The Board of Trustees of the Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State, has disowned a group parading themselves as Council of Ndieze Igbo led by Eze Chika Nwokedi and warned members of the public to be weary of the group because they are not recognized by the BOT of the Igbo Speaking community. ..Read Full Article
P.M.EXPRESS reports as was disclosed by the BOT Chairman, Dr Jonathan Nnaji, who stated that the group had no record in the Board in line with the constitution and therefore, cannot be recognized by the Igbo Speaking community, Lagos State.
This came to the fore following the recent insuance of certificates by the group to their members to create parallel Ezeship of the Igbo Speaking community in Lagos State despite efforts by the critical stakeholders of the Igbo Speaking community to unite Ndieze under one leadership as led by Eze Agbawodike Nwalozie.
Dr Nnaji declared that the only Council of Ezendigbo recognized by the Igbo Speaking Community and BOT in Lagos State is the one led by Ezendigbo of Ikeja, Eze Nwalozie, whose election was duly conducted with the executives inaugurated by then president, now Eze Ebere Ubani and observed by the BOT.
He recalled that Council of Ndieze was created and formed in 2003 when he was the President of the Igbo Speaking Community as well as the BOT members and the tenure is four years and can be reelected by the Council members.
He explained that the recertification of the Ezeship crowned by the Igbo Speaking Community was the outcome of the stakeholders meeting held by the BOT at their secretariat in Surulere, Lagos.
The critical stakeholders including, BOT, Ndieze, leaders of the community across the LCDAs, men and women had a meeting where it was resolved on the need to unite all the factions of Igbo Speaking Community including Ndieze in Lagos State.
Dr Nnaji stated that if the group wants to form their own association, they are free to do so but they should disassociate themselves from the Igbo Speaking Community because they are not recognized as Ndieze by members of the BOT, who are the custodians of Igbo Speaking Community.
By the decision, any Eze that is not reconfirmed by the BOT has automatically lost the position in the LCDA and will not be recognized as Eze by the Igbo Speaking Community.
Dr Nnaji explained that the decision to reconfirm Ezendigbo in various LCDAs that were crowned by the Igbo Speaking community, was in line with the constitution to actually know the persons in the LCDA, town and means of livelihood of such and have record of such person before he joins the existing Council of Ndieze.
He also explained that the Igbo Speaking Community has standard procedures of crowning Ezendigbo in Lagos State, which must involve the consent of such person’s traditional ruler from his home town.
He explained that the BOT created the window for recertification of Ezeship because of the crises Igbo Speaking Community had over the years and two factions emerged, led by Chief Sunday Udeh and Chief Sunday Eze.
He explained that it was the spirit of peace and reconciliation that led to harmonization of both Ezendigbo crowned by Udeh and Eze factions to bring them under one Council of Ndieze led by Eze Nwalozie.
He stated that the BOT decided to recognize Ezendigbo crowned by both factions on condition that such Eze must be recertified by the BOT and they have commenced the process with Eze Alex Nwoye of the Ejigbo LCDA and more Ezes are coming for the confirmation by the BOT.
On the fate of those not confirmed by the BOT, Dr Nnaji stated that such Eze will not be recognized by the BOT and by extension the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos State.
He stated that the BOT was giving those Ezes time to meet the board for the certification and if the windows closes their fate as Ezendigbo of Igbo Speaking Community, Lagos State will be finally foreclosed.
Dr Nnaji also refuted the claims that he was the only member of the BOT of the Igbo Speaking Community. He explained that the BOT had 13 members on the board but seven were no longer alive and the rest were still alive communicatinand having their meetings.
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