Success
Damian:
Comrade
Umezurike Austine Umezurika, a political Engineer and Igbo stakeholder has said
that the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos Chapter, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, did
not represent the position of Ebonyi State by his public support to the claim
by the Ooni of Ife that the Igbos originated from Ile-Ife.
Speaking at
a press conference called by Igbo leaders of thought in Lagos on Wednesday, to
address issues raised in an article in The
Sun Newspaper of May 6, in which Chief Ogbonna, gave his firm support to
the claim by the Royal Father of Yorubaland, Ooni of Ife, that the Igbos are
from Ile-Ife and not from Israel.
In his words
Umezurike said “Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene is the President of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo Lagos State, elected to represent Ebonyi slot, but Ebonyians from the
governor to the last person do not know indeed what he is doing, he does not
participate neither has he organized anything that has to show Eboyians that he
is their representative in Ohanaeze, but I want to say something as Ebonyian, I
also apologise to Ndigbo as onye
Ebonyi, the other six Igbo speaking states, I sincerely apologse to them
because I know quite well that they have been blaming Ebonyi that this man is from
Ebonyi State, Ebonyi is causing us all these things.
“I want to
say something here and now, I want everybody to understand that this is not the
position of Ebonyi State for the president of Ohanaeze Lagos to take money on
behalf of Ohanaeze without remitting such money to Ohanaeze purse, it is not also
to the interest or in partnership of Ebonyi people to say that the Igbos
originate from Ile-Ife,” Umezurike stated.
He stated
that the Igbos are the most mobile tribe in Nigeria. ”You See, one thing we
know is that the Igbos are the most mobile tribe in Nigeria, they go any place,
develop the place and make such a place their home. It might interest you to
note as the pioneer president of Ohanaeze Lagos said, if you go to Gabon you
see Igbos, In Ivory Coast you see Igbos, everywhere in the world. There is one popular
saying, which Nigeria has adopted, that anywhere you go in the world and you
did not find an Igbo man, please don’t stay there, it is not habitable.”
Umezurike traced
the biblical origin of the Igbos saying “Let me make one point, if you read the
Bible very well, and you are a very good Igbo man, you will understand that
there are researches already made by distinguished professors who have carved
out a niche for themselves who have made so many presentations in so many
conventions in the world and all accede to the fact where the Igbos came from.
If you know about the twelve tribes of Israel, you will understand that the
number six person, Gal, how he had the man call Nri, Arodi, Aleri, and these three
men migrated to the western part of Africa, and they established clans, towns,
cities, and people, and this still exist in Owerri, Arochukwu, and the riverine
part of Anambra State.
“What are we
saying, How can somebody because Ooni who is a monarch is trying to buy a
favour for is people, for reasons best known to him which I know Obi of Onitsha
will reply him and I am using this opportunity to call on Obi of Onitsha to
reply as quickly as possible before this thin becomes a fact, because once you
allow this thing to exceed now Google will carry it, and once Google carries it
represents us, whether you like it or not.
“What I am
saying is, I am talking as an Eboyian, nobody sent me, neither the governor nor
any group but because I saw this thing and I saw what is going on, I am saying
that Eboyians are not n support of such claim.
“If he
claims that he has 3000 artifacts to prove we are from there because of ‘okute’,
‘ekuta’, ‘eti’, ‘nti’, it is ridiculous. I can assure you Eboyians are not part
of it,” Umezurike stated.
Other Igbo leaders of
thought who were present at the press conference were High Chief John Uche,
First President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos; Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
in Lagos State and Vice Presidential Candidate of Alliance National Party (ANP)
in the just concluded 2019 General Election, Evelyn Okere; Pastor Okey Anoruo,
Babaloja of Tejuosho Market and President of Imo State Towns Development
Association Lagos (ISTDAL) and Hon. Kalu Uguru, Ex-Officio Ohanaeze Abia State.
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