Its no longer news that Ohanaeze Ndiigbo is one the most vocal voices in calling for restructuring of Nigeria. While this is a good call, judgement however must start from home. Ohanaeze must first put It's house in order before it can start wading into national issues. Not doing so is akin to a man whose house is on fire chasing a rat.

Ohanaeze replaced Igbo Union after the civil war and simply continued from where the later stopped like nothing changed, when in truth the definition of who is Igbo and who wasn't had changed post 1970.
Ohanaeze currently recognize groups such as Ikwerre, Ogba,Ndokwa,Ika, Ekpeye who has since distanced themselves from the Igbo tag since post civil, as Igbo. What this means is that Ohanaeze Ndiigbo is an organization living in the past and who are not up to date with modern realties.

The fall out of this is that dubious persons from the above mentioned groups can claim Igbo and take slots reserved for Igbos in national politics while denying Igbo when doing so portends being left with a short end of the stick.

It also lead to national embarrassment and present Ndiigbo as a spoilt brand or land grabbers when members from the above mentioned groups go on to denounce their Igbo tag, leaving Ndiigbo with eggs on our faces and presenting us as a people desperate for forced association with these groups who in reality have nothing to offer us as a people.

THE WAY FORWARD

1. Ohanaeze Ndiigbo must restrict the Igbo tag to just communities within SE and expel persons outside SE in their midst. This should be communicated to general public via a published notice on dailies.

2. Any Igbo speaking community/town outside SE that want to be a member the organization must submit a request letter through their traditional leader where they would clearly reaffirm their Igbo identity and belief in Igbo Unity project. A copy of this letter should be stamped with necessary signatories and printed in major news dailies.


3. Persons from outside SE whose community didn't submit interest to be a member of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo will forfeit rights to claim Igbo and must never be admitted in any Igbo organization within or outside Nigeria. Those of them already in Igbo organizations must be discarded or only enlisted as honorary members who must not be part of inner caucus or secret chambers of such organization and must not hold any executive post.

4. A new map and division of the organization into regions should be produced after taking cognizance of communities outside SE that indicated interest to join.

EXPLANATION OF MEASURES


I have heard misguided Igbos especially Igbos claim that because a few people from these Igbo speaking communities outside SE accept Igbo tag, we must therefore accept them and their majority Igbophobic people back home as Igbos. Such perons are quick to tell you that because Uche Okwukwu accepts his Igbo tag,the majority of his people back home who are Igbophobic must be regarded as Igbos.

That's a very ignorant view to have and not how group economics and politics work.

The very idea of forming an ethinic group or any group whatsoever is to consolidate advantages within the group and make sure those outside the group are deprived of such advantages.
You make a caricature of the Igbo Union if an Ikwerre man whose people are Igbophobic can easily claim Igbo and gain advantage reserved for real Igbos when you know he is but an opportunist who would in time have to fall in line with his Igbophobic people back home, because let's face it, a man will always belong to his people.

In group politics, the will of the majority must be applicable to all members of that group. The very idea that an Ikwerre individual can be Igbo while his official traditional leaders, Ogbakor Ikwerre, and majority of his people back home remain Binis is irrational and any Igbo who promote this illogicality is not a wise person and needs to do some deep retrospective thinking. Such thought process is harmful to Igbo general wellbeing in Nigeria and must be discarded.

For example. The British voted to leave EU not long ago. Despite the fact that up to 48% of the British voted to remain in EU, the Will of the more than 51% who voted to leave EU stands. And because of this, EU as led by France and Germany will not allow any British nationality regardless of whether such British voted against Brexit and still consider themselves part Europe, access to privileges allowed to bona fide members of EU.
Such pro EU British citizens will receive exactly same treatment from EU leaders as anti EU British citizens.
One must be for all and all must be for one. That's how you keep a group free from opportunists, maintain its integrity and keep it attractive to its members and outsiders.

This thread is long overdue but better late than never.

There needs to be a fundamental definition of who is Igbo and who is not. This definition should be based on what the representatives of such groups decides.

For example, the official Leadership of Ikwerre people have outright rejected Igbo tag. It is very stupid of Ohaneze to still have them running around in Igbo gatherings.

This sends confusion and uncertainty to Igbo children whom don't know any better and try to treat everyone bearing Igbo names as Igbo.

Ohaneze is just as bad as Nnamdi kanu led IPOB because both of them dont know their limits.

Pazienza, inasmuch as you made a good point, I suggest you forward this message to Ohaneze themselves. Isn't it time you lay your complaints directly to them? What’s the basis of complaining everytime on nairaland without getting results. Do the needful and stop looking like a noise maker here. Apologies for sounding harsh, but this is the truth.

Why do you guys always take your anger on Ohaneze? If you feel you can make your desired change then seek for election as President-General of the Igbo body. Stop this noise. If you continue with this noise, you’ll end up like a broken record.

The founding fathers of Ohanaeze included Ikwerre, Ogba and be Ndokwa, Ika or Ekpeye. I am for ostracizing individuals or groups which deny their Igbo tag. However I do not agree on the painting with one particular brush.

Dedetwo:
The founding fathers of Ohanaeze included Ikwerre, Ogba and be Ndokwa, Ika or Ekpeye. I am for ostracizing individuals or groups which deny their Igbo tag. However I do not agree on the painting with one particular brush.

Ohaneze should have a Simple rule which is, If your official ethnic body denies or rejects Igbo tag, you cannot be part of Ohaneze. I dont know why this is complicated.

The funny thing is that Chibuike Amaechi was even more vociferous in declaring the un-Igboness of the Ikwerres, when he was the governor.
But today, he uses every opportunity that presents itself, to announce his Igboness.

I can guarantee you 100% that Wike will do the same, once he hits national political arena.

Igbos are not in need of fair weather Igbos. Igbos only need dyed in wool Igbos. Igbo bu Igbo. Unadulterated Igbos.

Another point I want to make here is that Ohanaeze is peopled by wishy-washy Igbos. Even before the time of Zik, Igbos have been cursed with being led by people whose Igboness were adulterated, including Zik himself who declared an abomination, that Onitsha people came from Benin. Thank God the current Obi of Onitsha has made it clear that Onitsha people are hardcore Igbos and nothing else.

Even before Zik, we had the warrant chiefs, who were just the messengers and agents of colonisation.

Before the warrant chiefs, we had the Aros who were involved in selling their fellow Igbos and other Africans, to the white man, not minding that they were sending out the subconscious message to the white man, that Igbos and other black people were inferior to them, and as such, could be degraded to the level of slaves in the presence of the white people.

Dedetwo:
The founding fathers of Ohanaeze included Ikwerre, Ogba and be Ndokwa, Ika or Ekpeye. I am for ostracizing individuals or groups which deny their Igbo tag. However I do not agree on the painting with one particular brush.

Can't put it better.. I think that this careless attempt to push out these groups because the dominant voices there are against the Igbo political structure at the moment exemplifies the height of political naivety. Very predictable knee jerk reaction. More like throwing the babe away with the bathwater.. folks should learn that as long as federal powers are in the hands of serial adversaries, there will always be these sort of moments. What am I even saying, there are igbos who fought with the federal forces during the war! Should we also carve out their communities and throw them away?

Of what important is ohaneze or what do you call it.

Did they put food on someone table?

horsepower102:


Ohaneze should have a Simple rule which is, If your official ethnic body denies or rejects Igbo tag, you cannot be part of Ohaneze. I dont know why this is complicated.

It's complicated because you refuse to understand the underlying forces behind certain behavioral trends. It's not done like that! There are ikwerres and ikas who don't deny their roots but are led by federal imposed forces who determine their politics and who vehemently oppose igbo. You should allow them room to ventilate too. One shouldn't feel this frustrated because Wike is throwing tantrums or because some folks are acting strange. Things changed after the war, you can't get frustrated with that because some of these groups followed this route for survival when the Igbo couldn't do much for them.

Rugaria:

It's complicated because you refuse to understand the underlying forces behind certain behavioral trends. It's not done like that! There are ikwerres and ikas who don't deny their roots but are led by federal imposed forces who determine their politics and who vehemently oppose igbo. You should allow them room to ventilate too. One shouldn't feel this frustrated because Wike is throwing tantrums or because some folks are acting strange. Things changed after the war, you can't get frustrated with that because some of these groups followed this route for survival when the Igbo couldn't do much for them.

So you want people to continue to treat Igbo Identity like uniform clothes that they can wear and dump anytime they want? God Forbid.

Rugaria:

It's complicated because you refuse to understand the underlying forces behind certain behavioral trends. It's not done like that! There are ikwerres and ikas who don't deny their roots but are led by federal imposed forces who determine their politics and who vehemently oppose igbo. You should allow them room to ventilate too. One shouldn't feel this frustrated because Wike is throwing tantrums or because some folks are acting strange. Things changed after the war, you can't get frustrated with that because some of these groups followed this route for survival when the Igbo couldn't do much for them.

People like you with the above thought process are part of the problem and have created the fertile ground for these groups to be ridiculing Ndiigbo.

Group politics is all about numbers. If a majority of a people chose an option. The entire members of such group must fall in line.

Just as few Igbos for whatever selfish reasons wanting One Nigeria, does not change the fact that the majority of Igbos want Biafra.

Ikwerre is not Igbo. If few of them who claim Igbo think otherwise, then its left for them to go home to convert the majority of their people to their side. Until they do so, we should classify them same as their people.

This isn't complex. Its simple. People like you are only making it appear complex. It isn't.

Igboid:


People like you with the above thought process are part of the problem and have created the fertile ground for these groups to be ridiculing Ndiigbo.

Group politics is all about numbers. If a majority of a people chose an option. The entire members of such group must fall in line.

Just as few Igbos for whatever selfish reasons wanting One Nigeria, does not change the fact that the majority of Igbos want Biafra.

Ikwerre is not Igbo. If few of them who claim Igbo think otherwise, then its left for them to go home to convert the majority of their people to their side. Until they do so, we should classify them same as their people.

This isn't complex. Its simple. People like you are only making it appear complex. It isn't.

On the road now, will come back to detail my perspective on things..

Igbos should first tackle Tinubu that is holding them to ransome

Eastlink:
Pazienza, inasmuch as you made a good point, I suggest you forward this message to Ohaneze themselves. Isn't it time you lay your complaints directly to them? What’s the basis of complaining everytime on nairaland without getting results. Do the needful and stop looking like a noise maker here. Apologies for sounding harsh, but this is the truth.

Why do you guys always take your anger on Ohaneze? If you feel you can make your desired change then seek for election as President-General of the Igbo body. Stop this noise. If you continue with this noise, you’ll end up like a broken record.

Bia Enyia. This is a discussion thread. If you have nothing to contribute, stand down and read other people comments.
Nairaland is a public forum and I'm sure those concerned are reading this thread.

I'm only this gentle in replying you because I consider you an Igbo, especially seeing as you are from a front line Igbo community like Egbema in Rivers state.

Gbado anya.

Amarabae.
Your contribution is required here.

Number 3 recommendation is overkill.


To those saying the groups should not be ostracized, I must tell you it has come to this. Lives have now being lost and yet we're playing with the issue. It should not be so.

Moreover, why should you make excuses for people denying being Igbo in the South South? Are they the only Igbos being marginalized? Where is the federal presence in the South East? None. But yet we remain who we are, and we're surviving. As for them they only have small insignificant tribes to contend with but they go to extreme lengths to prove they are not Igbo. The Ohanaeze are so useless to us these days. They should restructure and set things right. Denying Igboness should no longer be tolerated in our midst. We have seen what an Igbo denier can do to prove his stance: overseeing the killing of our people in Obigbo. We need another approach!

Dedetwo:
The founding fathers of Ohanaeze included Ikwerre, Ogba and be Ndokwa, Ika or Ekpeye. I am for ostracizing individuals or groups which deny their Igbo tag. However I do not agree on the painting with one particular brush.

Can you be a bit more expansive on your last statement, nwanne m.

How do you tell Obi Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, that he is not Igbo because one nonsense called "South East" that Abscha created?

How do you tell Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose father Igwe Okonjo of Ogwashiuku, firgt an Brigadier general in the Biafran Army, that is not Igbo? Just because of ficticious borders drawn by the military?

Hiw do you tell Ost Utomi he is not an Igbo man? How do you cut off the 1 million Ezza Igbos trapped in the lower Benue the name of SE?

Igboid:



Bia Enyia. This is a discussion thread. If you have nothing to contribute, stand down and read other people comments.
Nairaland is a public forum and I'm sure those concerned are reading this thread.

I'm only this gentle in replying you because I consider you an Igbo, especially seeing as you are from a front line Igbo community like Egbema in Rivers state.

Gbado anya.

Read my post carefully and you’ll see that I’m only worried about this constant wailing. Your thread always aims at finding solutions to matters that concerns the Igbo nation and I like that. But let's say the truth, will it solve anything. Do Ohaneze-Ndigbo read comments on nairaland?

Assuming you form a front with a group of young pro-Igboist, and maybe write a communique to a national daily, then your voice will be heard. If you want us to form a staunch Igbo group, why not start from a Whatsapp group? There are a lot of reasonable Igbo youths, (not IPOB touts) who share your angst, let's parley together and use the newspaper platform to speak up to Ohaneze-Ndigbo. If you don't intend doing that, then it means you’re not serious about solving the problem. It's not about insulting Ohaneze, the SE Governors and other Igbo leaders, it goes beyond that. Make your voice heard through a reputable platform and if nothing is done, we march to Enugu seek the audience of the Igbo leaders and if possible contest elections into the Ime Obi.

Lastly, let each of us be open to ideas, everything must not begin and end with Biafra, learn to tolerate and stop this herds mentality that has pervades Igbo land since the coming of the self-destructive MASSOB/IPOB.

gidgiddy:
How do you tell Obi Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, that he is not Igbo because one nonsense called "South East" that Abscha created?

How do you tell Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose father Igwe Okonjo of Ogwashiuku, firgt an Brigadier general in the Biafran Army, that is not Igbo? Just because of ficticious borders drawn by the military?

Hiw do you tell Ost Utomi he is not an Igbo man? How do you cut off the 1 million Ezza Igbos trapped in the lower Benue the name of SE?

This your question just reminded me of something!

gidgiddy:
How do you tell Obi Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, that he is not Igbo because one nonsense called "South East" that Abscha created?

Hiw do you tell Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, whose father Igwe Okonjo of Ogwashiuku, firgt an Brigadier general in the Biafran Army, that is not Igbo?

Don't be ignorant.
Obi Chike is Igbo and speaks for Asaba people.

I'm sure he will quickly submit such letter to Ohanaeze Ndiigbo reaffirming Asaba Igbo identity if push comes to shove. If he doesn't, then Asaba stops being Igbo. Its as simple as that.
People like you use blind emotions to complicate simple issues.
What is wrong with you

Eastlink:
Read my post carefully and you’ll see that I’m only worried about this constant wailing. Your thread always aims at finding a solution in matter that concerns the Igbo nation and I like that. But let's say the truth, will it solve anything. Do Ohaneze-Ndigbo read comments on nairaland?

Assuming you form a front with a group of young pro-Igboist, and maybe wrote a communique to a national daily, then your voice will be heard. If you want us to form a staunch Igbo group, why not start from a Whatsapp group? There are a lot of reasonable Igbo youths, (not IPOB touts) who share your angst, let's parley together and use the newspaper platform to speak up to Ohaneze-Ndigbo. If you don't intend doing that, then it means you’re not serious about solving the problem. It's not about insulting Ohaneze, the SE Governors and other Igbo leaders, it goes beyond that. Make your voice heard through a reputable platform and if nothing is done, we march to Enugu seek the audience of the Igbo leaders and if possible contest elections into the Ime Obi.

Ohanaeze is not about the Ezes, it also include the Oha who actually comes first.
My target is the Igbo commoners.
I hope to through my posts open their minds to new perspectives that would trigger our people to ask critical questions and through such questions bring the Ezes to have a rethink.

Which Ohanaeze should I be sending letters to? The Ohanaeze with Ikwerre moles like Okwukwu uche and Igo Nwakamma and co sitting in their Imeobi?
How can a serious Jewish organization have Arabs who claim to be Israelis sitting in their inner chambers?
Does Ohanaeze as presently constituted strike you like a serious organization I should be wasting my Ink on?

Nnia Nwodo have Ikwerre moles sitting in their meetings in Enugu and they went to PH to see Wike, Ikwerre political leader who clearly spelt it out to them that he and his people are not Igbos. And Nwodo stood there shinning teeth.

Ohaneze does not actually represent Ndigbo. The right term is "Ohaneze Ndị Naịjirịa"

Bkayyy:
Ohaneze does not actually represent Ndigbo. The right term is "Ohaneze Ndị Naịjirịa"

Lol.

This is no joke.
We Ndigbo need to sign a petition on this. We demand that Ohaneze Ndigbo dismiss the current ikwerre vice president and dissociate herself from Ikwerre people or change her name to Ohaneze Ndị Naịjirịa.
They are making us to be a laughing stock in the face of Earth.
Who is with me?

Mr Igboid prepare the petition and I will be the first signatory

Bkayyy:
This is no joke.
We Ndigbo need to sign a petition on this. We demand that Ohaneze Ndigbo dismiss the current ikwerre vice president and dissociate herself from Ikwerre people or change her name to Ohaneze Ndị Naịjirịa.
They are making us to be a laughing stock in the face of Earth.
Who is with me?

If only we were that organized. This is how things are done in the modern world.

****

Igboid:
EXPLANATION OF MEASURES


I have heard misguided Igbos especially Igbos claim that because a few people from these Igbo speaking communities outside SE accept Igbo tag, we must therefore accept them and their majority Igbophobic people back home as Igbos. Such perons are quick to tell you that because Uche Okwukwu accepts his Igbo tag,the majority of his people back home who are Igbophobic must be regarded as Igbos.

That's a very ignorant view to have and not how group economics and politics work.

The very idea of forming an ethinic group or any group whatsoever is to consolidate advantages within the group and make sure those outside the group are deprived of such advantages.
You make a caricature of the Igbo Union if an Ikwerre man whose people are Igbophobic can easily claim Igbo and gain advantage reserved for real Igbos when you know he is but an opportunist who would in time have to fall in line with his Igbophobic people back home, because let's face it, a man will always belong to his people.

In group politics, the will of the majority must be applicable to all members of that group. The very idea that an Ikwerre individual can be Igbo while his official traditional leaders, Ogbakor Ikwerre, and majority of his people back home remain Binis is irrational and any Igbo who promote this illogicality is not a wise person and needs to do some deep retrospective thinking. Such thought process is harmful to Igbo general wellbeing in Nigeria and must be discarded.

For example. The British voted to leave EU not long ago. Despite the fact that up to 48% of the British voted to remain in EU, the Will of the more than 51% who voted to leave EU stands. And because of this, EU as led by France and Germany will not allow any British nationality regardless of whether such British voted against Brexit and still consider themselves part Europe, access to privileges allowed to bona fide members of EU.
Such pro EU British citizens will receive exactly same treatment from EU leaders as anti EU British citizens.
One must be for all and all must be for one. That's how you keep a group free from opportunists, maintain its integrity and keep it attractive to its members and outsiders.

igboid, Oil dey your Head

Rugaria:

Can't put it better.. I think that this careless attempt to push out these groups because the dominant voices there are against the Igbo political structure at the moment exemplifies the height of political naivety. Very predictable knee jerk reaction. More like throwing the babe away with the bathwater.. folks should learn that as long as federal powers are in the hands of serial adversaries, there will always be these sort of moments. What am I even saying, there are igbos who fought with the federal forces during the war! Should we also carve out their communities and throw them away?

I think that the op is right on this one. If you are igbo, you have to be igbo for real, and not having one leg in ikwerre and one leg in igbo. I mean, why would you deny nndigbo in public severally and expect them to keep on accepting you.