Ndigbo are key stakeholders in the Nigerian project but sadly, they are not treated as such in the scheme of things.
Notwithstanding man-made setbacks, it is arguable whether there is any other ethnic group in Nigeria that has contributed to the development and unity of the nation like the Igbo race.
Igbos are highly enterprising and republican in nature.
Coincidentally, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, founded in 1976, has gone through a chequered history of legitimacy battles to become the foremost socio-cultural organisation in Igboland.
Many problems bedevil the organisation including the fact that it is poorly funded and almost less regarded by the political class in Igboland.
A few years ago, I was privileged to be in the company of Senator (then Governor of Imo State) Rochas Okorocha when he visited the Park Avenue Enugu headquarters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
It was disheartening to see that their compound was very unkempt with dilapidated buildings, which was unbefitting of such an important organisation catering for the socio-cultural needs of the highly sophisticated Igbo race.
Senator Rochas was so moved that he volunteered to construct a befitting complex for the apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria. That was towards the end of the tenure of Chief Gary Igariwey as President of Ohanaeze.
On a recent visit to the Ohanaeze headquarters in Enugu, it was a thing of joy to see that the gigantic project singlehandedly sponsored by Senator Rochas, a true Igbo son and talk and do persona, is nearing completion.
Rochas Okorocha’s legendary reputation as a consistently consistent philanthropist is not the issue here. The gist is that the tenure of Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the current President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is about to end.
Chief Nwodo, lawyer and former Minister from Enugu State, was elected in January 2017 as a successor to Chief Gary Igariwey from Ebonyi State, who bowed out as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo after serving for four years.
At the expiration of Chief Nwodo’s tenure, any time soon, Imo State is slated to produce his replacement.
President of Ohanaeze is a huge assignment as Ohanaeze represents all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria and predominantly in the five states of Anambra, Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi plus Igbo indigenous communities in Rivers and Delta States.
No doubt, given what is on ground, after Chief Nwodo’s tenure, the presidency of Ohanaeze is going to be a huger and more demanding responsibility.
In the coming dispensation, the agenda confronting the new Ohanaeze leadership will include but not limited to redressing the following:-
(a) Continued marginalisation of Ndigbo in political and governance issues;
(b) Wanton killings, victimisation and intimidation of Ndigbo across the federation;
(c) Annihilation and destruction of Igbo business and economic interests;
(d) Rising insecurity issues like kidnapping, robbery and ceaseless herdsmen attacks in the South East;
(e) Lack of uniform community policing outfit or security architecture in the South East;
(f) Lack of socio-economic integration policies amongst the Igbo States.
Without pretending about it, the post Nwodo Ohanaeze leadership must do everything within its powers to bring to the table and reconcile the MASSOB under Ijele Ralph Uwazuruike and IPOB under Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for the overall best interest of the Igbo race.
If properly retooled and refocused and supported by Igbo masses across social strata, Ohanaeze will be a veritable organisation to use to extract full participation rights for Ndigbo in the enterprise called Nigeria.
It is expected that Ohanaeze will be a rallying point for the five Governors of the Igbo speaking States to incubate short term, mid-term and long term development plans for rapid socio-economic transformation of ala Igbo.
Ohanaeze is expected to be the engine room for networking with other socio-cultural organisations of the other ethnic groups in Nigeria for peaceful actualisation of the long overdue clamour for Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
Ohaneze, though not a political party or partisan organisation, will be expected to regulate the code of conduct amongst the Igbo politicians interested in the job of Nigerian Presidency so that their politicking will be devoid of unnecessary bickering and bad blood.
Presidency of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not a political office. Obughi ihe umu aka ma obukwanu ihe eji egwu egwuruegwu.
The next President of Ohanaeze after Chief Nwodo should be and has to be a rugged, sagacious, selfless, fearless, bold and courageous servant leader of a people during troubled times.
Onye ajuru anaghi aju onwe ya. Ike nkwucha, awughi ujo. Ako wu uche.
Imo State has able, capable, tested and tried men that can command both local, national and international respect when pushing the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo agenda.
It is expected that the best amongst the pack from Imo State showing interest should emerge and provide visionary leadership.
Who does the cap fit, who will wear it?
Who are the contenders richly deserving of this exalted office and who are the pretenders noisily presenting themselves thereby making a huge joke of the grave issues at hand?
Igbo people feel that Ohanaeze is not talking enough for them. Therefore the new leadership must bring the Ohanaeze mission and vision down from its perceived elitist talk group, rebrand its mission and vision to become a mass movement acceptable to Ndi Igbo nile.
In the next outing, we will x-ray all these aspirants from Imo State angling to be President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (it is a very long list).
We will do justice to that maka odinma Ohanaeze (not ohaneze)!
It will be brutally frank maka oge adirozi. Anaghi ere okuko ukwu nji na ulo.
Biko gwazie ndi yard unu inugo.
A new normal is possible!
*Prof Obiaraeri is a former Legal Adviser of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
