Assistant Editor (South East), CHRISTIAN NWOKOCHA, takes a look at an emerging Igbo socio-cultural umbrella, Igbozurume, which has been described as a move for the Igbo man to rediscover himself.
On Airport Road, Emene, Enugu, an imposing structure, with the inscription ‘Igbo Centre of Unity’ readily advertises intention of a group eager to confront any attempt at disenfranchising its people. The nascent group, called Igbozurume, has not hidden its mission of protecting and projecting the interest of the Igbo nation of Eastern Nigeria.
Inside the centre are mini structures that include Igbo Chapel for prayers, befitting residence for the president-general of the group and a 5,000-capacity hall, gallery with directorate offices and mini conference halls. Prominently displayed at the entrance of the hall is a group photograph of the late Igbo icon, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu; the late Imo State governor, Sam Mbakwe; and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo. The structure in Enugu, incidentally, looks like the International Conference Centre, Owerri, recently built by the Imo government.
The emergence of the Enugu group appears to have added new political dimension to Igbo politics, especially against the backdrop of perceived lethargy in the activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, which the handlers of Igbozurume said has become political and inactive on issues affecting the Igbo in the Nigeria project.
Top officers of Igbozurume claimed that the organisation emerged to address issues that were never addressed by Ohanaeze. For them, Igbozurume has emerged as an apex Igbo body ready to speak for the Igbo people and prepare itself in case the Nigeria’s project collapses after the 2015 general election.
The endless crises in Ohanaeze and inactive political positions over who gets what in the country since its formation more than 20 years ago appear to have given room for the emergence of the new group that its facilitators say is ready to hit the ground running for the Igbo.
A case readily cited on charges of derailment against Ohanaeze was in 2003 when the group bowed to pressure and endorsed former President Olusegun Obasanjo in utter disregard to the feelings of Igbo politicians who were interested in running for the same office. Those who kicked against Obasanjo’s endorsement by Ohanaeze were former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, Major General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), John Nwodo, Okorocha and Ojukwu who ran for the office of the president from different political parties. Kalu ran for a second tenure as governor.
On plans to make Igbozurume stronger than any other Igbo association, the former head of service in Imo and pioneer director-general of the group, Dr. (Mrs.) Nkechi Onumajulu, said the Igbo man is on the move to rediscover himself.
“Through this Igbozurume, a new nation will be born, during which an Igbo, wherever he is, would be proud of. We have agreed on a date in November this year to officially unveil the Igbo Centre of Unity and well thought-out plans on the next line of action for the Igbo. We have plans to create several directorates within the system, which include education, science and technology, directorate of culture, finance and youth mobilisation.
“Igbozurume will be established in all the states of the federation, with liaison offices in some cities within and outside Nigeria. As a people well over 40 million, better than some countries in the world, an independent Igbo nation is achievable. Igbozurume’s mandate is not to work for the disintegration of Nigeria; but we must be ready in case it happens,” she said.
She declared that Igbozurume has become a clearing house for all the Igbo and other associations including Ohanaeze.
“Ohanaeze is an association which is keying into Igbozurume, which is now the apex body in Igbo land, ready to do things Ohanaeze cannot do. Igbozurume is now a clearing house. We are ready to restore the dignity of the Igbo man in Nigeria and stop the idea of playing politics and paying lip service on issues concerning our people,” the DG stated.
One of the spiritual fathers of Igbozurume, Goddy Egbujie, corroborated the issues raised by the DG, adding that the promise made by God to Igbo will eventually come to pass.
The cleric strongly foresees the Igbo being independent without firing a shot again – a feat, he said, would be achieved by Igbozurume. He said that all spiritual fathers and their churches within the South East are praying and mobilising for the success of Igbozurume, with a view to achieving a nation of itself.
Speaking in similar vein, President General of Igbozurume, erstwhile Biafran commander and former Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Col. Joe Achuzie (rtd.), remarked that Ohanaeze had been involved in multiple crises and had not been active on issues affecting the Igbo.
“That is why Igbozurume, even on a slow motion, was being carried on the other hand,” he said.
Critics of Igbozurume allege, however, that Governor Okorocha is building the organisation for his political advancement and to make same a strong rival socio-cultural organisation in Igbo land against Ohanaeze.
But Achuzie disagreed.
“If that person (Okorocha) had wished for self-aggrandisement or for political reasons, he would build the Igbo Centre in his own state. So when some people say it was built for political reasons, I laugh. This means we have not woken up yet to reality. No sensible person will build a structure in considered enemy’s territory to promote his political interest.
“Igbozurume is not a political organisation. It is the making of an Igbo nation where all associations and clubs will eventually collapse into. The Igbo needed a central place and Enugu, being the capital of Igbo land from the period we were just a region, was chosen. If you want to showcase Igbo past and present, the best place to showcase it is in Enugu,” he argued.
On who the Igbo will support for 2015 presidential election, Achuzie confirmed to TheNiche they will curiously support President Jonathan.