The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, and ex-governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday called on the Ndigbo to come together and forge a united front that will bring more progress to the people.

They made the call in GRA, Park Avenue, Enugu North Local Council Area, Enugu State, during the inspection of the new Ohaneze Ndigbo building.

The new Ọhanaeze Ndigbo World Headquarters is being built by Okorocha. The building is approximately 90 per cent completed and is due for handover in October 2026.

The new building holds two auditoriums for assembly, meetings and ceremonies, offices for the institution and its secretariat, including an office for the President General with adjoining secretarial space, two conference rooms, an interactive audiovisual library, and a purpose-built creative art space below ground, conceived as a working gallery giving Igbo art, history and craft a permanent setting inside the institution. The library and the art space put the record of Ndigbo in the same building as the people making decisions on their behalf.

The new building will replace the over 150-year-old Ohaneze Ndigbo secretariat.
Speaking during the inspection, Mbah said the building will help give the apex Igbo organisation the capacity to convene at scale on its own premises.

“This is the edifice that will house Ohaneze Ndigbo, and we are excited that a son of Igbo identified Enugu, the homeland of Ndigbo, reminding us that we all have a root as Ndigbo and we all started from somewhere.

“Rochas invested and built what I will also acknowledge as befitting of Ndigbo; this reminds us that at a time like this, Ndigbo must come together. I was at a part of the building, and it reminds us how we started. Having a son of Igbo site this in Enugu is remarkable; it means we are of a common stock, and there wouldn’t be a better time to continually remind ourselves of being that common stock.

“I hope we will come for commissioning in a few weeks.”

On what inspired the edifice, Okorocha said: “I was here some years ago, and I saw the building and felt it was not befitting enough, so I took permission from the Ohaneze Ndigbo to put up a new building for my people. I do not do this because I’m wealthy; this is my heart speaking love to my people.

“Igbo has a lot to contribute to this world, but for some reason, they have not been able to do so. Under the new leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Igbo may be taking a new course. Igbos have often been misunderstood and misrepresented by the entire world, and this is the time to correct that. We want the world to know who we are: that we are peace-loving people, we are hardworking people, and we are people who love progress. So, this is what prompted me to put this building in place.”

On when the building will be handed over, he said: “In a couple of weeks, this place will be set, and the Ohaneze President and the governor will arrange for the commissioning.”

On what young Igbos should know about the building in years to come, he said: “I want them to identify with their roots and take pride in them. Igbos are proud people, and that dignity that makes an Igbo person should be restored. What we intend to do is that wherever in the world any Igbo child is in trouble for an offence he has not committed, this secretariat will intervene as quickly as possible because most of our children have been molested, maltreated and imprisoned abroad, and they look like there is nobody to cater for them. So, this secretariat.”

On why plan was not made and executed to have a new building during his time as governor, he said: “Governorship is political, while Ohaneze is cultural, so we couldn’t have taken a political decision to put it up. It can only take a traditional decision, and that can be best done when you’re not a governor or when you’re out of office.”

Speaking on the design, Managing Director Walsh Blanc, Uloma Rochas Nwosu, said the inspiration came from the idea that the Igbo people needed a place to unite, something that would tell the Igbo story, give the people a sense of belonging and beauty.

“The idea is to preserve history; we used a lot of sevens, such as the seven pillars and seven lights for the second amphitheatre. This represents the seven Igbo-speaking states. We have 11 offices, which are set up intentionally to preserve Igbo history.”

On the plan for the old building, she said: “The plan is to demolish the major building and keep others for history’s sake.”

“I put my heart and soul into the building; the person who hired me told me the significance of what we are creating.

“The library is fitted for audiovisual reference as well as print, which allows oral history, recorded proceedings and archive film to be held and consulted alongside documents.”