The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has condemned the call by some people for an enthronement of acting President General of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, Publicity Secretary of the organisation made this known on Wednesday in a press statement.
The press statement reads, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to some documents making the rounds to the effect that there is an urgent need for an Acting President General to pilot the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo arising from the death of both the President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) and the Deputy President General, Chief Joel Kroham from Rivers State.
“The proponents of this view argue that it is in line with the provisions of the Ohanaeze constitution and that nature abhors vacuum. The documents asking for the enthronement of an acting President General are signed by eminent Igbo dignitaries whose views cannot, in any way, be ignored.”
Ogbonna added, “While Nigerians of all persuasions have shown uncompromising commitment for the implementation of the outlined burial programmes, some Igbo are busy holding meetings on the enthronement of an Acting President General.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo reserves much comments on the activities of such actors, especially where most of them are titled men that are well versed with the nuances of Igbo cosmology. It appears that, in an effort to exhibit their sincere patriotism for the Igbo, the proponents of immediate enthronement of a leader in an acting capacity, may have overlooked the basic fundamentals of Igbo norms, culture and tradition.
“The Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR assures all and sundry that “the ship of Ohanaeze is in safe hands, collectively as NEC”.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (NEC) comprises men and women who are accomplished in the academia, jurisprudence, public administration, politics, Medicare, community service, commerce and industry, etc under the administrative competence of a seasoned diplomat, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, MFR.
“In other words, the NEC of Ohanaeze informs our highly valued Igbo groups and their signatories that the funeral rites of the late Igbo leader are very much at hand and that an escalated contest for Ohanaeze leadership is not only a major distraction but highly illogical, un-cultural and an indelible slur on the Igbo nation.
“We therefore urge our highly valued brothers and sisters to join hands in the burial rites of the Igbo Leader, with the reassurances that the appropriate mechanism for an Ohanaeze leadership will be applied shortly after the befitting funeral rites to the Igbo leader on November 1, 2024.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo seizes this opportunity to inform the general public that some mercenaries masquerading as special devotees and adherents of Chief Iwuanyanwu are on the prowl. Such unscrupulous zealots are lurking around with letters preying on the unsuspecting compassionate persons for unethical supports towards the funeral ceremonies of Chief Iwunayanwu.
“It is therefore necessary to reiterate that the only authentic body for the funeral rites of the Igbo Leader is the Sen. Ben Obi led National Burial Committee inaugurated by His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodimma on behalf of the South East Governors,” he added
The organisation added, “Similarly, we wish to inform the general public that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has cancelled the Igbo Day Celebration that was earlier scheduled to hold on September 29, 2024 at Owerri Imo State. This decision was taken in honour of the late President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who died in active service on July 25, 2024.”
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