeuvrings of the imperial presidency in Abuja which wanted to take personal control of politics
in Igboland.
Pointing out that Ohanaeze believes in justice and equity in the country, he demanded that there should be parity of states among the geo-political zones and that South East gets a sixth state to bring it at par with other zones that have at least six states each, though one has seven.
Ikedife regretted that Nigeria became a federation only in name but a unitary state in reality, where economically, it narrowed the perspective of government from many development issues which regional issues used to address to petroleum only.
"Ohanaeze Ndigbo is convinced that the Nigerian economy will not be diversified until the constitution is reviewed to provide for six or eight federating units," he said.

Tony Otoiheoma Egbe
Asst. Deputy Secretary General
IWA Media & Publicity Institute.