Ohanaeze Shelves Igbo Day Celebration over Buhari’s Exclusion of S’East in Appointments

Story By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu 

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Sunday expressed disappointment over what it described as the “tactful exclusion” of the people of South-east geo-political zone in the appointments so far made by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In order to show their disappointment, the organisation said it would not roll out the drums to celebrate this year’s Igbo Day coming up on September 29 as it’s usually done in the past but would mark it in a low key.

 President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Enwo Igariwey

President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Enwo Igariwey, made the disclosure yesterday at the national secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu shortly after a general meeting.

He said his time is a period for sober reflection among the Igbo in Nigeria nation and a not time for festivity.

The apex Igbo organisation therefore chose the theme of this year’s Igbo Day celebration as “Ako na Uche na Njikoaka,” meaning reflection and unity.

“We resolved to show tact and unity of Igbo people because the situation in the country today calls for Igbo unity. We also resolved that Igbo people should not feel bad about the appointments but we should now think of developing our place.

“There is no reason why we cannot recreate what we have done outside Igbo land by developing our place like we develop other parts of Nigeria and even outside the country,” said Igariwey.

He noted that all branches of Ohanaeze Ndigbo both at home and Diaspora have been told to remain in their different localities to commemorate the day as there will be no general convention of the body as the low key method demands.

The Ohanaeze President General also disclosed that the organisation resolved that on the Igbo Day of September, all Igbo men and women will observe a-three minute silence for the departed Igbo men and women that lost their lives during the three years Nigeria/Biafra war that ended in 1970.

He also said Ohanaeze Ndigbo will be part of the planned posthumous birthday celebration of the departed Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu coming up on November 4, adding that the organisation will always participate in any function associated with the late Igbo leader.