The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has not decided on the state(s) it would endorse to be created from the Igbo speaking areas of Nigeria, following several demands, the Secretary General of the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation has said.
Ambassador Okey Emuchay made the clarification following an advertorial in the Vanguard Newspaper of December 5, 2024 purporting that Ohanaeze Ndigbo has endorsed the demand for the creation of Anioma State.
The advertorial placed as an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Professor Chubikeya Achokawa, Chief Alexander Chikalue Okemiri, Prince Eze Ozobu, Prof. Obasi Igwe, and Justice Alpha Ikpeama on behalf of Ndigbo.
But the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretary General said that the group of persons behind the misleading information has no authority to speak for Ndigbo, adding that there hasn’t been any decision on the states to put forward for consideration.
He said that the clarification on the said endorsement of Anioma state creation was necessary as “we are aware that the Igbo nation will surely be incensed and rattled by such an advertorial that did not pass through the Igbo cultural consensus”.
Ambassador Emuchay said that the characters engaged in futile efforts to usurp the authority of Ohanaeze have been told that
“the Igbo problem is far beyond them” hence they should desist from arrogating to themselves the authority of speaking for Ndigbo.
“The egalitarian Igbo formed an Imeobi Ohanaeze and the Ohanaeze General Assembly where the major issues affecting the Igbo are deliberated upon before arriving at a resolution,” he said.
The Ohanaeze Chief Scribe made it clear that the demand for Anioma state was proper and “we do not in any way begrudge the legitimate and inalienable right of the Anioma movement led by Sen. Ned Nwoko”.
While commending Senator Nwoko, who represents Delta North senatorial district, for his “courage and steadfastness”, Emuchay pointed out that “we have other demands for State creation, such as Aba, Adada, Etiti, Orashi, Orlu States, among others.
According to him, all the demands for new states from the Igbo speaking areas would be scrutinised at the appropriate time by the highest decision making organ of Ohanaeze which would confirm the state(s) that would be endorsed for creation.
He said: “It is very unthoughtful, harebrained and a huge embarrassment to the Igbo nation for a few persons to use the hallowed name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to issue a far reaching press release without adequate consultations with the Igbo stake holders.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Imeobi Ohanaeze will soon be convened to constitute an electoral umpire for the January 2025 Ohanaeze election. During the meeting, Ohanaeze will review the State of affairs in Nigeria and other matters affecting the Igbo”.
Emuchay has been holding the fort in piloting the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide since the death of the President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
He reiterated that any press releases or statements emanating from outside the authentic leadership of Ohanaeze should be treated as fake.
The Ohanaeze Secretary General pleaded with the group that has been faking Ohanaeze to make scandalous and embarrassing statements “to desist from desecrating the sacredness of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization”.
He reminded them that “the Igbo all over the world owe a profound emotional attachment to Ohanaeze Ndigbo (which) represents the soul, passion, history, culture, cosmology and politicality of the Igbo”.
“Thus, it is inconceivable that any meaningful Igbo will become the willing tool for destabilizing the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Once more, we urge all sons and daughters of the Igbo nation to remain calm,” he said.