Ohaneze Ndigbo wades into controversy over Ilomuanya’s appointment

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has waded into the controversy surrounding President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent board appointment of the Chairman, Southeast Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya.

In a statement yesterday, in Enugu, Ohanaeze Ndigbo viewed Ilomuanya’s appointment as “meritorious”, insisting that the monarch has all it takes to contribute to the development of the country’s education.

Following Governor Rochas Okorocha’s resistance to the announcement of Ilomuanya as Chancellor of the Federal University, Birnin, Kebbi, a protest had erupted in Owerri, Imo the State capital, last week.

But Ohanaeze, in the statement signed by the Deputy President General, Chief Ogochukwu Onyema, thanked President Jonathan for the
appointment and urged those resisting the appointment of the traditional ruler to desist from doing so.

He said: “Ohanaeze is aware that His Majesty Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, is currently in possession of a favourable Supreme Court Judgment declaring him fit in all ramifications to occupy the position he is occupying. As Chairman of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and as a revered member of Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, holds Eze Ilomuanya in very high esteem, and any attack on him is considered as an attack on Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide.

“We, therefore, appeal to those not comfortable with Ilomuanya’s appointment to note that their personal interest and opinion shall not override the collective interest of Ndigbo; hence, they should all join hands in congratulating the Pro-Chancellor, as well as commend the President of Federal republic of Nigeria, who found him worthy to occupy such exalted position as his peers in other zones of the country.”

Ohanaeze also frowned at the recent visit to President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari by the Chief Ralph Obioha-led caretaker committee, saying that such committee does not exist in the organisation.

“Chief Raph Obioha, who is parading himself as the purported Chairman of a non-existent care-taker committee, has indeed dragged our respected President-elect into a very unfortunate dirty and polluted waters of his surreptitious agenda, to disrupt the leadership of Ndi Igbo.

“Obioha is quite aware that there is a subsisting court order in suit no: E/513/2014 issued by His Lordship, Justice R.O Odugu of Enugu State High Court, barring him from parading himself as such and creating any third-party interest in the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide; yet, he decides to flout the law, boasting that his visit to the president -elect will insulate him from justice,” thestatement added.

Wondering how the Obioha group could continue to flout court orders, the statement avered that the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo was still undergoing the necessary procedure, preparatory to paying a courtesy visit on the president-elect. The Ohaneze called on the group to desist from creating further confusion on the leadership of Ndigbo.