Leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in safe hands, says NEC

From Maurice Okafor, Enugu

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide has explained that the leadership of the organisation which is the apex body of all Igbo socio-cultural organisation is in safe hands amidst the death of its President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and the deputy, Chief Joel Kroham from Rivers state.

The Ohanaeze NEC said they are very much deep rooted on preparations of how to give their late leader a befitting burial,which will commence on October 6, at Lagos.

It disassociated itself from the clamoured search for an acting President General of Ohanaeze attributed to a group of Igbo leaders, stating it is against the Igbo culture to start shopping for a replacement to Chief Iwuanyanwu, before his burial.

The NEC of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worlwide gave the clarification in a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, made available to newsmen in Enugu.

The statement read in parts, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to some documents making the rounds to the effect that there is an urgent need for an Acting President General to pilot the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo arising from the death of both the President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) and the Deputy President General, Chief Joel Kroham from Rivers State.

“The proponents of this view argue that it is in line with the provisions of the Ohanaeze constitution and that nature abhors vacuum. The documents asking for the enthronement of an acting President General are signed by eminent Igbo dignitaries whose views cannot, in any way, be ignored”.

The Ohanaeze NEC stressed that the Chairman of the National burial committee, Sen. Ben Obi, CON and Secretary Prince Gary Enwo –Igariwey, the former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, including Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze are the Deputy Chairman and Secretary, respectively, among others cut across almost all the ethnic groups in Nigeria and numerous eminent persons from diverse fields are lending all forms of support towards a befitting farewell to the Igbo Leader.

According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo NEC, the Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) for Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Owerri are also making progress and the programmes will commence with a Day of Tributes at Lagos on Wednesday, October 16; Abuja on October 18, 2024; Enugu on Saturday, October 26; Service of Songs at Owerri on October 29 and finally the interment at Atta, Imo State on November 1, 2024.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemned the alleged action of some Igbo leaders who are scouting for an acting President General instead of joining in the preparations to give late Iwuanyanwu, a beffitting burial.

The statement read further, “It beggars belief, therefore, that while Nigerians of all persuasions have shown uncompromising commitment for the implementation of the outlined burial programmes, some Igbo are busy holding meetings on the enthronement of an Acting President General. Ohanaeze Ndigbo reserves much comments on the activities of such actors, especially where most of them are titled men that are well versed with the nuances of Igbo cosmology. It appears that, in an effort to exhibit their sincere patriotism for the Igbo, the proponents of immediate enthronement of a leader in an acting capacity, may have overlooked the basic fundamentals of Igbo norms, culture and tradition.

“For the avoidance of doubts, the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (NEC) comprises men and women who are accomplished in the academia, jurisprudence, public administration, politics, Medicare, community service, commerce and industry, etc under the administrative competence of a seasoned diplomat, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR. In other words, the NEC of Ohanaeze informs our highly valued Igbo groups and their signatories that the funeral rites of the late Igbo leader are very much at hand and that an escalated contest for Ohanaeze leadership is not only a major distraction but highly illogical, un-cultural and an indelible slur on the Igbo nation.

“We therefore urge our highly valued brothers and sisters to join hands in the burial rites of the Igbo Leader, with the reassurances that the appropriate mechanism for an Ohanaeze leadership will be applied shortly after the befitting funeral rites to the Igbo leader on November 1, 2024.

Ohanaeze NEC also condemned the action of some illegal groups who are extorting money from people on the disguise of Chief Iwuanyanwu’s burial. It said that Senator Ben Obi led committee is the only authentic committee to do so.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo seizes this opportunity to inform the general public that some mercenaries masquerading as special devotees and adherents of Chief Iwuanyanwu are on the prowl. Such unscrupulous zealots are lurking around with letters preying on the unsuspecting compassionate persons for unethical supports towards the funeral ceremonies of Chief Iwunayanwu. It is therefore necessary to reiterate that the only authentic body for the funeral rites of the Igbo Leader is the Sen. Ben Obi led National Burial Committee inaugurated by His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodimma on behalf of the South East Governors”.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo reitterated that the September 29 Igbo day celebration scheduled to hold at Owerri remains cancelled.

” Similarly, we wish to inform the general public that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has cancelled the Igbo Day Celebration that was earlier scheduled to hold on September 29, 2024 at Owerri Imo State. This decision was taken in honour of the late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel iwuanyanwu who died in active service on July 25, 2024. Briefing the NEC decision to the Press on July 30, 2024, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR explained that it will be imprudent, unreflective and un-cultural to embark on a celebration of any kind while the corpse of Igbo Leader is still lying in the morgue. Emuchay added that Ahaejiagamba was a rare human being, who had wonderful vision for the Igbo nation and for Nigeria. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, therefore alerts the general public that any posturing for 2029 Igbo Day Celebration should be discountenanced”.