Igbo Day: Ohanaeze to honour Azikiwe, Aguiyi-Ironsi, Ojukwu, others 

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it is set for this year’s Igbo Day celebration on September 29, 2023.The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation noted that the yearly event is organised in remembrance of its fallen heroes.

Among those to be honoured, posthumously, in this year’s edition are the first Nigerian President, Nnamdi Azikiwe; former Head of State, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi and former Biafran leader, Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Others are the former Vice President, Dr. Alex. Ekwueme, former governor of the old eastern region, Dr. Akanu Ibiam ; former military governor of old Western region, Col. Adekunle Fajuyi; former Premier of old Eastern region, Michael Okpara and second in command to Biafran Head of State, Gen. Phillip Effiong, among others.

The posthumous awards are part of resolutions reached at the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the organisation held at the weekend.

National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, told journalists that the 2023 edition of the Igbo Day will be chaired by one of the most detribalised Igbo philanthropists, Prince Arthur Eze.

Also, the Chidi Ibeh-led faction of Ohanaeze, at the weekend, affirmed that they would use the Igbo Day occasion to honour both their fallen and living heroes, describing the celebration as a rich cultural heritage, revival of the Igbo language and an opportunity to bring solutions to myriads of problems facing Ndigbo.

In a statement by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze faction,  Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State,  the group said that this year celebration would be held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on September 29, adding that the yearly event is organised by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation in remembrance of its fallen heroes and for Igbo to display their vast cultural heritage.

He further stated that the decision to hold this year’s event in Rivers State was based on equity and fairness, since it is the only state that is yet to host the yearly event among the seven Ohanaeze states of Abia, Anambra, Delta (Anioma), Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers (Igbo speaking), noting that in line with Ohanaeze Constitution on rotation of offices, it is the turn of Rivers to produce the next President General in 2024.