Ohanaeze council meets in Owerri, restates Igbo unity, restructuring

Elder’s Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, under the leadership of its President-General, Prof. George Obiozor, met in Owerri, Imo State at the weekend and restated its quest for fairness, equity, harmonious co-existence among Nigerians, and the need for restructuring.

It also ratified the establishment of Alaigbo Stabilisation Fund (AEF), an initiative of the immediate past administration of John Nnia Nwodo for the provision of necessary infrastructure for the greater development of Igboland.

This followed the adoption of the report of the steering committee for the improvement and investment in the welfare and growth of the South East region.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural body stated this in a communiqué issued by Obiozor at the end of its meeting attended by Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, his Enugu State counterpart, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), ministers, some senators and House of Representatives members.

Former President-General, Nnia Nwodo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, first Republic Minister of Information, and Mbazulike Amaechi, among others, who attended the meeting, agreed that there was the need for the different segments of the country to come together and discuss the future of Nigeria.

It resolved that there was the need for the Federal Government to convene a national dialogue on the political, socio-economic, and cultural structure of the country, with a view to identifying challenges confronting Nigeria.

The council, which expressed worry over rising insecurity in the country, mandated its leadership to work in collaboration with the southeast state governments to tackle the region’s marginalisation and vulnerability.

Obiozor said the council resolved that a security outfit should be established in Igboland to, among others, address the peculiar nature, culture, tradition, and topography of the region, with support for Federal Government’s efforts in that regard.

He said the council frowned on the treatment of Igbo in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and other parts of Africa like guinea pigs, especially during hostilities, among other objectives.

MEANWHILE, the crisis in the group took another dimension yesterday, as the Chidi Ibeh-led faction opened a parallel secretariat, following its declaration that the secretariat at the Park Avenue, Enugu, was not habitable.

After inspecting the Park Avenue Secretariat with his executive members, Ibeh said it was in a sorry state and could not host Ohanaeze activities pending completion of renovation works.

However, the Obiozor faction of Ohanaeze countered the shutdown of the secretariat, insisting that the Park Avenue structure remained open, even renovation work was ongoing in the facility.

But the Ibeh group insisted on opening another secretariat at Emene, near the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, and announced that it had been set aside April 22, 2021, as Atonement Day of Ndigbo.