By Ngozi Nwoke
For the first time after his emergence as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu had a meeting with Igbo leaders in Lagos State.
The meeting, which was held under the auspices of Anambra State born business mogul and executive chairman, Chisco Group of Companies, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, was fruitful with robust discussions on the leadership crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo as well as efforts to unite and move Ndigbo forward.
During the meeting, Iwuanyanwu commended Anyaegbu for his philanthropic gestures towards Igbos in Lagos, adding that Igboland can only succeed and progress with people of his kind.
He noted: “I am glad to be in the midst of great Igbo leaders to solicit support and encouragement. I commend Chidi Anyaegbu for hosting this great meeting with Ndigbo and for his philanthropic gestures to Ndigbo in Lagos State.
“I am grateful for the wonderful reception given to me by Ndigbo. The people I have met here today are very important people in the lives of Igbo. Wherever I go, I meet with these people, and they whisper the condition of things to me.
“I am here essentially on my first official tour to South-West and I have been very well-received. I have made up my mind to serve the people and I pray to God Almighty to give me the capacity to serve them well.
“I have studied the map of Igboland and I have carried out a very comprehensive study on agriculture, our mineral resources or natural endowment and intellectual capacity. Based on these things, I am quite convinced that we have a lot of prospects.
“I am bent on transforming Igboland; I believe that by the plan that I am making, I will transform agriculture, the industrial base and commerce because our people are trade-inclined, which is a major part of our wealth.
“Without fear of contradictions, when you talk about Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria today, I think Igbo contribute more to the GDP than any other group because we are there in every local government. There is no local government in Nigeria today where you won’t see Igbo.
“Wherever they are, they carry out their businesses which could be trading in one commodity or the other, or even farming. Igbo are part of the development in Africa and Lagos. Right from the time the first railway lines were built, Igbo were here. There is no way anybody can talk about the development of Lagos with all honesty and exclude Igbo.”
Promising to work with Eze Ndigbo, to ensure his lofty programmes aimed at redefining the Igbo nation is achieved, Iwuanyawu explained how impossible it is for the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide to oversea the interest of Igboland without the recognition of Ndigbo in diaspora.
On the ongoing insecurity, an Igbo leader, Solomon Aguene, stated that it is time to give Igbo leadership to some patriotic Igbo leaders who have demonstrated their passion to the growth of Ndigbo in Lagos State. He mentioned some Igbo leaders such as Anyaegu, Charles Odunukwe, Chief Mike Umeh and Chief Ifeanyi Odii as stakeholders who have demonstrated their love for Ndigbo over the years, adding that they should be considered for Ohanaeze leadership positions in Lagos State.
He said: “It is time to give leadership to patriotic Igbo leaders. I regret the demise of people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chuba Okadigbo, R.B. Okafor, M.I. Okpara, Ndubuisi Kanu and others. The current escalation of insecurity in Igboland was caused by lack of adequate leadership in Igboland. Those merchandise-leaders we have this time should resign, instead of holding us hostage by calling themselves leaders of Ndigbo. Any leadership of socio-cultural organisation like Ohaneze or Igbo- speaking, or Umunna, that is appointed by any politician should resign.
“Some of the people parading themselves as Igbo leaders in Lagos State do not protect the interest of Ndigbo in the state. The current escalation of the insecurity situation in Igboland was due to lack of incompetent leadership and I call for the resignation of all politically-appointed leaders of socio-cultural organisations like Ohaneze Ndigbo.”
The ezes, through the chairman, Council of Ndieze Ndigbo in Lagos State, Eze Christopher Offia (KSM), appealed for Igbo unity, solid amity and togetherness, and implored Iwuanyanwu to wade into the issues of ‘Igbophobia’, sycophancy, selfishness, sabotage, cold war, and the crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State.
He also expressed the determination of the Council Of Ndieze in Lagos State to work with the president general to achieve the herculean task ahead of his leadership.
He said: “Ahaejiagamba, your tireless efforts in advancing the cause of Ndigbo, preserving our rich cultural heritage and championing inclusivity has set a remarkable precedent within our community. We are immensely grateful for your steadfast leadership and unwavering dedication to the growth and progress of Ndigbo world wide.
“We enjoin Igbos to be lawabiding as well as to operate within the armbit of the rule of law. We call on Igbo leaders to commence campaign on mobilization, education and reorientation of Ndigbo and the need to think homewards, by investing more heavily at home, even as they also invest outside Igbo land.”
The meeting had in attendance included Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, Everest Ozonweke, Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, Vincent Iwobi, Christian Nwachukwu, John Uche, Slyvanus Onuoha, Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu and many others.
Photo caption:
Members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo with Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State