13 Ebonyi Ezendigbo Installed By Lagos Ohanaeze President, Chief Aguene Set To Proceed On Self Exile

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

In the days ahead, 13 Ebonyi State indigenes, who reportedly singlehandedly installed themselves as Ezendigbo in various Local Governments in Lagos State, may be on their way on self exile in line with the Igbo tradition and culture.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that this is as a result of their recent sack by the Nigerian Council of Traditional rulers a.k.a Ezendigbo in Diaspora, Lagos State Chapter, in a bid to restore the dignity of the Igbo traditional tool in the State.

The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting at FESTAC town, Lagos, which stated as follows:

“COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED BY  LEADERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF EZE NDI IGBO NUZO IJE, LAGOS STATE CHAPTER, AT THE END OF ITS MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2021 AT FESTAC TOWN, LAGOS.”

“Ndi Eze decried the sudden bastardization of the process of the installation of New Ezes in Lagos State, which started immediately after the imposition of Eze Chris Offia as Chairman of Ndi Eze by Ohanaeze President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna, and regretted the loss of dignity and respect this has brought to Ndi Eze. They, therefore, resolved as follows:

1. To reject all Ezes installed outside DUE PROCESS and LONG-ESTABLISHED PROTOCOL of installation in Lagos. They declared such installations null and void and of no effect.

2. To, accordingly, reject the installation of 13 Ebonyi State sectional Ezes and others by the President of Ohanaeze, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, for their unconstitutionality and for their lack of credibility and transparency.

3. To advise Chief Solomon Ogbonna to resist the temptation to employ his position as a cannon fodder for the creation of confusion in the affairs of Ndi Igbo in Lagos State. Ndi Eze believe that this will not do him any good nor do any good to his remaining days in office nor to the overall and long term interests of Ndi Igbo in Lagos State.

4. To reject the duplication and the proliferation of the Ezeship title in Lagos State, especially in domains where respected and long established Ezes reside and advise those responsible to look for other means of livelihood.

5. To withdraw from meetings and activities of Eze Offia and Chief Solomon Ogbonna until they withdraw these sectional Ezes and other Ezes installed outside guidelines and allow the bearers to re-present themselves through normal protocols if they still desire to be Ezes.

6. Lastly, to call on all well-meaning and right-thinking Ezes in the State to note this ugly development and speak against it before the Ezeship institution is destroyed, completely.”

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that if the decision was not reversed, the implication is that the 13 sacked Ezes will proceed on exile for sometime or relocate elsewhere in order to restore the sanctity of the Igbo traditional tool.

The President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, Chief Solomon Aguene, could not be reached for comments but sources said he had already started move for the reversal of the decision.

When our correspondent contacted Ezendigbo, Lagos State and National Treasurer of Council Ndi Eze in Nigeria, Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, he confirmed the decision and said they have already started implementing it.