This piece looks at the emergence of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which comes at a time it is believed that there is the need for Igbo renaissance in the Nigerian nation

There is no doubt that the emergence of a frontline businessman and elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as President General of apex Igbo body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is timely. He takes over the leadership of Ohanaeze at a time the people are desirous of Igbo renaissance in a Nigerian nation, where the various ethnic nationalities are making concerted efforts to harness their respective potentials. Iwuanyanwuisalsocoming atatime a section on of Ndigbo, particularly the youth, are disenchanted with Nigerian authorities and are clamouring for selfdetermination. Until his emergence, Iwuanyanwu was chairman of the Igbo body’s Council of Elders.

He has also served as chairman in the following Ohanaeze Committees: State Creation Committee, Planning and Strategy Committee, Political Committee, Constitution Drafting Committee. He was selected by the Imo State Council of Elders led by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya to replace late Prof. George Obiozor in what was described as “painstaking rigorous procedure.” Obiozor, who passed on in December last year, was elected in January 2021 and his tenure will elapse in January 2015.

History of Ohanaeze dates back to the early 70’s, when some prominent Igbos gathered to proclaim the need to unify the people under a common umbrella body, considering the displacement of Ndigbo during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). This led to the formation of Igbo National Assembly (INA), which was banned by the then Federal Military Government over the suspicion that the group was a grand design by Ndigbo to regroup for another phase of armed insurrection against the Nigerian government. However, the proscription of INA did not deter Ndigbo, who through the leadership of a one-time governor of the then Eastern Region, Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam and a renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) as well as other prominent Igbo leaders that included a former Premier of the Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara; foremost Economist, Dr. Pius Okigbo; First Republic Minister of Trade and Commerce, Dr. Kingsley Mbadiwe and celebrated administrator, Chief Jerome Udorji, among others, convened to form Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1976. While Dr. Ibiam emerged the pioneer President General, Prof. Nwabueze served as pioneer Secretary-General between 1976 and 1979. Subsequent leaders of the group are Chief Mathias Ugochukwu (1979-1983); Prof. Nwabueze (1984-2000), Justice Eze Ozobu (2001-2003), Prof. Joe Irukwu (2004- 2006), Dr. Dozie Ikedife (2006-2008), Amb. Raph Uwechue (2008-2012), Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey (2012-2016), John Nnia Nwodo (2017 to 2021) and Obiozor (2021-2022) Ohanaeze Ndigbo is not a political party, but was planned to serve as a clearing house in matters affecting the interest and general welfare of the Igbo speaking people in Nigeria and the rest of the world. Its structure at the national level has the General Assembly as the highest policy making body. This is followed by the Ime-Obi (inner caucus) and the Council of Elders, which are serviced by Executive Committee and other various standing committees.

While the structure is equally replicated in the state and local government chapters, the group’s constitution was amended in 1999, which gave room for the integration of both the youth and women. No doubt, the headship of Ohanaeze comes with challenges, but many believe that Iwuanyanwu, who is described as a “dynamic, versatile, purpose-driven and broad-minded personality of impeccable pedigree,” has what it takes to lead the Igbo nation. Spokesperson of Ohanaeze, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, who announced the emergence the group’s new President General on Wednesday, said “Iwuanyanwu is one of the finest amongst the Igbo; a philanthropist par excellence, massive employer of labour, robust creative thinker, brave soldier, accomplished engineer, astute business mogul, industrialist and sagacious politician.” Iwuanyanwu, Ogbonnia noted, was at a time the highest employer of labour, at least in the entire East of the Niger, adding that his foundation had offered scholarships to over 10,000 indigent students across the country.

He also said that Iwuanyanwu has also donated to universities to create conducive environments for learning; built churches and other community facilities. His words: “The various reactions from the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze and from all the organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide indicate wild jubilations with the news that Iwuanyanwu, the Chairman, Council of Elders, Ohanaeze, has been selected as a replacement for Obiozor who died in 2022. “At the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Iwuanyanwu has served as Chairman in the following Ohanaeze Committees: State Creation Committee, Planning and Strategy Committee, Political Committee, Constitution Drafting Committee and currently, the Chairman, Ohanaeze Elders Council. “We urge the members of Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo to endorse the decision of the Imo State Council of Elders in good faith. With Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, it is a Eureka, an Igbo rebound and a new beginning for Ndigbo.” And in what appears a new beginning for the Igbo body, Ogbonnia noted that given the general outcry for the prerequisites or the required persona for the Office of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, most Igbos expect the President General of Ohanaeze should not only be economically stable and viable, he should have a presidential stature and clout as well as robust intellect and a mind of his own. His words: “The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is expected to detach himself from politicians and should have the courage and moral authority to reproach or condemn a governor or any high office holder who goes against the Igbo interest or public norms.

“He must show capacity in many respects. He should have the courage and convictions to channel Igbo interests to the president of Nigeria without compromises. He should place Igbo interests above self-interest. He should be large enough or should have the tentacles that will incorporate the Igbo elements in the South- South of Nigeria and other sundry places. “The person must have contributed his quota in diverse forms in promoting the Igbo heritage. More importantly, the president general must have been an active participant in the Ohanaeze activities. Chief Iwuanyanwu fits in squarely into the above prerequisites.”

Before now, notable Igbo sons and daughters had insisted on the need for the political leadership not to yield to any form of pressure from within or outside Igbo land to elect establishment elements and conventional politicians with vested partisan interests and cleavages or surrogates of promoters of the present feudal system in Nigeria to lead Ohanaeze. According to them, emphasis should be on enthronement of an unusual and unconventional leadership that will confront the status quo without fear. Ndigbo, they reasoned, cannot afford the luxury of allowing compromised elements of the Nigerian establishment, conventional politicians, and sponsored representatives of external interests to take the driving seat of the leadership of Ohanaeze. It is against this back that a former governor of Abia State and senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the 9th National Assembly, Senator Theodore Orji, who acknowledged the task before Ohanaeze, said the emergence of Iwuanyanwu would be a blessing to the Igbo nation because being a non-partisan leader, he will douse the current political tension in Nigeria.

His words: “I am happy over the emergence of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo. He can do the job very well. He has unlimited experience both in politics and business. He also knows the history of Nigeria very well. He has the capacity to organise people because he is not a partisan man. He is a straight forward person. “He was begged to take the position because he is a man of honour.

He voluntarily retired from politics. They are bringing him into politics once more through the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and because of the love he has for the Igbo nation, he has decided to take up the task.” “The agenda I am setting for him is to protect the interest of the Igbo. Everyone knows what happened to the Igbo across the country during the last general election.

We believe that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu would be in the best position to douse the tension in the nation and to make sure that there is peace in Nigeria.” No doubt, Ndigbo have over the years suffered injustice in the hands of fellow Nigerians, but the horrendous experience has not allowed bitterness to becloud their view of the world. Rather they have continued to look straight to the future with confidence, courage, enthusiasm and love given their sacred philosophy of live and let live. This revered way of life is what the Iwuanyanwu-led executive of Ohanaeze is expected to sustain as the Igbo race relentlessly seek for full integration into Nigerian politics. (New Telegraph)

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