Controversy Looms as Self Acclaimed FCT Ohaneze President Abolished Igbo Kingship System in FCT

…even as stakeholders disowns him, dismissed his action

Paschal Emeka, Abuja | Posted November 6, 2023

The factional leader of the apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ifeanyichukwu Obasi Nweze, has insisted that he is still the authentic FCT chapter President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide in the FCT and informed that he has abolished the kingship (Eze Igbo of Abuja) system in the nation’s capital.

However, in counter reactions, some prominent Kings (Ndieze), stakeholders and members of the Ohaneze as well as Igbo residents in FCT dismissed his action with a wave of hand, arguing that he is not the President of the organisation, and wondered where he derived the power to take such a drastic decision.

Barr. Nweze, who addressed journalists over the weekend in his office in the Abuja, explained that in his search for peace amongst Ohaneze members as well as Igbo sons and daughters residing in the nation’s capital, he set up a committee saddled with the responsibility of reconciling all the factions of Ohaneze and other Ndigbo stakeholders in the FCT.

According to him, after due consultations, the committee came to the conclusion that the root cause of alleged problems and infighting amongst Igbos were caused by the incessant tussle to for the post of Eze Igbo.

He maintained that to put an end to the alleged disunity amongst Igbo communities once and for all, he have single handedly abolished the kingship (Eze Igbo) title in the FCT.

While admitting that there is freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, and also acknowledged that since the Ndieze Igbo are members of Ohaneze Worldwide, he insisted that the Ezeship system in the FCT remains abolished.

He also claimed that he has written a letter to the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike to that effect.

Supporting his stance with points, Barr. Nweze stated that in Igbo land, “you don’t have one single king (Eze) as king (Eze) for the entire Igbo land, rather you have an Eze in your community.

“The system whereby the entire Igbo nation have one king (Eze) is not in tandem with the Igbo customs and traditions.”

The right thing to do, according to him is for each indigenous community in the FCT to appoint an Igbo man they know too well, based on his long stay in the community and credibility to represent Ndigbo in the palace of the indigenous village head. By doing so, he went on, such a person would be the eye of Ndigbo in that community. He faulted in its entirety, a situation whereby one would be competing with an indigenous traditional ruler.

Reacting to the development, Eze Igbo in Apo Resettlement, FCT, HRH Charles Olisakwe, who doubles as chairman, Eze Igbo’s palace said that Barr Nweze has no power to abolish ezeship system in the FCT, just as he informed that they have been having series of reconciliatory meetings with the President General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and the outcome of the meeting led to the emergence of Barr Arua Oko Onwu as the authentic President of Ohaneze in the FCT.

“We have Oha and Eze (people and king). If at all that he has power to abolish Ezeship position and he did it, what of Oha? he asked.

However, the ex officio representing Enugu in the FCT chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chef Andrew Ugwu said that Barr. Obasi Nweze has the right to abolish Eze title in the FCT, adding that it was in line with the recommendations
of a committee he set up to look into the incessant tussle for Eze Igbo of Abuja position.

“So ezeship title in the FCT has been abolished,” he stated.

Eze Igbo Basan Jiwa, HRH Uche Chineke, who doubles as Chairman of Ndieze in the FCT, said that Nweze stood for election and failed, even as he went further to inform that the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has collapsed all the factions, adding that Barr Onwu Oko Arua was the authentic president of Ohaneze NdIgbo Worldwide in the FCT.

He disclosed that Barr. Nweze has even tendered apology, which members were yet to look into.

“So he has no right whatsoever to abolish ezeship system in the FCT. We have eze igbo in Ghana, among other areas,” he maintained.

Similarly, the FCT Chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide Welfare Officer, Engr John Ogbu in his reaction, confirmed that Barr. Nweze has been impeached, saying even if he is still in power, he have no power to abolish ezeship system in the FCT.

Informing that President General of the apex Igbo socio cultural organisation, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu had restored peace between waring factions of Ohaneze in the FCT, Ogbu therefore added that HRH Nwosu Ibe and Barr Oko Onwu Arua have continued to be recognised as the Eze Igbo of Abuja (paramount ruler) and chapter President of Ohaneze respectively