KINGSLEY EBERE
The President-General of the Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State, Chief Chukwudi Chinye, has announced the suspension of the crowning of Ezendigbo in Lagos State.
Chief Chinye made the declaration at the palace of the Chairman of Alimosho Council of Ndieze, Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, during a historic endorsement ceremony for the new executives of the Igbo Speaking Community led by him.
The event, which took place at Eze Lawrence’s palace, was colourful and significant as apart from the endorsement, Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze also gave royal blessings to the new executives, a move that has effectively ended the tenure of the former executives led by Chief Sunday Udeh.
The endorsement and royal blessing by Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze, who is a highly respected traditional leader and Chairman of Alimosho Council of Ndieze, was described as a seal of legitimacy and a new dawn for the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos State.
Eze Lawrence, who is known for his wisdom, fatherly role and commitment to the unity of Ndigbo in Lagos, praised the new executives led by Chief Chukwudi Chinye for their commitment to uniting the Igbo Speaking Community and for their vision to restore order and dignity to the community.
He advised the new executives to follow the path of peace, truth and unity and to work tirelessly to unite all Igbo sons and daughters in Lagos State, irrespective of town, clan or local government of origin.
According to Eze Lawrence, unity remains the greatest strength of Ndigbo and the new executives must make peace-building and reconciliation their top priority.
Responding, Chief Chukwudi Chinye expressed profound gratitude to Eze Lawrence Nnamdi Eze for his royal endorsement and blessings, describing him as a true royal father whose leadership has continued to bring honour and stability to Ndigbo in Alimosho and Lagos State at large.
Chief Chinye praised Eze Lawrence for his fatherly counsel, his support for Igbo unity and his commitment to preserving Igbo culture and tradition in Lagos.
He stated that the main objective of the new executives is to restore the past glory of the Igbo Speaking Community, correct the anomalies that have crept into the community over the years, and reposition it as a strong, united and respected voice for Ndigbo in Lagos.
Chief Chinye noted with concern that the process of crowning Ezendigbo in the State has been bastardized and has become a source of confusion, rancour and ridicule.
He explained that titles are now given indiscriminately without due consultation, without regard to tradition, without consideration for character and contribution to the community, and without collective decision of stakeholders.
To put an end to this anomaly, Chief Chinye declared that the crowning of Ezendigbo in Lagos State is hereby suspended until further notice.
He said that before such an important traditional matter will be considered in the future, the stakeholders, traditional rulers, and the entire Igbo Speaking Community must be carried along and must take a collective decision on the modalities, criteria and procedures for such crowning.
He assured that the new executives will come up with a clear guideline and a transparent process that will restore honour, dignity and respect to the Ezendigbo institution in Lagos State.
Chief Chinye also praised members of the Igbo Speaking Community for their support and confidence in the new executives and promised that his team will not disappoint them.
He said his administration will focus on unity, peace, welfare of members, promotion of Igbo culture and language, empowerment of youths and women, and strong collaboration with the Lagos State Government and other ethnic groups for peaceful coexistence.
The endorsement ceremony was attended by prominent Igbo leaders, chiefs and members of the community who all commended both Eze Lawrence and Chief Chinye for their mature and exemplary leadership.
Many described the meeting as historic and a turning point for Ndigbo in Lagos State.