How Enugu Ohanaeze National nailed John Uche for fraud in 2001

Fresh facts have emerged why Chief John Onyebuchukwu Uche {Ugobueze}, first President of Lagos Ohanaeze Ndigbo  was impeached from office on August 3, 2001 by Mkpuke Committee which found his activities dishonorable and reprehensible, capable of dragging the hard earned reputation of Ohanaeze into disrepute.

The Mkpuke committee which was set up on March 24, 2001 was headed by Philip Umeadi, SAN, as chairman. Other members were Chief MCK, Ajuluchukwu, Chief Sila Ilo, Chief Onyenso Nwachulwu and Chief John NniaNwodo.

Available information reveals that crises had engulfed the organization, shortly after Uche assumed office as President.

So fierce were the crises that factions emerged, part of which was headed by Uche.

Consequently, the Enugu headquarters of the organization was inundated with deluge of petitions against the administration of Uche, some of which life were threatening including but not limited to fraud, arm twisting, lies and outright sabotage.

Prominent among the petitions was the fraud allegation by Igbo Forum Dock Workers Union, IFDWU, who were displaced by Ojo Maduekwe, then Transport Minister.

With livelihood hanging in the balance, the displaced dock workers approached the Uche led Ohanaeze for intervention.  However, that step turned out regrettable as it was a case of adding salt to injury.

Their petition, dated January 9, 2001 and addressed to Hon. Justice Eze Ozobu, former Ohanaeze Ndigbo national chairman, explained how they were made to pay huge sum of money through Uche’s wife, with a promise to facilitate “a dialogue with Mallan Bello Gwandu” who was then Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA’s managing director, only to realize later  that “it was a ruse,” they lamented.

To perfect his falsehood, they narrated how Uche fraudulently introduced a non existing  Major General Emmanuel Azubuike Udochukwu as a former Bendel State governor and close associate of Buhari through matrimony. The unsuspecting Ndigbos were lured into partying with various sum of money with assurance of getting NNPC’s and NPA’s contracts.

The dock workers who had depended on him for intervention on their plight got their hope dashed.

In another petition, Uche collected monies from unsuspecting Ndigbos with lies that Lagos government was targeting Ndigbo through a policy of Certificate of Occupancy, C of O renewal. Many fell for his antics.

Yet again was another petition which bordered on usurping the functions of both the secretary and deputy president of the association. They accused him of despotic and totalitarian styles. They also lamented how that era was a session of embarrassing error filled mails emanating from the stable of Lagos Ohanaeze.

These petitions painted Uche as a criminal and fraud which, if not checked, would stain Ndigbo’s integrity, they submitted.

Similarly, another petition pointed out how Ohanaeze’s activities were being administered at Surulere national stadium beer parlours  as against a befitting facility in Yaba Chief John Nwatu had donated to the organization which, for no justifiable reason, was abandoned by Uche. To the Ndigbos, that was demeaning.

However, considering the weight of these allegations and the strategic importance of the Lagos Chapter as well as the fate of its high number of Ndigbo residents, the leaders of the social cultural organization had compelling reasons to intervene through a 5- man reconciliation committee headed by late MCK Ajuluchukwu which sat on July 9, 2001 in Enugu Government Reservation Area, GRA.

The reconciliation sitting was another opportunity for Uche to exhibit his web of intrigues. The sitting which began at 11am was delayed by Uche who endlessly searched for his defence documents. The peace meeting degenerated into a show down as a result of Uche’s  antics, who at some point, accused one Mrs Tyna Adike of not being an Ohanaeze’s member on the grounds that she married a Yoruba man. Beside, he delayed the elders for a reasonable length of time.

By 3.45 pm on that fateful day, the panel, getting frustrated, rose and declared “ We cannot wait in vain for the arrival of Chief Uche’s reply which may take never never.”

They summarized  his arrogance with Aristletolian philosophy saying  “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.”

As a review follow up, the Ohanaeze General Assembly on Sunday, February 24, 2002 in a press statement signed by Justice Eze Ozubu ret’d Chairman and Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Secretary-General declared that  “Chief John Uche is hereby removed as chairman and member of the executive committee of Ohanaeze Lagos and the general public is warned that anyone dealing with him in that capacity or in any capacity connected with the name Ohanaeze is doing so at his or her own risk,” the statement read.  

This summary was the final nail on his presidency’s coffin.

In particular, the committee reckoned that Uche’s continuous stay in office with all the 419 allegations, would “damage Ndigbo forever before other Nigerians.” His infractions, unethical attitudes, to them, were inimical to Ohanaeze’s ideology.

With that, the Ohanaez, through a communiqué, signed by Chief Philip Umeadi, SAN, chairman and Chief MCK Ajuluchukwu, unequivocally held that “John Uche stands impeached and removed as a functionary of Ohanaeze Lagos State either as president or chairman.”

Years after and only recently, precisely on June 30, 2020, the Ohanaeze Elders Council led by Chief Oliver Akubueze  and made up of  Chief Andy Moore; Chief Sunday Udeh; Chief Mrs Kate Onyechere; Eze Ikem Agbasi; Eze Anthony Anosike; Eze Okpotemba; High Chief Mbamara and Chief Mrs Ada Ofoegbu, had reasons to address the world through a press conference.

According to them,  John Uche had issued  a false accusation  where he alleged that Chief Solomon Ogbonna, President of Lagos State Ohanezez Ndigbo tendered a fake academic certificate to get to the helms of affair.

Chief Oliver Akubueze, chairman council of elders while reading the press statement stated that the group would want to state that academic certificate was not a prerequisite for leading Ndigbo. He stressed that Uche must explain to Ohaneze Ndigbo the source of the certificate that was being peddled.

 “We want to make it clear that the president of Ohaneze Ndigbo Lagos State does not require an academic certificate to lead Ndigbo in Lagos, which is why Ogbonna never tendered any certificate to anyone or group. What are required are, ability to speak Igbo language fluently, wisdom, intelligence, human relation and altruism. Chief Solomon Ogbonna has given Ndigbo a voice in Lagos. We will not allow the mischief-maker to undermine the reputation of the president and the entire Ndigbo in Lagos”

The elders, therefore, excommunicated him from its activities  for peddling falsehood  which included not being allowed to attend Ohaneze Ndigbo events, not eating with members, not engaging in business transactions with members, among other conditions.

Akubueze maintained that any member who flouts the rule would face the same fate.

The organization’s Lagos Secretary, Chief Everest Ozonweke, said that the action was taken to avoid people taking undue advantage of privileges given to them.

Meanwhile, Chief Solomon Aguene, driven by his vision of  peace and unity of the Igbo socio-cultural organization, has set up a template for the direction of Lagos Ndigbo.

Within two years, Aguene and his team have put up a befitting secretariat in Surulere where the over four million Ndigbos in Lagos now congregate to dissect issues that are of common interest. This was unlike the pre Aguene’s era where Ndigbo matters were discussed at beer parlours.

In like manner, Aguene, a business man himself, has elevated the economic bearings of the Lagos Ndigbo through an agreement with Fidelity Bank for seamless transactions and financial supports for Ndigbos’ enterprise home and abroad.

His host government, Lagos State government has, for the first time, found so much comfort with the Aguene’s  led Ndigbo in a manner that Ndigbo’s welfare are currently upper most in governor Sanwo-Olu’s considerations even as the Ndigbo are co operating with the APC government for a harmonious living and business environment.

He has also step up Ndigbo’s relationship with their host government headed by governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who recently supported Lagos Ndigbo’s widows’ entrepreneurial endeavours  with N100, 000 each.

 “I am very okay with what God has blessed me with. I have travelled to almost all parts of the world for exhibitions and other businesses. I am very deep in art exhibitions and I have exhibited arts across Continents in the world. I am into Real Estate. I am also into Igbo Cultural Display. My plans for Lagos Ndigbo is to move the organization forward and not to cheat by sharing its money that may come through voluntary donations by members and other good wills,” he said.

Aguene, who is undoubtedly innocent of Uche’s inconsistent fiction, is still committed to bringing progressive leadership and developmental framework that will move Ndigbo forward and out of the dark slumps.

In a recent statement, Aguene assured Ndigbo of his “commitment to Ndigbos welfare and  favorable moments.”

However, Uche’s  failure to present a narrative consistent with the reality, once again, gives him out as a liar who currently struggles for relevance.