Odozi Nwodozi
08095495123
It is common knowledge that one of the greatest problems besetting the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo has been the omni-presence of the “Eze” and the almost non-existence of the “Oha”. The Eze being the elites that that gather periodically or as the socio-political temperature demands to discuss issues that at the surface look Igbocentric, but which most times turns out to be ploys hatched to satisfy the economic and political interest of a few, while massaging the political interest of their pay masters who are most times outside the confines of Igbo land. While the “ Oha” on the other hand are the youths and women populace that are the foot soldiers of these often cloaked agenda of the “Ezes”.
However, while the Ezes have structured and consolidated themselves into what is now known as the National Executive Committee and “Ime -Obi” of the apex body, the Youth and Women groups have since the year 2000 been in formless or at best semi-formed shapes, meant to suit the whim and caprices of the subsequent Ohanaeze Ndigbo administrations. While the women kept mute, the youth through the instrumentality of groups such as the Confederation of Igbo Students (CIS), Eastern Youth Forum (EYF) and Igbo Youth Alliance (IYA) has been clamouring for the constitution of a all-encompassing, acceptable and functional youth structure within the frame-work of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. They have backed their demands with concerted efforts aimed at not only achieving it, but making it work whenever it fruits. They drafted a body of guiding principles (Bye Laws) while pressuring the apex body to blow the whistle.
It was this synergy and the clamour of some other pro-Igbo organisations like the Chekwas Okorie-led Igboezue Cultural Group and MASSOB for a memorial for fallen Biafran heroes that that culminated into the annual ritual called “IGBO DAY”. In recognition of the efforts of the youths, three of them namely Odozi Nwodozi (then known as Edozie Iyinbor), Bismarck Ikechukwu Oji, and Hilary Ona were nominated into the Planning committee of the maiden Igbo Day.
One of the positive outcomes of the Igbo day 2000 was the appointment of ex-international Nnamdi Nwokocha as the pioneer President of Ohanaeze Youth Council with Comrade Chuks Ibegbu as the Secretary-General; thought this appointment did not go down well with most members of the various youth and students bodies that were congregating at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Secretariat GRA Enugu, with time and the mature approach of Nwokocha, everybody keyed into his train until it ran itself into the murky political waters that prompted the Ikedife administration to sidetrack it and appointed former Igbo students leader Mazi Ikechukwu Bismarck Oji as the leader of Igbo Youths under Ohanaeze Ndigbo with Tony Uche Ezekwesili as the Secretary-General.
At the expiration of the Ikedife administration, and the entrance of the late Raph Uwechue on the 30th of January 2009, the new regime was still contemplating the structure of their administration when nature dealt a blow on the youth rank and te cold hands of death snatched Nnamdi Nwokocha in April 2009. With this vacuum, the Uwechue administration played with the sensibilities of the youth and women groups; endlessly promising to organise elections for both arms while utilising the youth to achieve the endorsement of his illegal and unpopular tenure extension in 2010 and other self-aggrandising schemes.
With Nwokocha dead, the Uwechue administration insincere, and the Igbo Youth at a rudderless low point, some youths muted the idea of organising themselves to re-energise the Ohanaeze Youth Council. This plan, though initially popular hit the rocks when events began to show political infiltration and sponsorship by a governorship contestant in one of the South-East States and his alliance with one Chilos Godsent. Key actors backed out of the project as this does not represent the non-partisan Ohanaeze Youth they envisaged. Preferring rather, to paddle Ohanaeze Youth Wing with through the instrumentality of the Council of State chapter chairmen, while waiting for the constitution of the National Exco.
However, a forsaken Chilos Godsent incorporated Zulu Ofoeleue of the Enugu Office of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and some other uninformed young persons, went ahead to declare himself President of “Ohanaeze Youth Council” while distributing other offices to some of his cronies and political acolytes of his sponsor. It should be noted that this was done without the popular support of Igbo youth organisations and veritable youth stakeholders across the seven Igbo states.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo further on learning of the activities of the fictitious group issued a statement in a paid advert through the then Secretary-General Chief Nduka Eya, where the body dissociated itself from the purported “Ohanaeze Youth Council” elections in November 2010. This was published in some national dailies. The events of the April 2011 elections did not help matters for the Chilos Godsent group as they were visibly partisan in the course of the governorship election, lending open and unpretentious support to the ambition of the opposition in the Imo state elections. Other youth stakeholders watched in dismay, but chose not to react since the party involved at that time was one Ndigbo attached much sentiments to.
The 12th January 2014 Ohanaeze Ndigbo elections that ushered in the Gary Enwo-Igariwey administration, was undoubtedly bedevilled with lots of low points. But for the popular organs of the pan Igbo body (WOMEN AND YOUTH WINGS), it held high hopes. So when in February 2014, the President-General signified his intention to open up the space for a democratically elected youth and women structure, and the offices zoned to the seven component states of Abia, Anambra, Anioma(Delta) Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers. Modalities were rolled out.
Dr ( Mrs) Celine Ugwuoke-Adibua was appointed to chair the Youth Election Committee while Sir OAU Onyema was to chair the Women Election Committee. It is pertinent to note that at this stage Ohanaeze Ndigbo also decided to rename the youth group “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing” instead of the former name “Ohanaeze Youth Council”, so as to separate it from other fake and fraudulent groups.
The elections were fixed for Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April for the youth and women elections respectively, all to be held at the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Forms were sold for the token of N5000 and the response, interest and enthusiasms was unprecedented. With these popular elections on the offing, the “fictitious” Ohanaeze Youth Council sensed danger and hurriedly gathered some uninformed Igbo young persons whom they sold forms to at the ungodly cost of N15000 (Fifteen Thousand Naira) for a hurried “election” aimed at confusing the Igbo populace. Intelligence report has it that they also received funds from some politicians outside Igboland with the aim of scuttling Ohanaeze’s re-organisation plans. As expected they held their election in The Imo state capital of Owerri. All these they did without reference to Ohanaeze Ndigbo whom they have been “trading with their name.”
On the 5th of April 2014, elections were held for the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo at the National Secretariat where Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzo emerged the National Youth Leader with sixteen other members of the National Executive Council. That of the women wing was inconclusive on the 6th due to some manipulations and cross-interests. The NEC of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is yet to meet to re-schedule the women wing election.
The new youth executive were yet to settle down when news filtered out that the Chilos Godsent group has fixed their “inauguration”in Enugu on the day the President will visit the city for the South-East Rally of his party the PDP. On further investigation, it was discovered that the group (“Ohanaeze Youth Council”) was working with some reactionary elements whose aim was to discomfort Ohanaeze Ndigbo since they could not hijack it for their selfish political purposes, hence the newly elected executives reconvened in Enugu on Thursday to peacefully stop the illegality. While some affiliate youth groups pleaded with the executives to allow them to “deal” with the usurpers, the leadership pleaded for a peaceful resolution. Hence the invitation of the police.
At the New Haven Police Station, the arrested gang were granted bail when the leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing refused to make statement in order to allow for a peaceful resolution. The position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, just like every right thinking Igbo person is that the Chilos/Ofoelue group have the right of association as enshrined into the Nigerian constitution, but they should lend reverence to the name “Ohanaeze” by deducting it from their name, since theydont have any affiliation with the apex body.
Presidential Arrest:
it should be of noted to state that the President or any member of his entourage was not aware of the activities of this group, as every action taken against them was done by their peers (Igbo Youths) who were out to correct the wrong acts of this bunch who are believed to be in the pay roll of some rudderless Igbo political actors whose ships of relevance are sinking and are presently under the hypnotic hold of some “Latter Day Igbo Friends.”
This group has nothing to do with the apex Igbo socio-cultural body Ohanaeze Ndigbo , therefore they should delete the prefix “Ohanaeze” from their name. Until they and other fraudulent groups across Igboland and beyond using the name for mischievous purposes do that, they will not know peace.
For this group, these pertinent questions are begging for answers. 1. Why did you suddenly choose Enugu as the Venue of your “Inauguration” instead of Owerri where you had your “elections”? 2. Why did you did you not make use of the 1000 capacity hall within the confines of Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Secretariat Enugu, rather you preferred holding your event in a garden. 3. Why did you choose to have your event on a day the President is visiting Enugu, if not to cause mischief and satisfy the desires of your reactionary pay masters? 4. Why are you still bearing the name “Ohanaeze” when the body has repeatedly denied you?
Igbo si n’atuolu omalu, omalu. Atuolu ofeke, ofenye isi n’ohia! The choice is yours’ be wise!
