ONE thing that is very prominent in the Southeast is the presence of socio-cultural groups. Persons whose sources of income are not defined mostly lead these groups, which go by different names.  Single individuals, who are both the coordinator and owner, run some.  The is the Igbo Youth Movement, as well as the Igbo Youth Council, which exist only on the pages of newspapers.

   From year to year, you hardly find them in any gathering, except being used by persons to issue press statements, criticizing or apprising certain issues of governance in the country.

  General elections are usually an opportunity for them to be counted as they engage in endorsement and counter endorsement of all manner of candidates. Among them all, however, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo remains the potent voice and platform where issues affecting Ndigbo can be discussed and transmitted to other affiliate groups.

  Formed in the early 70’s with headquarters in Enugu, The Guardian learned that Ohanaeze Ndigbo was a response to the perceived marginalization, discrimination and neglect the Igbos were subjected after the civil war, thought to be an act of deliberate policy on the part of the federal government.

  The organisation was, therefore, to serve as a focal point of reference, direction and of collective leadership in matters affecting the interests, solidarity and general welfare of Ndigbo. It would also promote, develop and advance Igbo language and culture; promote honour, dignity and self-respect among Ndigbo and encourage their achievement in various aspects of life.

  Ohanaeze Ndigbo liaises with all tiers of government in Nigeria to ensure rapid, socio-economic development of Igbo land, as well as assist and encourage the formation of Igbo self- help, mutual assistance and improvement of organisations wherever Ndigbo may reside, settle intra-Igbo disputes and promote peaceful co-existence with other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

  Despite its avowals, Ohanaeze seems to be more political in terms of its aims and objectives, more than anything else.  In fact, since the inception of democracy in 1999, Ohanaeze has continued to evolve from one crisis to another and those close to it say it is as a result of its “leaving her core functions to delve into politics of the country.” The leadership of the body had continued to endorse candidates, especially at the federal level, irrespective of the oppositions that have greeted such actions.

    Justifying Ohanaeze’s interest in politics, secretary general of the group, Dr Joe Nworgu told The Guardian: “As far as that office is one that will affect the generality of Ndigbo, Ohanaeze must get involved, but where it is not, then Ohanaeze will not get involved. Here in the Southeast, we don’t get involved when there are political contests within states of Igbo extraction, but as far as it is outside the Igboland, as far as it involves other ethnic organisations, we in Ohanaeze as the voice of Ndigbo, as an apex Igbo

organisation, must speak the mind of our people.

  “That is why we consult very far and wide before we do anything. We have other Igbo affiliate groups, whose members are scattered here and there, they reach their people and they take a position, which invariably is adopted by the Ohananze. So no one person can speak for Ndigbo. The position we take is a collective one for the interest of our people,” he said.

  Nworgu stated that Ohanaeze has the capacity to mobilise support for any candidate it endorses in any electoral contest through its network of organisations.

  “There are over 300 affiliate Igbo groups in Ohanaeze. We know them and we work together. From time to time we meet with them and take decisions on Igbo people. Many of them prefer to speak through Ohanaeze, some will do it on their own, but the most important thing is that we will always do things that are in tandem with the aspirations of our people,” he added.

  Reviewing these groups and their activities as well as whether they have capacity to muster support for candidates they endorsed during elections, a former director general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Prof Elo Amucheazi said they provide more of psychological support than anything.

  He said: “An interest group with structure, defined membership can always influence policy and implementation of policy, can hold activity among several others. That is why you have the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), speaking for lawyers among others. When you come to socio–cultural groups, with widespread membership; their structure determines their influence and strength. They possess a moral kind of authority, but doesn’t have power to enforce anything.”

  Asked why they like engaging in politics more than any other activities, he said that, “politics determines the survival of one. Your culture and tradition is threatened if you don’t contribute to politics. What is important is if such organisation has the reach, the strength and support of the people. Some of them are not active because they are not well organised. If you go to the villages for instance, you hardly hear about these groups for the simple reason that they are not grassroots based. That is why when we have Ohanaeze, we try to make it grassroots based so that our people will find where they can lay their complaints on certain issues.

  “Ohanaeze has thrived in spite of its crisis because it is the organisation for all Igbo. It is where the people know and has become a strong voice because it has membership structure and organisation. What it has is the moral authority for persuasion to mobilise the people, but cannot influence their choice,”he stated.

  Asked whether such group was still relevant in the present scheme of things, Amucheazi said no society progresses without their existence, stressing that they possess the power of appeal on their people.

  He said that political leaders would always find a way of coming close to them because each ethnic group have leaders who may not necessarily be playing active political roles, but have something they could offer that could help politicians excel.