The Igbo community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, under the umbrella of the Igbo Community Association (ICA), has charged the new President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Azuta-Mbata, to unite the region and come up with ideas to propel the South East.
ICA President General, Engr. Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe, in a congratulatory statement on Monday, praised Ohanaeze Ndigbo for conducting an election that reflected collective Igbo unity and highlighted the exceptional qualifications of Azuta-Mbata, whom he described as a ‘leader with an impressive track record.’
He said: “We, Ndị Igbo in Abuja, are very pleased and delighted with the outcome of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo national election. It shows that we are together in unison, and that whether we find ourselves in Rivers, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Enugu, or Anambra States, we remain together as one family of Igbo-speaking people.”
Ezenekwe also called on the Igbo-speaking people of Rivers State, the home state of Azuta-Mbata, to rally around their son and support him as he embarks on this historic journey to lead and unite the Igbo people globally.
Reflecting on the historical journey of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he traced its origins back to the 1930s when it was established in Lagos under the name Lagos Igbo Union.
He recounted its transformation into the Igbo State Union in 1948 during a conference in Port Harcourt, with the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as its first President General.
He noted further developments over the decades, culminating in the renaming of the organisation as Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1979, under the leadership of Dr. Francis Akanu from Afikpo, Ebonyi State.
Ezenekwe emphasised that the roots of Ohanaeze Ndigbo embody unity, resilience, and a shared commitment to advancing the cause of the Igbo people.
However, he also used the opportunity to address rising tensions within the Ikwerre community of Rivers State, Senator Azuta-Mbata’s home community. Cautioning against division, he urged the Ikwerre people to foster a harmonious atmosphere for the new Ohanaeze leader.
“Ikwere is Igbo. It has always been Igbo, and will remain Igbo. We are together and we speak the same language. No more divisions within us,” Ezenekwe declared, emphasising the need for solidarity among all Igbo-speaking communities.
According to him, as the newly-elected Ohanaeze leader steps into his role, all eyes will be on how he steers the challenges and opportunities ahead in uniting and advancing the interests of the Igbo people worldwide.
In a show of unalloyed support, the ICA President General, Agbachikara Nanka, pledged the full backing of the Igbo Community Association in Abuja for the new Ohanaeze leadership. He highlighted the strategic importance of the ICA’s grassroots network of over 78 units spread across the FCT in bolstering the new administration’s efforts.
“As the President General of Ndigbo in the Federal Capital Territory under the auspices of ICA, I and the ICA have pledged to support and cooperate with the new leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. We will draw on our grassroots strength to support the new leadership. The Igbo Community Association in Abuja understands the need to be united against the odds staked against the Igbos,” he affirmed.
He added that Senator Azuta-Mbata’s emergence is a rallying cry for unity, collective responsibility, and a renewed commitment to the values that have sustained the Igbo people through history.
“A number of Ndị Igbo in Abuja have also described it as re-echoing a broader call to action, urging Ndị Igbo to stand together as one people, regardless of their geographical location,” he concluded
The Sun
