150 Sacked Ezendigbo In Lagos State To Proceed On Self Exile

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The harmonization and restructuring of the Igbo traditional stool known as Ezendigbo in Lagos State is gaining the momentum following the eminent sack of about 150 of them, who may likely proceed on self exile any moment from now in line with the Igbo customs and tradition.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered the purported self exile by the affected Ezendigbo will take place immediately the Chairman of Council of Igbo traditional rulers in diaspora, Lagos State, Eze (Sir) Chris Offia, announces those affected; they will move on exile with their families to avoid calamity.

It was gathered that the sack would have taken place since November 2021 but most of those affected were pressuring Eze Chris Offia, who is also the Ezendigbo of Ibeji Lekki, to suspend the sack, which Offia was said to have resisted and set up a committee for recommendations.

Going by the declaration of the Igbo king maker in Lagos State, Prince Chukwuemeka Onuoha, the Ezendigbo in Lagos State will be scale down to 57 in line with the Constitution of Ohanaeze, which is the Apex Igbo organization led by Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.

“On the creation of Ezendigbo, he explained that the Ohanaeze Constitution made it clear there cannot be two Ezendigbo in one Local Government area and where there is Baale in such locality, the leader of Ndigbo in such area will be called Obi Ndigbo, who must link up with the Ezendigbo in the Local Government for dissemination of information to the Igbo in such area.”

By implication, about 150 will be sacked and proceed on self exile as the Igbo tradition demands while 57 will be retained and recognized.

P.M.EXPRESS findings revealed all the 20 Local Governments and 37 LCDAs will be affected; places like  Ojo, Isolo/Oshodi, Alimosho, Badagry, Agbado Okeodo, Ikeja, Mushin and other Local Governments will have casualties as only few will be retained.

Offia stated that it was important to screen and weed out some people, who had brought bad image to the Igbo because of the bastardization of the title.

“We want to restore the dignity of Ezendigbo so that it will have value as it was in the past and those to be accepted must be those who have means of livelihood and understand the importance of the position” he said. 

Offia regretted the manner it was bastardized to the extent the number of Ezendigbo outnumbered Obas in Lagos State, which he described as embarrassment to the Igbo and other ethnic groups in the State.

He ruled out any compromise on the decision to sanitize the revered Ezendigbo traditional institution for the betterment of Ndigbo even while some are threatening to go to Court if they are sacked and asked to proceed on exile.