Ohanaeze Ndigbo Crises Deepen Over Control of Lagos Chapter
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the leadership crises that have bedevilled the Igbo socio cultural and apolitical group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, appear deeper especially as factions strategize to take control over the Lagos State chapter.
It would be recalled that in the course of the election of Professor George Obiozor as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo,Worldwide on Sunday, January 9, 2021, a former commissioner in Imo State, Engineer Chidi Ibeh also emerged as factional President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Each faction generated its key principal officers charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of the socio-cultural group.
By the time Professor Obiozor died at age 80 on December 26, 2022, the Engineer Chidi Ibeh led factional executive functioned , in their own belief, as the authentic Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
However, following Obiozors death, Nigerian politician and entrepreneur, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, emerged as the new president-general of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group on April 20, 2023.
Curiously, his maiden nationwide tour which commenced with a visit to Lagos further exposed the leadership crises that have trailed the Lagos chapter.
According to Chief Iwuanyanwu, the leadership crises in Lagos between Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene and Chief Sunday Ossai was unknown to him.
In an interview on the lack of clarity on the President of Ohanaeze in Lagos State, Chief Iwuanyanwu said:
We have our constitution. Professor George Obiozor was the chairman before he died. Ambassador Okey Emuchay is the Secretary General. They handed over Sunday Ossai to me as the President of Lagos branch without informing me of any dispute. The report I had was that the former man, Solomon, who I don’t know and I have never met, had completed his four-year tenure. This man, because he probably believes that some powerful people are going to support him, wants to destabilise Ohanaeze. This is the impression that I get from people. I want to make it clear that the former President General of Ohanaeze handed over Sunday Ossai to me as the President of Lagos branch.
We have had a very unfortunate experience recently. Out of personal interest, some people are doing everything to undermine Ohanaeze, which is the hope of Igbo. It is our hope of development and unity. You see a small boy jump up to say he is the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. The Secretary General is Okey Emuchay, who has served Nigeria in various capacities. He is a man with impeccable academic credentials and civil service credentials. Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo cannot just pick anyone as its Secretary General. For Publicity Secretary, you have Dr Alex Ogbonnia. All these scoundrels who mislead the public should be reported to the police for fraud.
Meanwhile, Ohanaeze President, Lagos State, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, who had earlier hosted Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is set to host Chief Chidi Ibeh, another factional worldwide President soon in Lagos State. He has, in his kitty, a consent court judgement which empowers him to remain in office till 2026.
What transpire during Ibeh’s visit would indicate the direction of Lagos Ohanaeze in the years ahead.
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