The saying that “information is power,” is a truism that can only be ignored by a nation courting destruction rather than development. The attitudinal disposition and seeming non- nonchalance of the authentic Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Senator John Azuta-Mbata is giving credence to this.
For a long time, the organisation has remained prostrate due to a sustained covert interference hatched by treacherous Igbo politicians, their elite counterparts and other degenerate Igbo elements who want to keep Ndigbo disunited and ineffectual.
That the acts of this group are evil to Alaigbo is not in doubt, that most of these misdeeds are committed through deliberate and copious dissemination of lies and misinformation via the creation of a purportedly factional/ parallel Ohanaeze is equally not in doubt.
However, what is in doubt is whether the authentic Ohanaeze is still functioning or conscious of this media menace, because, it is only a drunk or debilitating patriarch that keeps snoring while unscrupulous in-laws keep hauling incendiary objects on his thatched roofs.
On most comments or press releases on critical Igbo affairs, it is one Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, who designates himself as “deputy president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo” and his co-traveller, Thompson Ohia, as the spokesperson, both acting as the mouthpiece of the organisation, despite the fact that they are impostors.
In a recent claim, Engr Dave Umahi, former Ebonyi State governor and Minister of Works, kicked in when he said talks and negotiations were ongoing with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to free the long-incarcerated leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The statement which implied that his release would entail forgiveness for an offence he may have allegedly committed, rather than an acquittal which federal courts had consistently ordered. If that becomes the case, his freedom would be subjective to all manner of social and political debit notes that could be catastrophic to his liberty and the Biafra cause. Consequently, IPOB disputed and condemned the move, and went further to flay Umahi as a turncoat who basks in anything that would diminish the Igbo nation for any crumb that might fall from the master’s table.
In a quick follow-up, “Ohanaeze” put up a release, correlating what Umahi said and declared that both Ohanaeze and Ndigbo in general are in support of the negotiations for Nnamdi Kanu’s release. The acknowledgement further commended Umahi for engaging the President on the release of Nnamdi Kanu and pledged the support of “Ohanaeze and Ndigbo in general towards a quick resolution of the case under the Umahi’s supervision.
“ However, a closer look at the statement revealed that it was Isiguzoro’s group that made the statement, aligning with their likely sponsor, Umahi. That was one case of impersonation of the popularly elected leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo chaired by Senator Azuta-Mbata.
To cause confusion and make their nefarious act look real, Isiguzoro signed the statement as deputy president-general, while one Thompson Ohia signed as spokesman. While most Igbo and others may know Azuta-Mbata as incumbent leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, such cannot be said of Prince Okey Nwadinobi, who is the authentic Deputy PresidentGeneral.
So, anytime Isiguzoro embarks on his nefarious act of impersonation, he quickly signs as the deputy president-general, whose identity only a few know. Again, the authentic Publicity Secretary is Dr Ezechi Chukwudi, and not so-called Thomson Ohia, an impostor and ally of Isiguzoro, who always signs as publicity secretary.
After these announcements, neither the President-General of Ohanaeze Worldwide nor any authentic member of the executive had come out to condemn the damage the imposters were doing to Igbo interest and counter them and put the records straight.
That is an inexplicable act of negligence. Given the foregoing backdrop, the following questions beg for answers. What exactly are Mbata and his colleagues doing?
How can they be missing in action so soon after election on critical issues like the foregoing? Is it not curious that the former distinguished senator and his colleagues have been found wanting on numerous national issues affecting Igbo interest?
With the emergence of technocrats as former Senator of the Federal Republic, John Mbata as President-General, Emeka Sibeudu, former deputy governor of Anambra State as General Secretary among other professionals on the executive of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural and political organisation, there would have been no vacuum for the ugly incidents of misinformation and misrepresentation being perpetrated by the Isiguzoro group and amorphous Igbo youth groups claiming to belong to Ohanaeze.
Right thinking Igbo people know these groups are sponsored by various self-serving Igbo politicians hired to set us against one other.
Unity of Ndigbo worldwide and having a common voice on national issues mean nothing to them. So, why does the leadership of Ohanaeze Worldwide keep quiet in the face of media onslaught from such imposters?
These thoughtless agent-politicians and their paid-pipers, who would join hands with oppressors to incinerate the Igbo nation, if possible, as long as their nests are feathered, must be stopped.
In the same vein, the tactics is to present Ohanaeze in bad light, a continuously discredited organisation that is fragmented, ineffectual and symbolic of often-taunted Igbo disunity and lack of respect among themselves.
For this reason, the sponsors of the Isiguzoro group will always garnish their press releases as coming from or by a factional leader, etc, of Ohanaeze. The constant presentation of Ohanaeze as a factionalised entity is a deliberate act meant to promote a psyche of disdain and mistrust against the organisation by Ndigbo.
However, since members of the authentic Ohanaeze has seemingly chosen a say nothing do nothing method as their modus operandi in tackling this menace, let it be known that the organisation as a central and paramount Igbo socialcultural structure, requires it’s leaders to be at the vanguard of the association’s credibility, they should not rest on their oars while things are falling apart.
Ohanaeze is supposed to be an active and virile organisation ready to promote its objectives and the security and reconciliation of the Igbo nation. Hence, this slothfulness is not helpful and the Igbo are already getting disillusioned and frustrated. “If the termite has missed its way, the footprints of the fire ant are there to follow,” as an Igbo proverb says goes.
Minders of Ohanaeze should look at how Afenifere and the Arewa Consultative Forum are positioning themselves and promoting growth and cohesiveness of their constituencies. A situation where Ohanaeze has become a laughing stock among organs of the main nationalities of Nigeria is disgusting and unacceptable.
For example, to counter the impostors, which necessitated this article, the Ohanaeze president-general or his publicity secretary should have come on air or write a disclaimer to debunk the claims of Isiguzoro and his group.
The publicity secretary should, as a matter of necessity, periodically access media platforms to state Ohanaeze’s positions on certain issues.
Besides social media platforms like X (former Twitter), Istagram, etc, there are prominent radio and TV channels that either the PG or the publicity secretary could engage to reach the people direct or via the traditional media to make disclosures or talk on critical issues that concern Ndigbo or the country in general.
In today’s world information is life and the media is the oxygen. Any individual or organisation with ambition that must survive and succeed cannot fail to embrace the media. Ndigbo are ready to assist if the organisation begins to inspire and opens up on areas of support.
That the organisation may be working behind to achieve its aims is no longer fashionable. Ohanaeze’s image and their efforts to rescue the Igbo nation, if they are embarking on any, will be in peril if they do not embrace the media. Ohanaeze must wake up from its slumber and begin to do the needful.
Money is not everything in this case. In most cases, a timely statement could go a long way to debunk erroneous impressions, and prevent a misconception. If an Igbo organisation like Ohaneze fails to appreciate its status, mandate and potential, the blame would be on its leadership.
