The group also stated
that the best option for the leader of the socio-cultural group after series of
anti- group behahiour was to resign.
The group took the
position at a press conference held in Lagos on Wednesday to address issues
raised in an article in The Sun Newspaper of May 6, in which
Chief Ogbonna, gave his unflinching support to the claim by the Royal Father of
Yorubaland, Ooni of Ife, that the Igbos are from Ile-Ife and not from Israel.
Speaking on behalf of
the group, Pioneer President of Ohanaeze Lagos State, High Chief John Uche,
maintained that Chief Ogbonna had no powers to speak on the subject matter, “If
Ooni of Ife made such a comment, we are waiting for our own royal fathers like
Obi of Onitsha, to make a statement or call his counterpart and discuss the
issue.
Another person that can
speak on such issue is Nnia Nwodo, who is the President General of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo worldwide; he will consult wide before making a statement and not
somebody like Solomon. It is not within the ambit of his powers to make such a
statement. However he has dished out the statement and it is a controversial
issue as at now.”
Uche spoke further on
the matter by saying that by nature the Igbos are travelers and see wherever
they go as their home. “What I will say is that the Igbos are travelers; and
being traveler, anywhere they find themselves, they make the place a home, just
like Oyigbo here in Lagos, it is onyeigbo, but it is Oyigbo because of the
intonation of the Yorubas. If you go to Gabon you see Biafran Market, are you
now going to say Igbos are from Gabon? In Ivory Coast you see Biafran Market,
it is just like that. The Igbos go to any place and develop the place; that
does not make the place as if it is where the Igbos come from, no.”
He maintained that the
Igbos are part and parcel of the Jews. “So for somebody to come tomorrow to
tell us that we are from Ile-Ife, I think it is a deception of his people.”
On the reason he
supported Ogbonna’s candidacy during his election, Uche made it clear that he
supported Ogbonna during his Election because he (Uche) wanted somebody from
Ebonyi State to ensure equity and fairness in the succession to Ohanaeze
leadership in Lagos.
Speaking also on the
qualification of Ogbonna as president of the socio-cultural group, Uche said
School Certificate is the basic qualification for anybody aspiring for the
position of Ohanaeze President, but added that Solomon did not present any
certificate. He maintained that the Screening Committee are in position to
answer the question as to his certificate.
On whether Solomon is
working against the interest of the Igbos, Uche maintained that Solomon is not
working against the interest of Igbos, but added that he is an illiterate in
terms of leadership saying that he does not know what he is doing and does not
want to seek advice.
“The young man does not
know what he is doing because he has not been in leadership position even for
one day before his present position. He doesn’t belong to his town union, he
has never led any market organization, he has not led any cultural organization
before this time; he now saw himself in position of collecting money. He now
uses the position as economic line venture for himself; that is exactly what is
happening. He forgot that he swore under oath that any money that comes to your
hand as far as Ohanaeze is concerned is not his money, it is public money.
Uche urged Ogbonna to
resign honorably “If I give you details of what he has done heads
will roll and the best thing for him is to resign now to save his head,
otherwise he will find himself in a situation he will cry, we are prepared and
we are ready.”
Other Igbo leaders of
thought who were present at the press conference were Evelyn Okere, the
Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Lagos State and Vice Presidential Candidate of
Alliance National Party (ANP) in the 2019 General Election; Comrade Umezurike
Austine Umezurike, a political Engineer; 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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