John Mbata In Trouble
OpenLife Nigeria reports that just nine days after his emergence as the President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta Mbata has run into crises in his community, Ikwerre in Rivers State.
His emergence as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo worldwide has caused confusion in Ikwerre, the biggest ethnic nationality in Rivers, with Ogbakor Ikwerre community stripping the former Senator of all chieftaincy titles earlier bestowed on him.
Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation said it would continue to maintain its unique identity and history separate from others and as such would not want to be identified with Igbo ethnic nationality and culture.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, the President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Eze Godspower Onuekwain, said the disciplinary actions of stripping Senator Azuta-Mbata of all his honours, recognitions and chieftaincy titles became necessary following his emergence as President General of Ohanaeze.
Eze Onuekwain said that Senator Azuta-Mbata’s decision to contest and subsequently emerge as the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo was not the collective view and position of the Eneka community, Apara Kingdom, and the entire Ikwerre ethnic nationality.
“The Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide, on behalf of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality in Rivers State, Nigeria, after a passionate and exhaustive review of the sacrilegious action of Senator John Azuta-Mbata, becoming the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, a socio-cultural organization of Igbo People of Nigeria, wish to state in no unambiguous and uncertain terms that;
“Senator John Azuta-Mbata has the inalienable right to belong to any association of his choice in Nigeria as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but by becoming the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, an exclusive organization of Igbo people, he has willingly and freely renounced his membership and identity of Ikwerre people (Iwhuruohna).
“Having freely taken a position to be an Igbo man and to occupy the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide unreservedly and unequivocally disclaims and denounces his action; as such action is his private decision taken without the consent of his community, kingdom, and Iwhuruohna.
“As an Igbo man, he (Azuta-Mbata) is now seen, regarded, and declared as a stranger living in Ikwerre land. Therefore, he has been barred from participating in any Iwhuruohna gathering, meetings, or political representation starting from his Eneka Community, Apara Kingdom, and Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide.
“All awards, honours, and titles bestowed on him by any organization in Ikwerre are hereby withdrawn”, the statement said.
In its response, another group, Committee of Rivers Patriots, CRP, in a statement signed by its President, Engineer Datubo Georgewill said membership of Ogbakor Ikwerre is voluntary and as such “no room for the banishment, not even the local communities can attempt to do that”.
The Committee believes that the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo was zoned to Rivers state and not any ethnic nationality, adding that, “Senator Azuta John Mbata contested as a Rivers indigene”.
It noted that “Senator John Mbata didn’t run for the presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo world-wide on the nomination or on the platform of any cultural organization and therefore not answerable to any cultural body or group”.
Also making his position known in the saga, a prominent Ikwerre elder and former Chief of Staff in the state, Chief Emeh Glory Emeh said Ikwerre people have nothing to lose over the emergence of Senator Mbata as Ohanaeze President.
Glory Emeh faulted those who are opposed to the emergence of Senator Mbata, arguing that the development is beneficial to Ikwerre and Rivers people, and should therefore be commended, and not condemned.
The former Commissioner for Transport and Aviation recalled that prominent sons from. Ikwerre and Rivers State such as Dr. Obi Wali, Senate Minority leader at a time; Chief Emma Aguma, former minister; Chief C.C. Nwuche, former senior police officer etc. had, at different times, served as president-general, secretary – general, treasurer in Ohaneze, and that available records also show that their association with Ohaneze Ndigbo proved to be beneficial.
“Senator Mbata, being President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo has not changed anything, and does not make Ikwerre Igbo. We are not losing anything because Ikwerre Man is the President-General of Ohaneze.
Those who served in the past did so for one good reason or the other, and the objectives were achieved.
“Let us therefore support the Ikwerre President – General of Ohaneze Ndigbo so that the dividends of that decision can come to Ikwerre land and the entire Rivers State.
“In this connection, I wish to commend the governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for demonstrating a good understanding of the dynamics of Nigerian politics in the 21st century, and for taking the right steps at the right times to protect the interest of Rivers State.
“I am proud that Senator Azuta Mbata took this decision”. He called on Ikwerre and entire Rivers people to appreciate the importance of this bold step, and support the Senator to succeed.
John Mbata And Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidency
It would be recalled that John Azuta-Mbata, a former Senator representing Rivers East at the National Assembly, was elected at the stakeholders meeting of the Igbo Socio-Cultural organization at the old government lodge Enugu, the Enugu State capital on Friday, January 10, 2025.
Five governors of the South-East, leaders of thoughts, political stakeholders from the Igbo extraction were all present at the election.
The election makes Azuta-Mbata the 13th President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, succeeding Fidelis Chukwu, who completed the tenure of Imo State.
Chukwu was named the named leader of the group during the Ime-Obi meeting held in Enugu in December. His appointment followed the death of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who took over after the death of George Obiozor in 2023.
Fidelis Chukwu’s completion of Imo State’s tenure to lead the pan-Igbo group opened the door for Rivers State which has now produced Azuta-Mbata to lead Ohanaeze for the next four years.
Azuta-Mbata, who was immediately sworn in after the election, assured the Igbo people of his commitment to an all-inclusive leadership that will foster unity and growth among all Igbos.
The chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma, also assured the Ohanaeze Ndigbo that the South-East governors will support the leadership for a fruitful regional growth and economic integration.
Azuta-Mbata, who was born in January 1960, earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Ibadan.
At the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic in 1999, Azuta-Mbata was elected Senator for the Rivers East constituency of Rivers State.
He ran on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was re-elected in 2023 and served in the Senate until 2007.