CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State, has finally reacted over the comments made by Chief Sunday Ude on declaration that Ezendigbo crowned by Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the State was null and void.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the President of the group, led by Chief Cyril Sunday Eze, has declared that Chief Ude was no longer a member of Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State and members of the public should disregard his comments.
In a rejoinder sent to the media, the group stated, “The attention of the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos led by High CHief (Sir) Cyril Sunday Eze has been drawn to the publication on P.M.EXPRESS of 10th May, 2023, where one Chief Sunday Ude declared that all the Eze Ndigbos crowned or installed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos was null and void”.
“We could not have replied him because we were mourning the demise of HRH Eze (Dr) Cyril Osuala Anamneze (Aka ji ofor Ndigbo in Lagos). But because of the rumpus it is causing in the community, we decided to put up a rejoinder.”
“The fact of the matter is that Chief Sunday Ude is not a member of the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, any speech or directive that emanates from him is not relevant and should be disregarded by the public.”
“Chief Sunday Ude was suspended indefinitely from the activities of the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos on the 9th of September 2019 at the Secretariat by the Board of Trustees of the Igbo Speaking Community led by Chief (Dr) Jonathan Nnaji for insubordination and lack of respect for constituted Authority.”
“The inauguration of the first Council of Ndi Eze Ndigbo in Lagos was done by Chief (Dr) Jonathan Nnaji, who was the then President General of the Igbo Speaking Community in 2004.
The first set of Executives were elected and they are as follows:
1. HRH Eze (Dr) Truster Dialakwe as Chairman
2. HRH Eze (Dr) Ajagu Nwogu Vice Chairman
3. HRH Eze (Barr) John Nwoche Secretary
All the men mentioned above are still alive.” So Eze Nwokedi was not the first elected Chairman of Council of Ndieze in Lagos State.
“The truth of the matter is that Chief Sunday Ude has no moral right or justification to dabble into this matter because as a dissident, he contributed to most of the problems ravaging the Ezeship institution in Lagos and he used the name of the Community to extract money from individuals and corporate bodies.”
“The Igbo Speaking Community is hereby making it categorically clear to the public that they should disregard the rantings of Chief Sunday Ude on Ezeship because he is a dissident and has no locus standi.”
“There is already a DISCLAIMER made by the Board of Trustees of Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos in this regard that anybody dealing with Chief Sunday Ude in whatever capacity in the name of Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos does so at his/her own risk.”
Chief Eze explained that it was the Igbo Community that crowned HRH, Eze Dr Chika C. Nwokedi as king under his leadership as President of Igbo Speaking community, Lagos State in 2022, before he was elected Chairman of Council of Ndieze recently in Lagos State.