Group Accuses Ohanaeze President, Nwodo of Using his position to Feather his Political Nest
The South East Revival Group (SERG) has accused the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, of “engaging in political bazaar and patronage rather than working to stabilise Igbo land in the face of growing marginalization and killing of Ndigbo which has resulted to separatist agitations”.
The socio-political pressure organisation in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Barrister Benedict Ezeagu observed that it was unfortunate that rather than defend and promote the overall interest of Igbos, the President General has turned himself into a political tool.
“It is very unfortunate that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, rather than defend and promote the interest of Igbos, has made himself an available tool in the hands of Igbo detractors and non-Igbos, especially the Arewa irredentists, to denigrate Igbo nation, our sacred traditional institutions and prominent Igbo sons and daughters.
“Such despicable cases in recent time were when he decided to attack Nnamdi Kanu and his Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) agitators, a deviation from his earlier declaration as a father to the young Igbo people, who would have called his erring children into his bedchamber and counseled them, if he believed that they have missed the mark in their strategy for Igbo self-determination.
“Having forgotten so soon the apolitical nature of his office, in his bid to impress his newly found political allies, the Ohanaeze President General chose to openly castigate his acclaimed children after he has descended so low to represent a former military ruler at a book launch.
“Rather than stay in his office to attend to challenges facing Ndigbo in Igbo land in Nigeria, which has metamorphosed to an international separatist agitations for Igbo self-determination, he abandoned his duties to go hunting for northern politicians.
“It is becoming more and more obvious from emerging facts that Chief John Nnia Nwodo may have, with a sugar coated tongue, hoodwinked prominent Igbo leaders into supporting his then ambition to clinch the Ohanaeze Presidency for ulterior political motive.
“Or, why did he, on assumption of office, quickly dash to the north to meet politicians and have continued in the same voyage ever since?
“Why is it a bit difficult for him to sit down in his office to coordinate the efforts to liberate Ndigbo from their oppressors in Nigeria by bringing together the Igbo self-determination agitators and other Igbo sons and daughters to find a common solution to the Igbo Question in Nigeria?
“Is he not worried to see how the northern youths that issued quit notice to Ndigbo are being pampered and caressed by their northern leaders while their counterparts in the Eastern region are being hunted down daily?
“We are indeed surprised that after starting well as Ohanaeze leader, his recent utterances, visits and reciprocating visits by northern politicians have created serious doubt about the image of an apolitical organisation that should be led by a brave Igbo with impeccable integrity.
“His initial statements and positions may have been mere appearance put forward to get Igbo support to feather his personal political nest to the detriment of the larger Igbo interest.
“We therefore call on the Ohanaeze President General to retreat and sit down at the Ohanaeze Secretariat in Enugu and attend to myriads of socio-political and economic challenges confronting Igbo people and receive anyone on a courtesy call as a leader of a prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization, rather than cheapen his position by joining political entourage and gallivanting all over the eastern region as a mere ‘political errand boy”, the group said.