Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex mouthpiece of the Igbo nation, which unites the Igbo people in Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states, will go to the polls on January 10 to elect a new leadership. The election is in accord with the constitution of the body which rotates the presidency, and other offices of the national executive committee, among all the seven states as listed in its foundational constitution. As it is, and in accord with that constitutional mandate, the office of President General will go to Rivers state. Rivers is also expected to produce the Assistant National Treasurer while Abia state would produce a Deputy President General and the National Financial Secretary.
Anambra state will produce the group’s Vice President General and Secretary General while Delta state gets a Vice President General and Deputy Secretary General slots. Ebonyi will also produce a Vice President General as well as the National Legal Adviser and Assistant National Financial Secretary while Enugu state will produce a Vice President General as well as the National Treasurer and Assistant National Publicity Secretary. Imo state, which tenure as President General gave Ohaneze three PGs –Prof. George Obiozor, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu, a reality forced upon the group by death, will take its slot on the national executive committee with the offices of Vice President General, National Publicity Secretary and Assistant National Legal Adviser.
With Rivers taking its rightful slot, the rotational leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo runs its due constitutional course. However, the focus here is on the future of Ohanaeze and the gradual growth of what appears to be the reign of middlemen, who have created a pattern of trading with the Ohanaeze brand for pecuniary political and economic gains. Many people outside the organogram of the Ohanaeze leadership, had expressed concern over the development of what they see as merchants who see in the Ohanaeze brand, a tradable item. Some of these ‘middlemen’ or ‘traders’ had laid claims to the leadership of Ohanaeze through various means and in a manner that suggests a balkanization of Ohanaeze into authentic and non-authentic factions. This sad descent destroys the very fabric of brotherhood and oneness which is dear to the Igbo people.
For instance, soon after the election that installed the Obiozor-led executive, there arose a band of Igbo persons who refused to accept the reality of the fact that the majority of the Igbo nation had instituted an executive for Ohanaeze. These fellows assigned non-existent portfolios to themselves and sought to create discord and disenchantment for the group. They issued press statements in the name of Ohanaeze and often created image and perception problems for the Igbo nation through despicable allegations, outright lies and misleading public comments. These issues often left many Igbo people wondering where the Igbo nation was headed. This is because every effort made to correct their misdeeds, seem to arm them with stronger resolve to thwart the progressive leadership of the Igbo nation. However, Ohanaeze, as known to the Igbo world, has no faction or factions. Therefore, it will be a sad narrative on the Igbo nation if Ohanaeze goes into its next leadership epoch with such mindsets roaming the halls of its national secretariat in Enugu and parading themselves as voices for the Igbo people.
It is expected that the new leadership of Ohanaeze must not run with these divisive tendencies orchestrated by persons who see the Igbo nation as an item on a supermarket shelf. That is not what the Igbo nation represents. The desire of Igbo people around the world to create a progressive nation that builds on the positive outcome of the sweat of its sons and daughters, need no longer be sacrificed to accommodate the mercantilist view of a few self-appointed ‘leaders’ who take advantage of the Ohaneze brand to advance interests that are antithetical to the general well-being of the Igbo people.
Like Prof. Obiozor once argued, the Igbo nation need not speak with one voice. However, Ohanaeze sits supreme as the prime voice out of the cacophony of voices that push the Igbo question into national consciousness. This is why the elected leadership of Ohanaeze must be allowed to exercise the mandate of the generality of the Igbo nation. Those who seek to trade with the Ohanaeze brand should also understand that they are not undermining Ohaneze, but the Igbo nation. The new leadership that will come off the January 10 election must not suffer the destructive actions of those who have carved a niche for themselves as merchants and middlemen, for whom everything, including the Ohaneze brand, is merchandise. These persons danced on the grave of Prof. Obiozor. They are still dancing on the grave of Chief Iwuanyanwu.
While the Igbo nation upholds, and respects, the rights of individuals to form and belong to associations of their choice, and also hold different or dissenting views, it is, however, important for those who trade with the Ohanaeze brand to understand that like Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) etc., Ohanaeze interventions in matters that affect the Igbo nation ought to be strategic and diplomatic. Advancing the cause of the Igbo nation cannot be expressed by youthful aggression, tactlessness and lack of wisdom. It requires the strengthening of the internal dynamics of the group such that the Imeobi is strong enough to wield the big stick on erring members. This will be answer to the perception that Ohanaeze is tolerant of the nuisance created around it by its members who easily trade with its brand.
Meanwhile, there are expectations that the new Ohaneze leadership should be able to lead the charge in holding the government accountable by establishing clear policies and procedures that would guide its decision-making process as well as foster open and regular communication among members, stakeholders and the broader Igbo community. These will help it to reconnect with the Igbo grassroots, strengthen ties with Igbo communities and become a party in finding solutions to the existential problems that Igbo communities face. Many people will expect to see Ohanaeze lead the charge in reinvigorating Igbo cultural festivals and seek stronger avenues to preserve the Igbo tradition, including the Igbo language.
Beyond these, the new leadership may also have to look at fostering better alliances with other Igbo organisations with an eye on the Igbo national interest as well as engage much more diplomatically and constructively with the Nigerian government and deepen relationships with critical government institutions and development agencies for the good of Igbo land. There is a void that Ohanaeze must fill in the lives of the Igbo youth through the development of entrepreneurship and apprenticeships that would enable Igbo youths to become self-reliant and useful to themselves. The task before Ohanaeze is huge. Trading with its brand erodes the focus that is vital in advancing the cause of the Igbo nation.