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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
It was a historic homecoming for the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Chief Aqueen Ibeto, as she landed in Enugu State in grand style, recently.
Ibeto, who in November 2021 made history as the first female president of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation anywhere in the world, visited home for the first time since she assumed office. It was an opportunity for her to pay homage to some prominent Igbo sons and daughters in Enugu State, where she officially informed them of her latest feat and received their blessings.
Her first port of call was the residence of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, where she met with his window, Bianca Ojukwu.
The visit availed Ibeto the opportunity to relay her tortuous journey to emerging leader of a male-dominated Igbo cultural organisation.
According to her, some male members of the group swore to never allow a woman become Ohanaeze leader on the basis of culture, more so, as such had not been recorded in the past.
She said: “I had served in different capacities in Ohanaeze UK before now. When my predecessor’s time was up, it was time for a new leader to be elected. The position was zoned to Enugu State. So, I indicated interest in the position.
“Later, I was chosen as a consensus candidate but it didn’t go down well with some people who could not imagine that a woman would be president of Ohanaeze.
“So, despite emerging as a consensus candidate, another person insisted that he must contest against me. I roundly defeated him in the election. He congratulated me but later reneged because of what I don’t know.
“One other thing they said was that a woman does not break kolanut in Igboland and as such a woman can’t lead men. I told them that I had served as deputy president in Ohanaeze but I never saw the then president break kolanuts. It was a function left for elders and not the president.
“We also got the backing of the Ohanaeze constitution, which recognised that an Ohanaeze president could be male or female. In all these, we had the support of the national leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which I can describe as open-minded.”
Responding, Mrs. Ojukwu pledged her support to the new Ohanaeze leadership in the UK. The former Nigerian ambassador to Spain described Ibeto as a dynamic, forward-looking personality whose tenure would bring laudable achievements to the body.
“I would like to think that your tenure is defined more as the tenure of a dynamic, forward-looking and pragmatic Ohanaeze president, not a tenure of a woman Ohanaeze president, because I think you have gone to a large extent beyond that.
“I have absolutely no doubt that you will make Ohanaeze proud. I am certain that you will make the womenfolk proud and I am absolutely certain that you will make Igboland and Nigeria proud.
“I think you’ve been able to demonstrate your laudable capacity and I don’t believe at all that you came a moment too soon. I think Ohanaeze is blessed at this time.
“I think that at this point in time we have people who are forward-looking and people who are not swayed by more conservative sentiments and I am happy that they were able to look beyond all that to birth this change to let not just the best man win but the best contender win,” Ojukwu stated.
When Ibeto’s team visited Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, he congratulated her on emerging the first female president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. He said he was not surprised by the achievement considering her pedigree and royal background.
President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State chapter, Prof. Fred Eze, and national publicity secretary of the body, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, among others, were part of the delegation.
Addressing the governor, Ibeto noted that the visit was “a unanimous decision of his group to discuss other areas of common interest to the service of the Igbo nation.”
The entourage then proceeded to her hometown, Obinagu, in Udi Local Government Area, where they paid homage to the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Innocent Ezenwaba.
Igwe Ezenwaba described her as a good ambassador of the community, noting that she was the daughter of his predecessor.
He said: “Her achievement is something that the entire country should be proud of. I am very grateful to God for that position.
“Internationally, women have been able to achieve 35 per cent gender equality. Other women have held top political positions. Liberia had a female president.
“We have had Dora Akunyili, Oby Ezekwesili and others. So, for her to clinch this position is a challenge to other women. We are not surprised that she was able to attain this position because we know her background.”
At the Enugu Sports Club, the executive chairman, Henry Nwosu, commended Ibeto for standing out as a model for women in Nigeria and across Africa.
Responding, Ibeto said she had visited the club to renew the relationship between her late father, Igwe Okobo III and the Enugu Sports Club.
“I am here not just for renewal of our primordial relationship but to also see how we can engage in an exchange programme between Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK/Ireland and Enugu State Sports Club.
“The game of tennis for a good number of years in our own part of the world seems to be on the exclusive reserve of adult aged bracket due to the level of awareness, lack of organised compensation, and tennis clinics for younger ones and among schools,” she said.
Another spectacular visit was to the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Enugu, where Ibeto assessed facilities there with a view to finding areas of possible intervention.
She was impressed that the Nigerian Government now see such facilities as places remolding of inmates instead of just custodial homes.
“In those days, it was known as prison but now, the government in its wisdom accepted the change of name from prison to correctional centre which decodes more of a centre for rehabilitation and corrections.
“We will use this window of opportunity to contribute our own quarter to the welfare and general wellbeing of the inmates as we strongly advise them to shun vices and see their being here as an opportunity for life transformation that will enable them contribute meaningfully to greater society.”
She urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to critically reform the nation’s justice system and also swiftly dispense of numerous litigations in various courts.
According to her, Ohanaeze’s recent inquiries showed that the number of awaiting trial inmates in various correctional centres across Nigeria was at alarming heights.
The Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Nicholas Obiako, who was thankful for the offer said the command looked forward to collaborating with the Igbo group in key areas.
