quote: Political opponents of Nnamdi Azikiwe founded Ohanaeze during the defunct second republic to fight there-emergence of Nnamdi Azikiwe as the primary political leader of Nd'Igbo following Azikiwe's rise as the flag bearer of the Nigerian People's Party (NPP).
quote: Nwabueze’s Ohanaeze did not surprise NdiIgbo as the group made several pronouncements protesting the inequality in the award of contracts to NdiIgbo as well as the representation of NdiIgbo in political appointments.
quote: Recently the mantle of the Ohanaeze leadership has passed to Chief Joe Irukwu another of those individuals with dubious antecedent in Igbo nationalism. This time, they have as secretary general, Joe Achuzia, whose presence they hope, will reduce the clout of Dim. Emeka Ojukwu - a thorn in the side of the principal officers of Ohanaeze.
quote: Successive congresses have been held by WIC where controversially, Hausa-Fulani and other non-Igbo government officials have been invited. Yet, WIC was not able to get concessions about providing NdiIgbo with those services.
quote: It has been stated that the chairman and his executives are set against letting a congress of member organisations decide the policy of WIC as stipulated in its constitution. They would not like any one to derail their gravy train. There are several allegations to the effect that the WIC chairman was hoping for a ministerial appointment with the Obasanjo government but may have been settled with monetary inducement running into six figures in dollars.
quote: Dr. Orabuchi had visited Nigeria around 1999 and 2000 to explore the possibility of his involvement with partisan politics. His trip had taken him to both Owerri and Abuja. He was informed that he needed something to be able to sell himself, such as leadership of a Diaspora group. On return to base, he attempted to get elected as head of one Igbo group after another and failed each time. His advisers then came up with the concept of founding his own organisation. They also linked him up with people close to Obasanjo, who were very willing to adopt him.
quote: Worse was to come in the form of the communiqu released at the end of the summit. Not only was there nothing in it that could pass for a political agenda for NdiIgbo, it amongst other things called for NdiIgbo to accept the result of the 2003 elections, which was widely acknowledged as being fraudulent. In fact the PDP controlled Aso Rock could not have produced a better communiqu. It also included the call that the governors of Igbo states should be responsible for maintaining Federal roads in their states, without the necessary extra funding. PNF was attempting to shift the blame for the under development away from the Federal Government to NdiIgbo.
Of Leaders and Pretenders
by Aham Nwankwo.
Nd'Igbo are traditionally republican. We as a people tend to de-emphasise position and status in favour of service to our people. The community picks an individual to render a service. Often, this individual was picked because of his expertise; he was best suited to provide the services. On completion of his duty, and acceptance of the communities' gratitude, he takes his place not at the head, but amongst the community.
Of late however, there have been many persons and organisations who have staked claims to leadership of Nd'Igbo. These people with questionable mandate are more often more likely to be recognised by outsiders than by Nd'Igbo – the people they purport to lead. I have often had to wonder who gave these individuals mandate to act on behalf of Nd'Igbo. Who funds them? To whom are they accountable?
Looking back home, the first set of "leaders" that come to mind are the chieftain of the group called Ohanaeze Nd'Igbo. Political opponents of Nnamdi Azikiwe founded Ohanaeze during the defunct second republic to fight the re-emergence of Nnamdi Azikiwe as the primary political leader of Nd'Igbo following Azikiwe's rise as the flag bearer of the Nigerian People's Party (NPP). Thus, it was no surprise that Ohanaeze practically ceased to exist at the end of the second republic when Zik left the political stage and the Buhari-Idiagbon dictatorship frowned upon the existence of any group with pan-Igbo pretensions.
The organisation was resuscitated around the time of Babangida's still born third republic. This time our anointed leaders were such previously unknown people as Prof. Ben Nwabueze who was Ohanaeze scribe till recently, and the contractor Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. It has often been said that the group was made of government contractors and people chasing government patronage.
Cynics were puzzled about the prominence of the Ogbaru-born Nwabueze in the organisation as he had no record of having ever championed any Igbo cause since he returned from his post in Zambia. This concern was brushed aside by some as being motivated by jealousy. Nwabueze’s Ohanaeze did not surprise NdiIgbo as the group made several pronouncements protesting the inequality in the award of contracts to NdiIgbo as well as the representation of NdiIgbo in political appointments. Ofcourse there was the little matter of the organised
slaughter of NdiIgbo in both the North and in Lagos, which Ohanaeze conveniently left to that messenger or shall we say servant Dim. Chukwuemeka Odumuegwu-Ojukwu to deal with.
There have also been criticisms from some people over actions or inaction by the Ohanaeze. The most often mentioned is the time it the group to issue a statement on issues of great importance to their flock. An example of this is the time it has taken for this group to comment on the goings on in Anambra state.
The critical problem of the Ohanaeze group still remains that of whom the really represents, who gave them their mandate and how accountable are they to the people they purport to represent? I have often heard people ask, Who represents me and my community within Ohanaeze? The group has often behaved as a social club or fraternity, pursing individual members interests. It has often been suggested that the group indulges in blackmail of any government in power, to get juicy contracts for its members. They in return, ensure that NdiIgbo are maintained in a subservient state by providing an illusion of representation.
Recently the mantle of the Ohanaeze leadership has passed to Chief Joe Irukwu another of those individuals with dubious antecedent in Igbo nationalism. This time, they have as secretary general, Joe Achuzia, whose presence they hope, will reduce the clout of Dim. Emeka Ojukwu - a thorn in the side of the principal officers of Ohanaeze. Recent actions of Ohanaeze have reinforced the view that Ohanaeze is not different from a social club.
Consider the invitation of the Asagba of Asaba, Prof J. C. Edozien, to the recent Ohanaeze meeting held in Umuahia. The Asagba is an Igbo man. So, exactly what does it mean to say that he was invited? Why did Ohanaeze arrogate to itself the power to invite the Asagba or for that matter any other Igbo person if as the name Ohanaez implies, all Igbo persons (oha na eze) are already members of the group? Should the Asagba really have been invited? If Ohanaeze was representative of NdiIgbo, Prof J. C. Edozien or his representatives should have been there from inception putting across the views of the Asaba people. That move was an attempt by Ohanaeze to compete for credibility. The pretension to leadership is not confined to NdiIgbo at home; it has spread to Igbo Diaspora.
World Igbo Congress or WIC has been around for about a decade; however one would be hard pressed to see its impact in the lives of NdiIgbo both at home and in Diaspora. Though WIC purports to be an umbrella organization for all Igbo persons, WIC is in reality an organization that only musters membership from the Texas/New Jersey axis of Igbo Diaspora. Notwithstanding WIC’s lack of spread inside and outside the United States, one would have expected WIC to champion some of the issues of interest to NdiIgbo such as communication with and within Igboland. Indeed, the main problems of Igboland are in the areas of telecommunication, security of life and property, power supply, and accessibility whether by land, water, or air. Successive congresses have been held by WIC where controversially, Hausa-Fulani and other non-Igbo government officials have been invited. Yet, WIC was not able to get concessions about providing NdiIgbo with those services.
There are murmurs as to whose interest World Igbo Congress (WIC) is actually serving. These murmurs have become louder under the leadership of Dr. Kalu Kalu Diogu. There have been many actions and inactions by the Diogu-led WIC, which has caused a lot of unease amongst NdiIgbo.
These include the shifting of the Igbo Day celebration from May to July. Many people were surprised with this, considering that Igbo day was historically celebrated in the month of May, and the month of July is was the month when catastrophic events in the lives of NdiIgbo occurred and therefore should properly be a month of mourning. It has since been learnt that the shift from May to July was made under pressure from the Obasanjo regime that were apprehensive that it would remind NdiIgbo of some of the atrocities inflicted on them by the Nigerian state.
Then there was the small matter of the last general elections. While WIC has always relied on the Ikemba Nnewi, Dim. Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu to pull in the crowd and assure publicity for their conferences, WIC refused to endorse his candidature, despite the fact that his support cut across party lines. They had earlier attempted to endorse Gen Ike Nwachukwu simply because he was more acceptable to the Hausas.
WIC has spent time and money to organise a rally in Enugu to educate NdiIgbo on their voting rights in a democratic process and system, WIC was silent after Umu Igbo were disenfranchised by the massive fraud that was the 2003 elections. To rub salt on injury, KK Diogu was present when the Enugu state governor was being sworn in. Apart from the results being disputed at that time, a lot of our young men lost their lives during the elections. It is on record that WIC did not make any statement decrying either the violence that accompanied the elections or the widespread malpractices that occurred in Igboland during the election. Recently WIC has been reduced to issuing press releases, which are largely meaningless to NdiIgbo. These include the recent tepid release about the crisis in Anambra, and a statement praising Obasanjo’s efforts at tackling corruption.
It has been stated that the chairman and his executives are set against letting a congress of member organisations decide the policy of WIC as stipulated in its constitution. They would not like any one to derail their gravy train. There are several allegations to the effect that the WIC chairman was hoping for a ministerial appointment with the Obasanjo government but may have been settled with monetary inducement running into six figures in dollars. It is believed that World Igbo Congress at its inception was run with funding from Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu whose source of income is of course Abuja. Some people seem to think that this explains why the actions of the group are similar to what one would expect of the Chief.
The Pan NdiIgbo Foundation-PNF must be one of the most active Igbo organisations in Diaspora in terms of issuing press statements. I first became aware of this group while I was back home. I read an article in the guardian where a statement was credited to The Leader of NdiIgbo in the USA Dr. Iheanacho Orabuchi. Well, I had never heard of him despite being one of his supposed subjects. On return to base, I embarked on enquiries into the gentleman and his organisation. What I found was very similar to what one has come to expect from some of our self-styled leaders.
Dr. Orabuchi had visited Nigeria around 1999 and 2000 to explore the possibility of his involvement with partisan politics. His trip had taken him to both Owerri and Abuja. He was informed that he needed something to be able to sell himself, such as leadership of a Diaspora group. On return to base, he attempted to get elected as head of one Igbo group after another and failed each time. His advisers then came up with the concept of founding his own organisation. They also linked him up with people close to Obasanjo, who were very willing to adopt him.
This organisation made their move at becoming visible by making what looked like an audacious attempt at organising an Igbo political summit in Dallas. Ostensibly, the aim of this summit was to set the Igbo political agenda. This organisation and its summit were intensively advertised both in Nigerian news media and in the igbo_forum@y... a free yahoo mailing list run by Dr. Orabuchi. Doubt began emerging when they posted a list of invited participants. The list was a who is who in Igboland and curiously included such people as Emeka Offor and Chris Uba, both persons of questionable pedigree in Igbo Nationalism.
On the appointed day, the attendance to the summit was limited to less than 25 people majority of whom were Orlu people domiciled in the Dallas area rounded up by Orabuchi to swell the numbers. Over one hundred VIP’s were invited but only one Chief Okeke attended. The Orlu-born Chairman of the Police Service commission had been sent by Obasanjo as his personal representative to the event, having provided the finances towards the hosting of the event and the numerous adverts placed in the Nigerian media, Aso Rock had a vested interest in the success of this summit.
Worse was to come in the form of the communiqu released at the end of the summit. Not only was there nothing in it that could pass for a political agenda for NdiIgbo, it amongst other things called for NdiIgbo to accept the result of the 2003 elections, which was widely acknowledged as being fraudulent. In fact the PDP controlled Aso Rock could not have produced a better communiqu. It also included the call that the governors of Igbo states should be responsible for maintaining Federal roads in their states, without the necessary extra funding. PNF was attempting to shift the blame for the under development away from the Federal Government to NdiIgbo. This was akin to those Igbo’s who while their compatriots were being slaughtered were in western capitals denying that there was genocide being carried out by the Nigerian army against NdiIgbo.
Perhaps due to the poor turn out at the summit, the attention from Aso Rock has not been forth coming. Dr. Orabuchi and the PNF have not yet given up hope of receiving further patronage from Aso Rock; they have been putting up an illusion of activity mainly through their issuing numerous and often meaningless press statements. These statements can often be at best characterised as sitting on the fence. They are yet to take a stand that is distinctly pro-Igbo. They would rather be silent than antagonise the folks at Abuja.
What all these Igbo organisations and self-appointed Igbo leaders have in common is that they do not act in the interest of NdiIgbo but towards their selfish end. In addition, these organisations seem to represent anti Igbo forces based outside Igboland. In other words all these Igbo leaders have either an Hausa or a Yoruba master.
NdiIgbo do not need leaders, what is needed are people who are willing to serve the interest of NdiIgbo like the late M. I. Okpara, Sam Mbakwe, and Ikemba Nnewi. We have had enough of leaders like KK Diogu, Iheanacho Orabuchi , Chris Uba, Arthur Nzeribe, Ben Nwabueze, etc.
___________________ Nobody drinks medicine on behalf of a sick person. Posts: 110 | From: United States | Registered: Mar 2001
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It saddens me that my first contribution on this forum would be on this issue. When I read Nwankwo's piece, I could not help but shed a tear for my people. If this is what these organisations are about, then the Igbo race is doomed.
Posts: 21 | From: Nigeria. | Registered: Jul 2003
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It will be recalled that Zik was not a member of Ohanaeze until he died, and he was never a leader in the group. It seems that Ohanaeze was created to serve the old NPN. Now, it is serving PDP.
Posts: 162 | Registered: Mar 2001
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I have received some e-mail from the guy Acho Orabuchi mentioned in the article. The guy seems to be confused. I can tell that the article rattled him. Umuigbo must keep working hard to flush out all saboteurs in our midst.
[ March 03, 2004, 11:48 PM: Message edited by: AkunnaG ]
Posts: 19 | From: Readng, PA | Registered: Jan 2003
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We have to do something about the glut of illiterate Ph.Ds.
quote:
As a regular visitor to BNW, Acho Orabuchi must have seen that message at the BNW homepage. So, why is Orabuchi asking BNW to publish his chain mail as a magazine article? Posts: 155 | Registered: Mar 2001
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The article by Aham Nwankwo just makes me want to say: The confused midget has climbed a molehill and declared himself a giant; he has issued press releases and proclaimed himself “Igbo Leader.”Posts: 57 | Registered: Apr 2002
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An Igbo efulefu speaketh not out of the goodness of his heart, but the roaring of his tummy leadeth him to vomit on himself. The Dallas based political jobber, an embarrassment to the name he bears and his Orlu kin will never get it, I guess based on his dimwitted intelligence. It was this same ihenacho ohawuchi going by his Orlu dialect as revealed by Mazi Ambu Ehirim, that’s how it is spelt and pronounced not the Anambra diction he ascribes to his last name. A man who is too ashamed of his last name cannot be of any importance to society, period. This political harlot single handedly brought Kwenu down with his appeasing censorship of articles that did not praise his northern lords. Can you believe that despite obasanjo’s murderous rule against Ndiigbo, this worthless acho dude never raises an eyebrow yet is quick to whine about something that happened in far away Lagos? Folks please don’t get me wrong, I too am upset over all the unnecessary political killings but shouldn’t charity begin and end at home? Oh well, every authentic Igbo should be happy to know that ihenacho ohawuchi’s comic auditioning for meal ticket did not go unanswered.
quote:Nigerians in Diaspora Worry over AssasinationBy Ademola Adeyemo, 07.29.2006
Nigerians living abroad yesterday expressed shock over the killing last Thursday of Chief Funso Williams, Lagos State PDP gubernatorial Aspirant by unknown Assassins in his home Reactions to the killing came from the Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation in the United States of America (PNF USA)
The organisation said it received the news of Williams assassination with utmost sadness and condemned the incident describing it as " a gruesome political and senseless killing " " It’s one death too many and we should not let this type of act of cowardice to continue." The foundation in a press release signed by its National Chairman Mr. Iheanacho Orabuchi, [THE EFULEFU] described Political killing as "the crudest way to settle political issues. According to him "Political contest should involve high level of discourse whereby credible candidates with superior ideas to serve and uplift the masses would prevail. Politics is about competing ideas and issues; it is about who has a better idea to address societal problems. People don’t win by killing their opponents; people win or lose on the ballot. Nigeria should not allow political killings to be the norm. We pray that the government would move swiftly to bring to justice the perpetrators of this grisly murder of Engr. Funso Williams. Also, we beckon the government to ensure the security of every citizen."
He further said that Nigeria should be determined to have credible people in elective offices as it prepare to have fair, free, and violence-free elections. "We should not allow those people devoid of ideology and ideas to occupy any position in government anymore. We should not fall for their diabolical tactics any longer. No amount of political killings would be able to shake our courage and resolve".
Also Dr. Adesola Aderemi, the President of Advanced Democratic Alliance [ADA]an organisation based in the United Kingdom and Ireland in an e-mail sent to Thisday yesterday he described the incident as "shocking and barbaric" and a development that threatened the Nigeria's political transition election in 2007.
” This organization calls itself "Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation" (PNF).
Obasanjo and his government using every armed-force instrument of State are killing the Igbo, in broad daylight, with brazenness, in our own land: consider what is going on in Onicha and Anambra today. Most of the victims of Obasanjo's Forces' genocidal actions are unarmed and innocent Igbo men and women and children, and especially, our youth. Reports abound: newspapers, eye-witness accounts, victim-accounts.
"Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation" did not see fit to acknowledge and vigorously protest these murders. Because, Ndi-Igbo are the victims? But, it would issue a communiqué as noted below about one Yoruba man being killed.
The "National Chairman" of the "Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation" is Acho Orabuchi. Read his reaction below. Acho Orabuchi did not sign any Press Release (there was none from PNF to sign) regarding the ongoing murder of Ndi-Igbo in Onicha and Anambra. But he is eloquent and beside himself about the murder of one Yorubaman.
The above is an example of what is wrong with the Igbo, and what plays over and over again. Nigeria will grind the Igbo to dust in a well-publicized lethal anti-Igbo campaign. Igbo organizations such as PNF and persons in Diaspora, such as Mazi Orabuchi, and the Igbo political class will do nothing and say nothing. When they do, they usually take the side of the perpetrators, tormentors and killers, of our people. But, let anything happen to anyone else in, or associated with, Nigeria, other than the Igbo and this Igbo group above will spring into action in the manner of the article below. Tomorrow, Mazi Acho Orabuchi will run for a Nigerian post: Ndi-Igbo will be enjoined to support him. A man who has shown little sensitivity to the plight of the victimized Igbo--his own people, how can he represent Igbo interests anywhere, least of all, in Nigeria? Mazi Orabuchi typifies Igbo so-called leaders and those in the political class clamoring for high political offices: if and when they get there, they not only forget our people, but do in fact join in hurting our people.
We have a solution: we will not participate in any Nigerian electoral process because the process, corrupt and corrupted "on its own demerit," only provides both validation, means and platform for such as Mazi Orabuchi to continue to cheat and injure our people.
We urge members of PNF to review their goals, if their name is reflective in any sense; they need to make a comment to correct this wrong-headed formal act of PNF, and they need to rebuke their Chairman and set him in order. Otherwise, PNF had better go back to a more befitting name: the "N" really stands for Nigeria, not for Ndi-Igbo. The last time another Igbo organization goofed up really bad like this by their praising Obasanjo in the midst of Obasanjo's ongoing atrocities against Ndi-Igbo, members took note and started re-directing that organization.”
Oguchi Nkwocha, MD Nwa Biafra A Biafran Citizen.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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How about this one from APGA Obasanjo appointed chairman:
quote: APGA condemns Funso Williams' murder By Tony Edike Posted to the Web: Monday, July 31, 2006
ENUGU— THE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday joined other Nigerians in condemning the gruesome murder last week of Engr. Funsho Williams, a gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, describing the ugly development as a major setback to the preparations for the 2007 general election.
In a statement issued in Enugu by the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, the party wondered why high profile killings had become a regular feature in the country, adding that it was wrong for politicians to resort to assassination of opponents as means of finding themselves in power or settling their differences. “We condemn this senseless, brutal and uncivilized action and believe that it was the handiwork of desperate politicians who do not believe in the development of democracy in Nigeria,” Umeh said.
Recalling that APGA’s National Secretary, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi was nearly killed in similar circumstances on March 24, this year at his residence in Gusua but survived the attack through the special grace of God, Umeh said the murder of Engr. Williams has forced many Nigerian politicians into having serious thoughts about their personal security “and this is very dangerous for the polity.”
Umeh, who enjoined politicians not to see acquisition of power or position as a do or die affair, said they (politicians) must be prepared to subject themselves to the will of the people in intra-party and inter-party contests as the only means of securing the survival of our democracy. “We call on the Inspector-General of Police to apprehend and parade both the killers and their sponsors within two weeks to serve as a deterrent to others who may be planning to toe the same line.
This should not be allowed to go the way of previous assassinations,” the APGA Chairman said. He further reminded politicians that “life is sacred and it is one of God’s commandments that ‘Thou Shall not Kill’, stressing that “whosoever that kills to become Governor, his soul shall perish and suffer eternal fire”. “Engr. Funsho Williams has fallen but the sponsor(s) of his assassination will never succeed,” he added. The party, however, sent its deep condolences to the members of Williams’ family and prayed God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest.
___________________ Feel me? Ofu onye ana asi unu abia go. - Ednut Igbo-American . www.airamericaradio.com visit her. Posts: 2447 | From: Mother Earth | Registered: Mar 2001
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