Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has expressed worries over various articles, publications, and libelous comments credited to one Igboayaka O. Igboayaka who claims to be the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council.
In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze worldwide, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, the apex Igbo socio-cuktural group said neither the Ohanaeze Youth Council nor Igboayaka Igboayaka was known to Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He said the Apex Igbo cultural Organisation had weighed some options including ignoring the meddlesome interloper who uses the hallowed name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for narrow pecuniary mercantilist and perverse interests.
According to him: “This is because, we have at various times informed the unsuspecting public to ignore such mischief makers as impostors, charlatans, media navigators and imprudent social climbers who leech on the invaluable footprints of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to issue despicable, condemnable and most intolerable press releases.
“However, since silence may be misconstrued as giving validity to such a whimsical figment of a transactional imagination, this rebuttal becomes very imperative.”
Ogbonnia said the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR; OFR; CFR. (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) had repeatedly admonished Igboayaka and his likes that Ohanaeze Ndigbo does not wax eloquent on partisan politics except when it becomes exceedingly necessary.
“Therefore, the reckless use of the brand, Ohanaeze, in waging political battles is surely at variance with the philosophy of the founding fathers of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“In other words, Igboayaka or his co-travelers is free to deploy any means and resources at his disposal to fight the South-East Governors including His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, the governor of Imo State and the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum, the Igbo Elders, as his latest expletives and tirades indicate, but should in no circumstances drag the name of Ohanaeze to his impish, scornful, pitiful and pedestrian level, ” he said.
The publicity secretary said that Igboayaka and his likes have at variously occasions been cautioned, sometimes, through their traditional leaders, that Ohanaeze Ndigbo represents the history, emotions, consciousness and the social vein of the Igbo.
He said: “One does not need to go far to know that such mercenaries are heavily sponsored to destabilise the only umbrella body which the Igbo hold very dear to their hearts.
“Recently, one of the Igboayaka intractable publications that made headlines in the various unscrupulous online media, that “Ohanaeze, accuses Imo government of insensitivity over killings and burning of houses in Oguta communities” attracted the attention of Ohanaeze leadership, which was rightly refuted.
“It is based on the above backdrop that Igboayaka Igboayaka unleashed a tirade of abuse on one of the best Igbo; a highly revered Nigerian; a man who has paid his dues to humanity in all respects.
“To some of us that are well cultured, it is both inconceivable and irreconcilable that some maladjusted social deviants and attention seekers who have not made any contribution to their families and communities, would in one swoop, impugn the image of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo with unwarranted character assaults on the Igbo Elders, the entire South-East Governors, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, Chief Iwuanyanwu, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, etc, as portrayed by the recent Igboayaka press release.
“Any discernible adult would know that the more unruly, unrepentant and recalcitrant the youth, the deeper the abyss he pleads. In other words, the dog that the gods want to kill, they first make mad.”
Ogbonnia dissmised Igboayaka’s insinuations on the influence of Governor Hope Uzodimma on Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, describing it as most unfounded.
“It is worth repeating that Sen. Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State and the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum has displayed a large heart and magnanimity towards the Igbo umbrella body without any conditions attached.
“He has restrained himself from influencing the policies and programmes of Ohanaeze. He has shown consistence,” he said.
He said that Chief Iwuanyanwu had shown enough latitude, tolerance, kind-heartedness, forbearance and fatherliness to all the turncoats, dissidents and wary transgressors who use the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for most unwholesome, mercantile and pecuniary interests.
“They are therefore warned to desist from such obnoxious and shameful adventures, because it will surely attract most regrettable consequences to them,” Ogbonnia said.
