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Tag: Ohanaeze Ndigbo

  • Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Innoson boss is being victimised

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Innoson boss is being victimised

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has defended the Chief Executive of Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma, condemning the current travails he is being subjected to.

    The group said its attention has been drawn to a court action instituted against “the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Innoson Nigeria Limited, Chief Innocent Chukwuma in which he is being charged, ostensibly, of obtaining Custom documents fraudulently.”

    A statement by the Special Adviser to the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emeka Attamah said: “Cognizant of the matter being in court and without any pretence to the veracity of the case or otherwise, Ohanaeze Ndigbo views the current travails of Chief Chukwuma as another attempt at hounding another son of Igboland who, out of personal enterprise and hard work, has helped in shaping the economic and industrial fortunes of Nigeria.

    “We frown at this recent attempt to obfuscate the victory won by Innoson’s Group against a leading bank. We see the current twist in the whole affair as a deliberate attempt to put Chief Chukwuma on the defensive in a matter that clearly vindicates and confers a lot of financial advantage on him. It will also taint his reputation by introducing a criminal angle to an already settled civil proceeding.

    “Ohanaeze is carefully studying this discriminatory treatment of his adversaries and the law enforcement agents with a view to reviewing the patronage of our people to any economic establishment found to be associated in this new criminal assault of Chief Innocent Chukwuma.

    “We will no longer do business with any organisation that denigrates the best of our people.”

  • ‘Don’t let Igbo language die’

    ‘Don’t let Igbo language die’

    Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed grave concern over what it called the gradual erosion of Igbo language, culture and values.

    The organisation therefore called on Igbo language experts, the governors of Southeast states and other concerned groups and individuals to establish a mechanism for translation of more English and scientific words into Igbo language and to establish generally acceptable Igbo vocabulary.

    The national vice chairman of Ohanaeze and former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, expressed the concern when an Igbo interest group,  Igboekulie, organised a public lecture and presentation of awards to students, teachers, schools and individuals for promotion of Igbo language and culture, at College of Immaculate Conception (CIC), Enugu recently.

    “Language is a living thing which must grow, otherwise it will die. There must be new words in Igbo language. I appeal for translation of more English and scientific words into Igbo language,” Ogbu, who was the chairman of the occasion said.

    The President of Igboekulie, Prince Ben C. Onuora stated that the group, a non-profit organisation formed in 2015, was poised to among other things advocate for the promotion and protection of the economic, social, political and cultural values of Ndigbo as well as the revival of the Igbo language.

    Onuora said the group was worried by the recent postulation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), that Igbo language faces prospect of extinction by 2025 if preservative actions were not taken.

    He called on the Houses of Assembly in the Igbo speaking states in Nigeria to devote a day in every week for the conduct of their legislative business in Igbo language.

    Chairman of the planning committee of the event,  Prof. Chibueze Jiburum, had earlier noted that Enugu was chosen as the host for the event being the headquarters of Eastern Nigeria and that the state government supports Igbo language and culture.

    The Guest Lecturer, Prof.  (Rev. Fr.) Philip Ogbonna, blamed the erosion of Igbo culture and values on the decline in speaking and writing of Igbo language.

    Ogbonna whose lecture is entitled “Language; An Indispensable Tool in Keeping a Culture Vibrant”, stated that language is an ethnic identity, and any cultural group that loses its language has invariably lost its identity.

    The event featured cultural dance and drama displays by students, as well as presentation of awards of excellence in Igbo language to students, schools and teachers as adjudged by West African Examination Council (WAEC).

     

  • Ohanaeze urges Igbo to make friends across Nigeria

    Ohanaeze urges Igbo to make friends across Nigeria

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural group, has urged its people living in the north to court more friends so as to actualise the ethnic group’s quest to produce Nigeria’s President in 2023.

    The call is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the 19 northern states and Abuja. The meeting, held in Minna, ended Sunday night.

    The communique restated the group’s resolve to promote one indivisible Nigeria with equal opportunities for all, and urged Igbo people resident in the north to live in harmony with their host communities.

    It lauded the contributions of Mr John Nwodo, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, toward a united and prosperous Nigeria, and urged him to continue to defend the interest of the people.

    The cultural group extended its hands of fellowship to other Igbo associations the world over, and called for more unity in the pursuit of Nigeria’s presidency in 2023.

    The reports that 44 chapters of the group, drawn from across the 19 states of the north, attended the meeting.

    NAN

  • FG justifies IPOB’s proscription

    FG justifies IPOB’s proscription

    …Ohaneze: It’s extremely unfair

     

     

    The Federal Government Wednesday justified the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed said IPOB’s leader Nnamdu Kanu’s utterances and actions led to the group’s proscription.

    But, President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nwodo, described IPOB’s proscription as “extremely unfair”.

    They spoke on a BBC World Service Focus on Africa programme.

    Asked why IPOB was categorised as a terrorist organisation, Mohammed said: “The acts and utterances of IPOB were acts and utterances of terrorists.

    “For instance, Nnamdi Kanu was caught on tape saying that he wants Biafra, and not peacefully, but by force, and that if they don’t get Biafra, Somalia would be a paradise with the kind of mayhem…”

    When the anchor said Kanu was “a man who was talking without any weapons whatsoever,” the minister said it was also Kanu who openly sought for arms and set up a parallel security organisation.

    He said: “This is also the same man who openly solicited for arms, the same man who set up his own Biafran National Guard, his own Biafra Secret Service, and the same man who actually attacked army formations.”

    Asked what he made of the fact that the United States does not categorise IPOB as a terrorist group, Mohammed said America’s position was “very unfortunate”.

    “That’s very unfortunate, because if countries decide to pick and choose which organisations are terrorists and which are not, bearing in mind that terrorism has no boundary… I think every country should work together to ensure that terrorism does not thrive,” he said.

    Asked by the anchor why other armed groups in Nigeria were not declared terrorist organisations, yet IPOB that did not “raise so much as a single cutlass against the Nigerian state” was so categorised, Mohammed said acts of criminality were different of acts of terrorism.

    “I think acts of criminality should not be confused with terrorist acts. When an organisation decides to not just attack the army, but sets up its own parallel government, openly solicits for arms all over the world, issuing its own passports and its own currency, does not recognise your government, then it becomes a different thing,” he said.

    Asked if he was he worried about IPOB being driven underground and becoming a militant group, the minister responded: “Nigeria is so fragile that if we allow this kind of thing to go on, and there are reprisal attacks in other parts of the country, the whole country will be endangered.”

    But, Nwodo said the Federal Government’s classification of IPOB as a terrorist organisation was “one-sided”.

    He said the Federal Government has not declared Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist organisation despite it being ranked the fourth deadliest known terrorist group, according to the Global Terrorism Index.

    Nwodo said: “The declaration of IPOB as a terrorist organisation is extremely unfair and one-sided.

    “In Nigeria, we have Fulani herdsmen, otherwise referred to as Fulani militants. They have been ranked the third or fourth deadliest organisation in the world.

    “That kind of organisation, which has ravaged farmlands in Nigeria and killed quite a number of people, has not been classified as a terrorist organisation.”

    The Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN) on September 20 obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Abuja proscribing IPOB and declaring its activities as acts of terrorism.

    The group is challenging the proscription.

  • Group hails Ohanaeze’s visit to Gombe, sues for peace

    Group hails Ohanaeze’s visit to Gombe, sues for peace

    The Igbos for Nigeria Movement ( INM ) on Monday commended the visit of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leaders to Gombe state to promote peace and tolerance.
     
    The group, in a statement in Abuja by its National Leader, Mazi Igwe Ifeanyi, said the period when the organization and Igbo leaders played politics with what is ordinarily a nationwide quest for a better deal was over.
     
    He commended the Nigerian Army for having the will to tackle the agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ).
     
    According to him, there is nowhere in the world where terrorist organizations are allowed to flourish unchallenged.
     
    He said: “We commend the Nigerian Army for having the will to tackle IPOB as a festering sore that was on the verge of compromising the health of the nation.
     
    “There is nowhere in the world where terrorists are allowed to flourish unchallenged as earlier canvassed by certain many Igbo and Ohaneze leaders with vested interests.”
     
    He called on some Igbo leaders to apologize to the Nigerian army for criticizing the military operation code-named Operation Python Dance II in the South East.
     
    According to him, some political leaders in the region who banked on using Kanu’s IPOB to score political points had since discovered that they were as much the victims of a terror infrastructure.
     
    “The Igbos for Nigeria Movement [INM] has called on the foremost Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo Leaders to apologize to the military for their earlier acts of silence, indifference, collusion and passive support that allowed the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to metamorphosed into a full blown terror group, whose leader, Nnamdi Kanu, hijacked the Igbo agitation for fairness to incite hatred across the land.

    “It is reassuring that the same people that were supporting IPOB, even when they were hostages, are today relishing the freedom procured for them through the success recorded by Operation Python Dance II, which has empowered them to again grow the courage to visit the same people that Kanu had vilified without them censuring him. 

    “The least Ohanaeze, Chief Nwodo and other Igbo leaders can do is to retract their past statements on the Operation Python Dance II and to encourage troops to root out other evils that have made Igboland into a place that other Nigerians avoid as a place to settle down.
     
    “The ill-conceived quit notice to Igbos by some northern youths have exposed how groups like IPOB placed Igbos at a disadvantage because Igbos settle in other parts of the country in large numbers while only few persons of other ethnic groups make Igboland their homes because of attitudes like the one exhibited by Kanu.

    “Going forward, the expectation is that Ohanaeze and any one that genuinely calls himself a leader in Igboland must now put the interest of Igbo people above their personal interest and this includes accepting that IPOB was a monster that was set to consume the genuine cause which every Igbo man had vigorously pursued in the past. 

    “Had the military not stopped IPOB and Kanu, the path they were threading was on the verge of making Igbos lose what they had toiled to build in other parts of Nigeria in the past five decades given the way they needlessly antagonized other ethnic groups, including calling for their death,” the statement added.
  • Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Youths of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has given its support to the decision by South East governors to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The group also entered into an agreement in Abuja yesterday with leaders of other ethnic nationalities in the country to promote peace and ensure the safety of every Nigerian.

    In a communique issued at the end of the leaders of ethnic nationalities meeting held at FAB Apartments, Abuja, the Ohanaeze Youth Council reassured all Northerners and members of other ethnic nationalities resident in the East to go about their businesses without any fear as the safety of their lives and properties is guaranteed.

    Similarly, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) reassured the Igbo and other ethnic groups resident in the northern part of the country of the safety of their lives and property, and the guarantee that they reserve the right to pursue their legitimate businesses and livelihood without fear.

    The meeting, which was attended by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Yoruba Youth Congress (YYC), Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) and a host of other groups, restated the group’s commitment to a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria where the rights of all citizens to live peacefully in any part of the country is guaranteed, adding that all Nigerians have the moral duty to be their brother’s keeper in all parts and affairs anywhere in the country.

    The leadership of the OYC in a separate statement signed by the President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro; the Deputy National President, Dr Arthur Obiora;  the Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and other executive members called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently commence the process of restructuring the country by marching words with action.

     ”We are saddened by the level of confrontation between the Nigerian Army and the Biafra agitators and the consequent death of many Igbo youths in the process.

    “We are also sad over the reported death of a policeman during this unfortunate but avoidable incident. We say avoidable in the sense that before the launch of Operation Python Dance 2, there was already a reasonable level of discussion between us and the agitators.

    “We are equally aware that South-East governors were also in discussion with the agitators before the military launched its action.

    “However, considering the level of destruction and ruins that could have erupted, we applaud the South-East governors for rising to the occasion.

    “It was indeed the need of the moment. We cannot afford to continue to lose the lives of our people, in addition to over three million killed during the civil war,” the group said.

    The OYC, however, noted that proscribing the IPOB was merely a temporary measure, adding that if the root causes of the agitations were not addressed, “we would not be any surprised if another group more daring than IPOB springs up in the future.

    “While we affirm our belief in one and united Nigeria anchored on justice and fairness, we insist that the country should be fair and just to all irrespective of ethnicity or religion.

    “The Igbo are equally partners in the Nigerian project and should, therefore, be treated fairly.

    “We commend Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for his mature disposition in handling Aba crisis, and South East National Assembly members led Ekweremadu.

    “May we also urge the President to pardon and release all the IPOB members arrested during the reported confrontation with the military.”

     

  • IPOB: Ohanaeze warns FG on frivolous court order

    IPOB: Ohanaeze warns FG on frivolous court order

    The Igbo socio-political organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Tuesday warned courts in Nigeria not to allow themselves be used to undermine democratic process by granting frivolous orders against the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Ohanaeze, in a statement signed by its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said it has credible intelligence that the Attorney General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has secretly approached courts to obtain an order to designating IPOB a terrorist group.

    Nwodo said such move is not only illegal but aimed at furthering the harassment and intimidation of Igbo youths who have been pursuing their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights.

     

  • Ohanaeze warns FG against obtaining frivolous court order on IPOB

    Ohanaeze warns FG against obtaining frivolous court order on IPOB

    The apex Igbo organization the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned courts in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be used to undermine democratic process by granting frivolous orders against the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Ohanaeze, in a statement released signed by the President General, Nnia Nwodo, alleged that it has credible intelligence that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation Abubakar Malami has secretly approached courts to obtain an order to designate IPOB as a terrorist group.

    The Ohanaeze boss said that such move is not only illegal but aimed at furthering the harassment and intimidation of Igbo youths who have been pursuing their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights.

    Ohanaeze said it has despatched letters to courts to be weary of such spurious moves as it is capable of aggravating the frayed nerves and disrupting the genuine moves Ohanaeze and critical Igbo leaders are making to bring peace and concord in the land.

     

  • Ex-Ohanaeze chief to Anambra governorship candidates: avoid bloodshed

    A former president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Chris Eluemuno, has urged the governorship candidates of various political parties in the November 18 election to avoid bloodshed and place the development of the state above self-interest.

    Elunmuno addressed reporters yesterday at his Nkwelle-Ezunnaka home in Oyi Local Government Area.

    The Ohanaeze leader said the growth and development of Anambra State must be seen as sacrosanct and a collective responsibility devoid of selfish interest.

    He said: “I am happy that the political parties have elected their flag bearers who in turn would pursue the game of political elevation into the seat of governorship.

    “I appeal to all candidates to pursue their ambitions with decency and respect for political guideline and avoid bloodshed, knowing that we are all one. Let them shun killing or smearing of people’s image in the name of politics. We can get it right.”

    He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be sincere to their job, by ensuring that all their activities during and after the elections met international standards.

  • Biafra: ‘Can Kanu lead Igbos to war?’

    Biafra: ‘Can Kanu lead Igbos to war?’

    Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu came under fire from many quarters yesterday for his belligerency, particularly his call for the boycott of the November governorship election in Anambra State.

    He has also been threatening that unless a referendum is organised to enable the Igbo determine whether they should have Biafra, the Southeast will boycott the 2019 elections.

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and politicians chided the separatist advocate.

    The Ijaw Youth Council also threatened action should Kanu disparage former President Goodluck Jonathan again.

    Okorocha who spoke at the State House in Abuja said Kanu does not represent or speak for the Igbo, describing him as a young man seeking relevance.

    “Kanu, a young man seeking relevance, agitating for whatever he believes in, what he stands for must be treated separately from the entire Igbo nation.

    “He should be treated as a young man agitating and seeking for relevance, these are two different issues. And he can ride on the back of supposed Igbo marginalization which has been said is not right, and ride on that sentiments and push his agenda but that does not mean that the entire Igbos are speaking with him.

    The question is does Nnamdi Kanu have the capacity to lead Igbo to war? Or lead me and the governors to war? So I will stand now and Nnamdi Kanu will tell me stand up let’s go to war? So, sometimes we over dramatised the issue just to make a big deal out of it and that has been the big challenge.

    “Like the gentleman that spoke for the Arewa youths, and these are not more than 17 young men speaking for millions of Arewa youths and it doesn’t make sense because if you ask any Arewa youth now if he is part of this he will tell you no.

    “I was in Chatham House and I remember how I was attacked by the IPOB boys when I was delivering my lecture. They walked up to me and they were shouting and I said calm down and the young man has never visited Nigeria. So it is our duty to call our younger ones to order but I want to assure Nigerians that they should not see that as a break but agitation given what they perceived that the South East has been neglected over time politically, economically, socially and all that.

    “Their roads are impassable, you cannot pass Port Harcourt road, Enugu road, Aba Road, Bayelsa road and all the roads. You can hardly see federal government presence in the South East, all the things you see are self-made things. Even the Onitsha bridge has been a theoretical talk, fabrications which does not represent reality.

    “So, he speaks his own and joins it to our issues and it now looks like a nationwide thing. That is not the issue.

    “We have called for unity and have agreed that we will remain united. Very soon, some of us have taken it upon ourselves to reach out to this young men talk to them. We must understand that our young men are frustrated, if they are as comfortable as we are, they will not be able to say those.

    Ohaneze Ndigbo said Kanu has no right to stop the Anambra governorship election.

    Its president, Dr John Nwodo, described the IPOB leader’s statement as provocative, misleading and unproductive.

    He said Kanu’s statement was against the agreement he reached with Ohaneze Ndigbo when he visited him, adding that the IPOB leader had breached the agreement with Ohaneze without consultation.

    Nwodo and his executive council members spoke during a visit to the Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday as part of its sensitisation in the South East. Speaker Rita Maduagwu, lawmakers and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, attended.

    Nwodo said:  “News that reached us in the past few days that Nnamdi Kami, had declared that there will be no election in Anambra in November is shocking and disturbing. I hereby countermand that declaration as President General of Ohaneze

    “Whereas Ohaneze understands the marginalisation and unfair treatment of Igbos which have given rise to self-determination movements in Igboland, leaders of these movements must not arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igboland. Statements of the kind credited to Nnamdi Kanu are provocative, misleading and unproductive”

    “Why should Anambra people be denied the opportunity to choose their own leader? Why should any of us not from Anambra, no matter how highly placed, descend to the arena and dictate for Anambra people when to vote, whether to vote or who to vote for?

    “Anambra, nay Igbos, are still part and parcel of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yes, we are not happy with our treatment in Nigeria”

    “Yes, some of us want Biafra. Yes, some of us prefer a restructured Federal Republic of Nigeria. But the fact remains that we are still part and parcel of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria, bound by its laws, no matter how repressive or unjust”

    Umeh said it was only the people who do not have Igbo blood in them that would allow anybody to tell them what goes on in the society today, adding that the current Ohaneze was making Ndigbo proud.

    Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on legislative matters, Chief Chidozie Ezeugwa, condemned Kanu’s statement saying the government of Anambra state under Obiano was committed to the Igbo cause and would continue to do everything to support Ohaneze’s interest in anything in protecting Ndigbo in the country.

    Some politicians have also condemned Kanu’s call for a boycott of the Anambrapoll.

    They said the call was capable of derailing democracy in the state and expose the people to anarchy.

    Chief Sam Oraegbunam, Chairman of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Anambra chapter, said although Kanu’s call for repositioning of Nigeria was popular, he must not use it to cause confusion in Anambra.

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has declared that further attack on former President Jonathan by Kanu, would be met with appropriate sanctions from Ijaw youths.

    IYC through its Spokesman Daniel Dasimaka, described as uncharitable and disrespectful, Kanu’s comments on ex-President Jonathan.

    The umbrella organisation of Ijaw youths said: “It is quite ironic and appalling that anyone will say ex-President Jonathan did nothing for the Southeast, when it is common knowledge in both informed and not-so-informed circles in Nigeria that the Southeast benefited even more than the Southsouth under Dr. Jonathan. It is on record that under the then President Jonathan, rehabilitation and expansion works were done on the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA), Owerri, Imo State, which he granted an international airport status.

    “In terms of appointment, Dr. Jonathan appointed the first female Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma (an Igbo). He also appointed the first Southeast Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and first Southeast Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ogbonnaya Onovo, among others.

    “We are calling on the true Igbo leaders to caution Nnamdi Kanu and to bridle his tongue, lest his unguarded rhetoric may strain the good relationship the Igbo and the Ijaw nation, and by extrapolation, the Southsouth and Southeast geopolitical zones, have enjoyed over the years.”