Ohanaeze sets up conference committee

The apexIgbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has set up a planning and strategy committee on the proposed national conference with Professor Anya O. Anya as chairman.

President General of the organisation, chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, who announced this last weekend at the Ime Obi meeting, said the committee would on its own co-opt other members.

He also announced the setting up of its finance committee, adding that a colloquium towards the harmonisation of Igbo position would hold between March 10 and 13 this year

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According to Enwo-Igariwey, the aim of the formation of the committees is to close ranks to speak with one voice as that has been the problem bedeviling the Igbo.

While urging Ndigbo and all Nigerians to pray for a successful outing at the confab, the Ohanaeze President regretted that "some of our people do not want the conference."

Such people, he said, were opposed to the creation of zones and only wanted states.

First Republic politician, Mbazulike Amaechi, who was appointed chairman of the committee on reparation, complained that since May 31, 2013, when the committee was formed, the president-general had refused to inaugurate the committee.

Amaechi informed the meeting that he spent time and money to compile and articulate all the "massacre of Ndigbo in the North from 1953 in Kano to those of Asaba and recent ones."

He asked for a reversal of the decision, if the president-general was no longer interested in the reparation demand from the Federal Government.

But the Ohanaeze president said the complaint would be treated in the next meeting.

The Ime Obi discussed the knotty issue of Igbos creating kingdoms for themselves outside Igboland where some people abuse the nomenclature His Royal Highness or Majesty to the embarrassment of their hosts.

The alumni of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, led by its deputy- president, Adaeze Onyebuchi, also stormed the Ime Obi meeting where it sought for the intervention of Ohanaeze in the crisis at the university which was sparked by the sack of the pro-chancellor, Emeka Enejere.

The organisation promised to look into the issue. In attendance were Ben Obi, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Prof. George Obiozor, Prof. Mark Ordu, Prof. Anya O. Anya and Prof. Joe Irukwu.

Also in attendance were Chief Ralph Obioha, Col. Patrick Anwuna (rtd), Col. Ben Gbulie (rtd), Prof. Ukwu I. Ukwu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, Dame Ada Okwuonu, Ms. Loretta Aniagolu and a host of others.