2023 Presidency: Ohanaeze Blasts Monarch Over Negative Comment On Igbo Race

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Wednesday, April 20th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Igbo umbrella body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has lambasted a traditional Ruler in the South West over his recent negative comment on the South East clamour for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.

It therefore, cautioned Monarchs across Nigeria to desist from making inflammatory statements capable of causing strife, saying the country needs peace and unity to achieve socio-economic development.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural body in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, and made available to African Examiner in Enugu said that the comment credited to the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, “to the effect that the Igbo cannot be entrusted with the Nigerian

Presidency, is antithetical to the peace and unity of the country.”

The organization advised Oba Akanbi to undergo training “under some more experienced cosmopolitan urbane intelligent monarchs such as his neighbor, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife.”

“One of the qualities of a well-adjusted traditional ruler is to be open minded towards all, especially people of other ethnic groups that may be found in his domain.

Ohanaeze further stated that the claims that the Igbo prevent people from other parts of the country from acquiring properties in their domain, or have an obnoxious policy of depriving other Nigerians of their rights cannot be substantiated.

The association also stated that it is unthinkable that a group that builds modern houses in all parts of the country will prevent other ethnic groups from building in their homestead.

The “morbid fabrication of falsehood is a terrible mischief, only for the uninitiated.” the statement read

“The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a comment by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, to the effect that the Igbo cannot be entrusted with the office of the Nigerian presidency.

“In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, the traditional ruler added that “no Nigerian will feel secure in the hands of a leader whose ethnic attachment deprived other Nigerians of their rights”.

“While acknowledging the damage done to the Igbo by the Nigerian civil war, he lashed the Igbo for the sit-at-home order issued by the Eastern Security Network (ESN). He went further to accuse the Igbo of “preventing people from the other parts of the country from acquiring properties in their domain”.

He then categorized the entire South Easterners in a statement: “The style by the South easterners is barbaric”.

In the reaction the group noted “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, is a civilized cultural organization and by its prospectus, Ohanaeze has profound respect for culture and traditional rulers.

“We will, therefore, restrain from hoisting the monarch with his own petard, rather we advise that he should undergo some tutelage under some more experienced cosmopolitan urbane intelligent monarchs such as his neighbor, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife.

This is because, it is self-evident that Nigeria is a beleaguered country that urgently needs nation-building; inflammatory and incendiary remarks from monarchs and the highly placed are antithetical to peace and unity of Nigeria.

“One of the reasons the traditional rulers are insulated from partisan politics is to avoid an overdrive or the kind of overzealousness exhibited by Oba Akanbi, in an effort to retire a gift from his candidate for the presidency in 2023.

“ In promoting his preferred candidate, he has committed a fallacy of hasty generalization when he stated that “the style by south easterners is barbaric’; the

Igbo cannot be trusted with power, etc. Surely, such prejudice, innuendo and vitriolic group vilifications against the entire Igbo nation is most un-reflective of a royal father whose primary duty is to sow seeds of unity in his kingdom and beyond.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Igbo are adventurous nation builders; they are found in all parts of Nigeria and beyond. They make friends easily and also feel at home with their children in all parts of world.

“ Records across the world indicate that the Igbo are branded in Midas touch. They quickly learn the language and culture of the host community with a view to contribute towards the socio-economic growth of the community.

“The people of other ethnic groups that had their National Service in Igbo Land can always attest to the Igbo friendliness and hospitality during their service years; some ended up marrying Igbos” Ohaneze pointed out