The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ondo State chapter, has declared that the use of Eze Ndigbo title by those who are not royal fathers was a cultural aberration.
The group said traditional rulers in the southeast had on February 20, 2008 condemned and banned the indiscriminate use of the title.
It said a letter was consequently sent to monarchs in the southwest on August 8, 2008 on how the title of Eze Ndigbo was being abused Igbo by some individuals.
A statement by Ohaneze yesterday in Akure, Ondo State capital, urged the state government and Ondo State Council of Obas to stop recognising anybody using the title in the state.
The statement was jointly signed by the Onye-Ndu Ndigbo of the state chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Lemmy-Kingsley Chukwuma, and the group’s state President-General, Chief Joseph Okeke.
The group noted that its national headquarters and traditional rulers in Igbo land had since restated that only acceptable title for heads of Igbos living out the Southeast was “Onye-Ndu Ndigbo”.
Commending the Deji of Akure for using his maturity to resolve the recent disagreement between Igbo residents and Akure community, the group expressed support for the decision to ban the use of Eze Ndigbo title in Akure.
The group said: “it is the refusal of relevant authorities to stop Iloehika from parading himself as Eze Ndigbo of Akure as directed by the Southeast traditional rulers and the Ohaneze Ndigbo since 2008 that gave him courage to desecrate the stool of Deji. Igbo people in the state don’t support his action.
“A letter from our headquarters in Enugu on August 7, 2008, signed by the then Ohaneze Ndigbo’s National President-General, Dr Dozie Ikedife, and another letter dated September 14, 2012 also from our headquarters stated clearly that High Chief Kingsley Chukwuma is the Onye-Ndu Ndigbo of Ondo state. He is the Igbo leader in the state.”
The statement urged Igbo people in Ondo state to continue to relate peacefully with their host communities. (National Mirror)
