A leadership crisis has hit the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, following the death of its President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
The Secretary-General of the group, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, who hails from Abia State, and the Chairman of the Elders’ Council in Rivers State, Chief Jackson Omenazu, are locked in succession battle.
In the last two weeks, Emuchay has acted as leader of the group and convened its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
However, Omenazu has also declared himself “Acting President general,” claiming that he has the right to direct the affairs of the organisation, pending the election of a new leader in January next year.
The late Iwuanyanwu and his predecessor, Ambassador George Obiozor, hailedd from Imo State. According to the group’s laid down rules, Iwuanyanwu’s successor, who will steer the affairs of the group till January next year, will be picked from Imo.
However, it will be the turn of Rivers State to produce the next president after Imo’s tenure must have expired.
Sources said Omenazu declared his intention to succeed Iwunanyawu, following his nomination by the Rivers State branch and presentation to the National Executive Council (NEC) last year as the Deputy President General.
He was nominated for Deputy President General a year after the death of his predecessor, Rivers State-born Joel Kroham, in 2022.
But, the nomination at the the NEC meeting presided over by Iwunanyawu.last year was not approved because it was not discussed at Ime-Obi due to time constraints.
Omenazu, who spoke with reporters on his ambition, said that it has a legal backing.
He said: “I will take over. By the constitution of Ohanaeze and all organograms of Ohanaeze, I will take over. I am the de facto President General and Acting President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo after the demise of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
“There is no provision for the Secretary-General to takeover. I am coming to take over so that we can plan the burial of Iwuanyanwu and midwife the procession of our transition next year”.
Omenazu insisted that he was nominated by the Rivers State branch to serve out their turn last year when Kroham passed on.
He the letter of September 21, 2023 which approved his nomination was signed by 17 leaders of the various chapters in Rivers state, including the State President, Chief Lucky Ekeji, adding that it was presented to the NE Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
The letter reads in part: “In a meeting held on 20th September, 2023, we unanimously nominated Chief Jackson N.E Omenazu as our Deputy President General to occupy the Rivers state slot. “We also affirm that this resolution of the said meeting reflects the overall interest, commitment and dedication of all Ohanaeze members in Rivers State to the course of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“Chief Omenazu Jackson is the Chairman; Elders Council of Ohanaeze Rivers State is hereby nominated to replace our late Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide which is zoned to Rivers state in accordance to the rules and ordinances of our great Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide”.
In the letter, the Rivers chapter urged the NEC to accept his nomination in good faith “believing solemnly that Chief Omenazu Jackson possesses the requisite sine qua non to effectively function in that capacity”.
Emuchay, who spoke on the leadership squabble during the opening of the condolence register for Iwuanyanwu, said “consultations are still ongoing”.
Omenazu said there was no cogent and verifiable justification for denying Rivers State its pride of place in the organisation other than selfishness, greed and the quest to subdue the chapter by some members.
He said there is a plot to manipulate the organization and instal persons who lack capacity for leadership.
Omenazu wondered why Ohanaeze had to embark on an endless consultation on a matter that solely has to do with Rivers State.
He said: “If you look at the organigram of Ohanaeze, the deputy president general, Chief Kroham, died before the then president general, Prof. Obiozor. We gave time and respect as humans in line with Igbo culture.
“The deputy president general was buried and Obiozor was buried. There was an Ime-Obi meeting. Imo State, on their own, selected who should replace Obiozor without any interference and consultation outside Imo State. And they presented Iwuanyanwu. It was solely an Imo State affair.
“Ime-Obi accepted because it was their turn and it was zoned to them in accordance with the constitution of Ohanaeze.
“In the same vein, the Rivers State chapter met and presented myself to replace the late Deputy President General, Chief Kroham.
“I was in Ime-Obi meeting in Enugu when the Rivers State president of the Ohanaeze went into the President General’s office and presented our nomination. It appeared on Ime-Obi minutes.
“From then on, they blanked out. We never had a meeting. I put a call across the secretary general, whose office it is to have the correspondence and raise it. He said they would look into it”.
Omenazu lamented that Ohanaeze, which has been decrying marginalization, has become a champion of marginalization.
He stressed: “How can a people come to equity with dirty hands? The reason why our people here from Rivers State are skeptical about our identity is because of this level of domination, which has reared its head in Ohanaeze.
“I watched them all through since last year, till today, they are happy to run the affairs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo without a deputy president general. So, it is a very sorry situation. I kept quiet because I didn’t want to heat up the system. But it is shame
“I have been the chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in both Rivers and Bayelsa states for 10 years. I was instrumental in the land that was used in building the Ohanaeze Ndigbo secretariat in Yenegoa. We tried to encourage our brothers out there. I attend the Imeobi, I attend the General Assembly and I make my contributions.
“The conduct of our elder brothers is shameful and immoral and unacceptable. This are people that are supposed to beckon to their younger ones and say, sit down with us, whatever we see, we take. Their grouse with me is that they say they cannot control me. The Igbo blood does not encourage slavery.”
Omenazu described Iwuanyanwu as mentally alert person who steer the affairs of Ohanaeze with patriotism.
He said because he was physically frail, some members of the group took advantage of his situation to engage in shoddy dealings.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Spokesman Dr Alex Ogbonnia could not be reached on phone as of the time of filing this report while text messages sent via SMS and WhatsApp to him were not responded to.
