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By Chinelo Obogo
Amidst a lot of fanfare, the Ohaneze Ndigbo has ended the leadership crisis rocking its Lagos chapter with the inauguration of a new leadership led by Mr. Sunday Ossai.
The new president, Ossai, was presented his certificate alongside other elected members by the General Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Kalu Onuma, during a ceremony in Lagos Saturday.
Ossai promised to end the disunity in the body and give everyone a sense of belonging by first reconciling all aggrieved parties. He also promised “register all Igbo businesses in a way that Ohanaeze becomes their marker.”
According to him, “every successive Ohanaeze tenure comes with its distinctiveness, achievements, innovations, new partnerships and continuity towards developing, sustaining and enhancing the ideals of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, with much emphasis on the welfare, peace and unity of the Igbo.
“Today, the much awaited joumey towards the total emancipation of the Igbo in Lagos State has commenced. I stand before everyone seated here to pledge my loyalty, commitment and selflessness as the servant-leader of the new face of Ohanaeze Lagos State.”
He pledged firm support to the government and people of the state, and mend the disunity which he said the past administration brought about due to concerns that were not in the overall interest of the Igbo.
Ossai further appealed to every Igbo in Lagos to return to the fold and join hands saying : “In this administration, the common course of the Igbo shail be our collechve achievement. We shall ensure that the interest of the Igbo shall be protected in our host-state and communities as long as our people stand firmly in honesty, love and hondwork.
“To ths effect, I have painstakingly, after due consultations, created as a matter of urgency, what I consider the most important committee that will reposition and redirect the focus of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State in line with my ardent desire to leave a remarkable and indelible legacy for future adiministrahons,” he said.
He commended Ohanaeze and all who whose efforts ensured “a credible and successtul election without any form of acrimony.”
Concerning the focus of the association, Ossai clarified that “Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a socio-cultural group, it is apolitical.” This was corroborated by the Lagos State Special Adviser on Drainages, Joe Igbokwe, that Ohanaeze is an umbrella body of all Igbo sons and daughters anywhere in the world. Once you are born, you automatically become a member.”
Igbokwe, who fielded questions from newsmen after the event, explained the nature of the crisis that existed as “a little problem in leadership.
“Normally, we don’t get involved in the process, but the Ohanaeze constitution says that it (tenure) is four years, after which you go. But somebody says he wants a second term, so, it brought about crisis and confusion. We are here to conclude the matter.
“Going forward, the next thing is reconciliation – those who said they want to continue in office, those who have been alienated – we want to bring back everybody. It’s a huge population. It’s a complex issue but we are dealing with it.
“The next thing is how to bring unity in Lagos – peace, harmony, you go about your business and be law-abiding, that’s all,” he said.
