Tag Archives: OHANEZE

Ohanaeze Youths Demand Apology from Kalu Over Igbo Comments

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Some pan-Igbo groups on Tuesday reacted to former Abia State governor, Orji Kalu’s assertion that Igbos are better traders than politicians.

The groups, which spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent in Enugu, differed on the matter.

The Ohanaeze Youth Council, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, asked the former governor to immediately apologise to the Igbos, and also retract his statements.

But the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra said Kalu said the truth.

Another group, the Igbo Awareness Movement, said Igbos are ‘learning’ from previous political mistakes, but must learn fast.

The Editor-in-Chief of The Interview magazine, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, in a statement of Monday, quoted Kalu as saying in a recent interview with the magazine, that Igbos are not as good in politics as they are in trading.

The former governor reportedly said the lack of understanding of politics and the indiscipline of Igbo politicians were responsible for what he called the political backwardness of the South-East.

READ ALSO: If Fashola were Igbo, he would have left Tinubu – Kalu

He was also quoted as saying that the political fortune of the Igbo would have been better had their politicians approached politics like the Yorubas.

Describing most of the Igbo elite as selfish, Kalu said Igbos should blame themselves and not the Federal Government for their woes.

“The Igbo have no discipline in terms of politics. They are very good traders; they’re good in anything they do, but they don’t understand politics,” Kalu was quoted to have said.

Reacting to the development, President, Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, described Kalu’s statements as unbecoming of a two-term governor who was seen as an Igbo leader.

Isiguzoro said Kalu should immediately tender an apology for ridiculing the Igbo before other ethnic nationalities in the country.

He accused Kalu of being one of those that deviated from the political ideology of pioneer Igbo national politicians like the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara by bringing what he described as ‘traders’ mentality’ into Igbo politics.

Speaking with our correspondent, Isiguzoro said, “Orji Kalu should immediately apologise to Ndigbo for insulting the great Igbo nation.

“During the First Republic, Igbos like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara and others were at the forefront of the independence movement.

“In the Second Republic, Igbos like Dr Alex Ekwueme were also at the forefront of national politics.

“It was when people like Kalu came to power that Igbos began to lose grounds, because he (Kalu) and his likes introduced traders’ mentality into the politics played by Igbos at the national level.

“The statement, which is ridiculing Ndigbo, was not expected from somebody who was a two-term governor.

“Was Nnamdi Azikiwe a trader? Was Michael Okpara a trader? What of Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mbonu Ojike, Jaja Nwachukwu? Were they traders?”

Isiguzoro noted that Kalu had an opportunity to become a national political leader, like All Progressives Congress national leader, Chief Bola Tinubu, but wasted it.

“When Tinubu was controlling only one state Kalu was controlling two states.

“How did he (Kalu) lose the two states? Because of his poor management skills.

“Ohanaeze youths don’t want to insult him because he is an elder, but he should apologise to Ndigbo.

“If he refuses to apologise, if he fails to retract that statement, we will put him in the dustbin of history and he will have no more relevance in Igboland,” Isiguzoro said.

Kalu said the truth, according to pro-Biafra group, MASSOB, which also reacted to the development.

MASSOB spokesman, Comrade Samuel Edeson, who spoke with our correspondent, said Igbos are not good in politics.

Edeson noted that, unlike the Yoruba and the Hausa/Fulani, Igbos are not united when it comes to national politics.

He said, “What Kalu said is the simple truth – there is no doubt about it. In politics Igbos are bad, there is no unity of purpose.

“For example, Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party but at the same time he always comes out to defend Tinubu, who is of the APC.

“Fayose defends Tinubu because he knows that, as a fellow Yoruba, they are brothers.

“In politics, you should always be on the side of your brother, unlike what happened when Alex Ekwueme and  Jim Nwobodo contested the PDP presidential ticket with Olusegun Obasanjo at the convention in Jos.

“Nwobodo went there and began to speak Hausa.

“The Hausa/Fulani man cannot do that to his brother, a Yoruba cannot do that to his brother.

“What the former governor (Kalu) said is the truth.”

Ohanaeze To Visit Buhari With Demands

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The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has resolved to visit President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with a charter of demands.

 

The resolution was adopted after a meeting of some members at the private residence of one of their leaders in Enugu, yesterday.

 

Among the issues they resolved to present to Buhari for urgent attention included the reconstruction of the Enugu- Umuahia- Port Harcourt Road, the Enugu- Onitsha express road, appointment of more Special and Senior Special Assistants or Assistants as Igbo are not represented in his government, as well as the completion of the Second Niger Bridge to end the ongoing agitation for Biafra Republic.

 

Apart from these, they also resolved to ask the President to set up the Eastern Nigeria Development Commission, ENDC, to handle the issue of unemployment of Igbo youths which they said was responsible for the continued agitation for the Biafran Republic by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as reportedly requested by Governor Rochas Okorocha during the reconciliation meeting between the two former factions of Ohanaeze led by Chief Enwo Igariwey and Ralph Obioha respectively.

 

Okorocha was alleged to have pledged to take “Ohanaeze to the river,” during the reconciliatory meeting of the two factions in Owerri, the Imo State capital about two weeks ago.

 

Sources close to the meeting told Vanguard in Enugu that other matters which came up included the search for a new chairman of the group following the end of the tenure of present executive led by Igariwey.

 

Meanwhile, IPOB members have reacted to the outcome of the Ohanaeze meeting, saying that “some Igbo politicians who are using IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu (its detained leader) or Biafra to get cheap popularity will fail and advised them to stop doing so with immediate effect.” In three separate statements, IPOB listed Igbo leaders like Chief T. A Orji, Rochas Okorocha, Emeka Offor, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, Ike Ekweremadu, Chukwuma Soludo, Ralph Uwazuruike, Okezie Ikpazu, Onwuka Ukwa as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo” as among individuals and groups working against its interest.

 

According to IPOB, “the Ohanaeze Ndigbo was looking for access to Buhari for the selfish interest of its members adding that they were using the blood of dead Biafrans to enrich its members.”

 

Those who signed the statements were Emma Mmezu and Clifford Iroanya.

 

Also, in the second statement entitled, “THE STRANGE DECISION TO CONTINUE PLAYING WITH FIRE,” they said, “The well- rehearsed attempt by Joe Nwaogu, Ohanaeze scribe to deny their attempt to stifle the demand for freedom by all peace loving people, while using the IPOB agitation as an “Open Sesame” to have access to Aso Villa is actually childish. Nwaogu lied when he claimed the U.S. Consular General also visited other zones. Truth is the IPOB agitations informed the U.S. delegation’s visit to the South East. They did not visit nor have intention to visit other zones.

 

 

Credit : Vanguard

Okorocha Brokers Peace In Ohaneze Ndigbo

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Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has successfully brokered peace between the two factional leaders of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, Chief Gray Enwo-Igariwey and Dr. Ralph Obioha with the latter dropping his claim to the Office of President-General of Ohaneze.

 

Dr. Obioha equally accepted Chief Enwo Igariwey as the only President-General of the Organization and also pledged to give Chief Igariwey all the needed support and cooperation to enable him succeed.

 

The reconciliation of the two factions, which was presided over by Okorocha, come Monday night, after a very lengthy meeting between the two leaders, members of their respective executives and delegates from the states that make up Ohaneze, at the Government House Owerri.

 

It was gathered that one of the agreements at the meeting was that the tenure of Chief Igariwey was extended by one year, and at the expiration of the one year, fresh election would be conducted to select new leaders for the body.

 

Similarly, all those suspended from the body while the squabble lasted, were also recalled, and all the court cases occasioned by the dispute would also be withdrawn.

 

“A 17-member committee that would see to the implementation of all that was agreed including the issue of election was set up with Dr. Obioha as Chairman, while the governors will produce one member each”, the communique stated.

 

In his speech, Governor Okorocha expressed gladness that “the Ohaneze family is back as one”, stressing that “we have proven to the world that Igbos are their brothers keepers.” Okorocha continued, “The President of Ohaneze will soon address the Igbo nation. All Igbos must join hands with the Ohaneze leadership to move Igbo nation forward. With this peace, we are going to see a new kind of support for Ohaneze. The rest of the world will hear about the Igbo nation. The jinx has been broken.”

 

Chief Igariwey and Dr. Obioha in their respective speeches, said achieving peace in the leadership of Ohaneze and reconciling the two factions should be celebrated by all Igbos because the division had never augured well with the august body and the interest of the Igbos in general.

 

Credit : Vanguard

Ohanaeze Calls On EFCC To Arrest Jim Nwobodo

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Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to arrest the former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo over his involvement in the controversial $2 billion arms procurement fund.

Nwobodo, who was named by former NSA, Sambo Dasuki, to have received N500 million from the fund, has since defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, a move believed to shield himself from prosecution.

Addressing journalists in Aba, Abia State National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu, urged Nwobodo to immediately disclose the beneficiaries of the money given to him.

“We charge Nwobodo to let Nigerians know how he disbursed the N500 million which he received from Sambo Dasuki. He should take clue from Dasuki as well as Chief Tony Anenih, who have since disclosed how they shared money made available to them. If he fails to disclose the beneficiaries within the next 21 days, appropriate actions should be taken to ensure that he faces the full wrath of the law.

“Since Nwobodo said the money was meant for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s mobilization campaign in the South-East, he should let the world know how he disbursed the money and all the South-East leaders and politicians who received money from him and how much he gave to each of them. If he pocketed the money, he should also let the world know.”

The youth group maintained that defecting to the APC would not save anybody, who had participated in sharing the nation’s commonwealth.
“We are aware that Nwobodo has decamped to APC, and we agree with Nigerians, even members of the APC, who have viewed his defection as a ploy to evade justice.

“The EFCC should not hesitate to arrest all the people, who had looted our commonwealth. All we ask is that the Commission should be thorough in its arrest and prosecution. No looter should go unpunished.”

“Have Faith In President Buhari’s Govt”, Group Urges Igbos

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The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG), has commended Igbo leaders and Governors of the south-east states for seeking dialogue between the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Federal Government.

This is contained in a statement jointly released in Abuja on Tuesday by Malam Mohammed Labbo and Cassidy Madueke, the Coordinator and Secretary of BMSG respectively.

The statement said the option of dialogue would be explored between the Federal Government and pro-Biafra agitators like the MASSOB and Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).

The statement noted that the Pro-Biafra agitators and protests had crippled economic activities in some parts of the south-east and south-south during the detention of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement also noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had been in power for only six months and could not be held responsible for the neglect of the zone over the last 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party administration.

“In the words of the late British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war’’, the statement read.

The statement said that it was expected that the agitators would utilise these windows of dialogue to formally table their grievances before the federal government.

“We urge all Igbos to have faith in President Buhari’s administration with his commitment to be just to all sections of the country when he said, `I belong to everybody, and I belong to nobody.

“Continue to explore avenues for peaceful solutions to the grievances of your region, as it is only through peace that the much-sought after infrastructure and social development can be realized’’, the statement said.

Ohanaeze Warns Amnesty International: We Will Go To War If You Touch Ihejirika

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The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation , Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned Amnesty International over its call for the prosecution of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika by the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands.

The National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro , in a press statement released in Umuahia, Abia State, Thursday said “another Ojukwu will go to war ” if they try it.

He accused some Northern elements of trying to use the international body to avenge on Southern military top brass who staked their lives in defense of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

Isiguzoro said, “the last insult Ndigbo can take from those who think they are the owners of Nigeria is to allow them touch Gen. Ihejirika who served his fatherland meritoriously”.

“What Ihejirika and other military personnel who staked their lives fighting Boko Haram deserve is commendation and not politically- motivated prosecution”.

His words: “Where was amnesty international when Boko Haram fighters were annihilating Christians in Northern Nigeria? Where was Amnesty International when Boko Haram was throwing bombs inside churches, mosques, markets , motor parks etc and killing innocent Nigerians?

“What efforts have amnesty international made to bring sponsors of Boko Haram to book? Or will they claim they did not hear when some people threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable should ex- President Goodluck Jonathan win the 2011 presidential election”.

Ohanaeze accused amnesty international of “bias, hypocrisy and playing double standards”, warning President Buhari to disregard the Amnesty International’s report “if he wants to lead a united Nigeria”.

“Buhari should choose between leading a united Nigeria and supervising the fragmentation of Nigeria”, Ohanaeze fumed, stating, “They killed the Igbo first General, Aguiyi Ironsi and nothing happened but this time around, any attempt to touch another Igbo General will be vigorously resisted with our last drop of blood.”

Ohanaeze queried, “Why did amnesty international close its eyes and seal its lips when youth corps members from the South were being killed in the North after the 2011 presidential election result was announced? Why did amnesty international not call for the prosecution of those who supervised the genocide against Ndigbo before, during and after the civil war?

Ohanaeze said apart from over 1 million Igbo killed during the war, Boko Haram and other religious clashes had claimed over 200, 000 Igbos resident in the North with property worth over N2 trillion .

“Why is amnesty international turning a blind eye to the systematic genocide against Igbos in the North and the gradual annihilation of Middle Belt communities by Fulani cattle rearers?

“That power has returned to the North does not mean that other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria will become slaves. Nobody should use amnesty international to intimidate anybody unless they have agreed that we are tired of this forced union called Nigeria. We cannot become beggars because Jonathan lost election, and we have no regrets making our choices in the last election. South East and South South are integral parts of Nigeria and cannot be treated as slaves”, Isiguzoro said.

The Ohanaeze leader also warned General Theophilus Danjuma ( retd.) , and noble laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka against their “serial anti- Igbo comments”, saying, “we have been carefully studying these unwarranted attacks and will take a position very soon. No amount of jealously can stop Ndigbo from succeeding even in deserts because of our Jewish gene which our enemies cannot suppress.”

He therefore described the report and the agency’s call for the trial of Ihejirika, whom he described as illustrious Igbo son as ” utter rubbish”.

Amnesty International had on Wednesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands to investigate some former and serving Nigerian service chiefs for war crimes.

The crimes, according to AI were perpetrated during the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East between March 2011 and 2014.

It said in a comprehensive report, entitled, “Stars on their shoulders, blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military,” that no fewer than 8,000 persons were “murdered, starved, suffocated and tortured to death “in the North-East during the period.

AI in the report said that it had “compelling evidence” for the investigation of the former and serving Service Chiefs as well as “mid-level and senior-level military commanders.”

Source – The Willnigeria.com