The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo has no plans to visit any ethnic group to beg for forgiveness as a result of the 1966 Coup d’etat in the Country. He described as absolute falsehood, malicious, wicked and dangerous the audio clip by one Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe in which they said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had at a retreat held for various Committees of the Apex Igbo Socio-Cultural Organisation at the Old Government house decided to go to Sokoto to beg the Caliphate for forgiveness over the killing of the Sadauna of Sokoto Sir Ahmadu Bello during the 1966 coup.
Chief Iwuanyanwu described the allegation as the fictitious imagination of the evil doers who are bent on destroying Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
This was contained in a release issued by Chief Iwuanyanwu Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ben Osuagwu.
The release reads, “Addressing a world news Conference in Owerri, Chief Iwuanyanwu said that at the Retreat which was chaired by Rtd Rear Admiral Alison Madueke and was well attended by the members no Governor was invited. The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo expressed gratitude to the Enugu State Governor Dr Peter MBA for sponsoring the retreat pointing out that Enugu State Government has displayed leadership and patriotism in all activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. The Enugu State Governor Dr. Peter Mbah who hosted the retreat of March 27, 2024 sent his Deputy to the retreat out of courtesy. Chief Iwuanyanwu wondered how Governors who are very busy with other States functions could be invited to Sub Committee meetings which is neither Ime Obi nor Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly.
“The President General of Ohanaeze said that the outcome of the retreat which Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe referred to were widely aired in the electronic and published in the print media and wondered how the duo fabricated their own report to cause disaffection in Igbo land. He said that the retreat examined other areas including industrialization of Igboland, agriculture, health, development of skill acquisition, Ohanaeze Development and Investment Company, Education,, Industries,producing of cultural calendar of Igboland, inter state cultural competitions and Inter States Sports Competitions.
On the 1966 Coup d’etat, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the Military should be held responsible for it and not the Igbos. Chief Iwuanyanwu reiterated his position that Igboland did not have anything to do with the coup adding that the Coup Plotters did not intend to elevate any Igbo man through their actions. He said that the coup failed due to the intervention of General Aguiyi Ironsi who was not part of the coup. He was later assassinated. The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide noted that Igbos were murdered in large numbers in the northern parts of the country and later there was a civil war which was fought on Igbo soil that claimed millions of lives. He described the period as the “very painful part of our history”. He said that the question of Igbos going to apologise does not arise in any way.
The President General of Ohanaeze said that the outcome of the retreat which Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe referred to were widely aired in the electronic and published in the print media and wondered how the duo fabricated their own report to cause disaffection in Igbo land. He said that the retreat examined other areas including industrialization of Igboland, agriculture, health, development of skill acquisition, Ohanaeze Development and Investment Company, Education,, Industries,producing of cultural calendar of Igboland, inter state cultural competitions and Inter States Sports Competitions.
On the 1966 Coup d’etat, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the Military should be held responsible for it and not the Igbos. Chief Iwuanyanwu reiterated his position that Igboland did not have anything to do with the coup adding that the Coup Plotters did not intend to elevate any Igbo man through their actions. He said that the coup failed due to the intervention of General Aguiyi Ironsi who was not part of the coup. He was later assassinated. The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide noted that Igbos were murdered in large numbers in the northern parts of the country and later there was a civil war which was fought on Igbo soil that claimed millions of lives. He described the period as the “very painful part of our history”. He said that the question of Igbos going to apologise does not arise in any way.
On the Peace and Reconciliation Committee set up by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Iwuanyanwu said that it is to protect the interest of Ndigbo wherever they live. Chief Iwuanyanwu said the Committee is headed by Dr Dominic Okechukwu, a very resourceful and brilliant man from Enugu State. According to Chief Iwuanyanwu, the terms of reference of the work of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee include: To identify and collaborate with the various Igbo interest groups; to mainstream the diverse Igbo elements and groups into the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; to identify ways by which the confidence of Igbo Youths in Nigeria can be restored; to workout strategies aimed at ending intra-group conflicts and hostilities in Igboland among others. Chief Iwuanyanwu said that the Committee is also to publish and present a book, a comprehensive and valid narrative of the Nigerian Biafran War adding that the Book will tell the story of all that had happened in Nigeria from 1914 to date. He observed that other people have been writing and telling their own stories about events in the country and in some cases they blame the Igbos. But this time around Ohanaeze Ndigbo will come out with its position on all events and the book will be titled “This is Our Story”.
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Chief Iwuanyanwu who remained grateful to Ndigbo for the confidence reposed on him, however advised families and communities to call their sons to order. He noted that over the years, some group of people have made it impossible for any President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to succeed or function well. They go about creating disaffection by peddling malice such as the current one by Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe and their members. He said that they have done this to all the past President Generals. Chief Iwuanyanwu assured the generality of Igbo populace who have been very happy with his transformational agenda for Ndigbo but are now disturbed with the present falsehood and dangerous malicious propaganda of Ugwu, Obasi Igwe and one Okey Isiguzo that he will never disappoint them. He urged Ndigbo not to be worried pointing out that as a father with many children there has to be good and bad children, still he will gather them together.
Chief Iwuanyanwu recalled that when he was sworn in, one Harford Ugwu approached him to give him money to publish a book. He Chief Iwuanyanwu collected the book and handed it over to the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo – Dr. Alex Ogbonnaya to review adding that when money is available they will release it to him pending the outcome of the review. He said that since then, Ugwu has been pestering him. On one Okey Isiguzo, who purports to be the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Iwuanyanwu said that the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is Amb. Okey Emuchay. The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said that Isiguzo started his problem with his predecessor Prof. George Obiozor adding that Isiguzo did not contest any election and has no executive anywhere in the world. George Obiozor went to Court and the Court restrained him – Isiguzo and his cohorts from parading themselves as Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership. He Isiguzo has since then been evading service, rather he has been going about deceiving some elements who are sponsoring him to destabilize Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Chief Iwuanyanwu remarked that Isiguzo approached him and demanded the sum of N50 million to enable him travel to Germany to go and treat himself, but he told him that Ohanaeze Ndigbo has no such money to give out. From there, he – Isiguzo established the business of opposition and making money from it. He said that their cases have been discussed several times at the Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The President General of Ohanaeze said that the activities of these group will not deter him and his Executive from the Transformative programmes they have mapped out to uplift the Igboland to greater heights. He said that the establishment of a relief Agency will go a long way to assisting those whose properties were destroyed, the unemployed and indigent so that no Igbo person will be seen to be jobless”.
