The Eze Ndigbo Ghana, HRM Dr. Chukwudi Ihenetu, has dismissed the information making the rounds on the social media that he connived with Ghanaian government to arrest some Nigerians allegedly holding IPOB meeting on Sunday as false.
In a statement published on his Facebook page and a copy sent to the media, the royal father, who has championed several peace meetings involving Ndigbo and the host country, Ghana, said it was the handiwork of his enemies who were bent on causing disaffection between him and his Igbo brothers whom he has ruled for over nine years.
While dismissing the information as tissues of lies, HRM Ihenetu said: “My fellow Igbomen.and women, I am your son HRM Amb. Jude Chukwudi Ihenetu, Eze Ndigbo Ghana. By special grace of God. I have been here for several years and precisely 9 years on the throne as Eze Ndigbo Ghana.
“ One of my core values is to promote Igbo values and culture as traditional ruler and also bring Igbo and Ghana close as a host nation and at the same time to defend every Igboman in all sector here in Ghana to the best of my knowledge and I have been doing the best I can.
“Recently from this office, I was able to release 541 Nigerians, mostly Igbo. About 98 per cent or them are Igbo held by Ghana immigration over documentation issues. I did the best I can. I feed them and also provided transportation to take them home and many of them stranded, came here and I cared for them.
“You might have red about me on internet on practical things that I do to assist our people.
I have travelled to many countries, many regions here in Ghana to bring our people more especially Igbo closer to their host country, Ghana and in extension Nigerians.
“I am the king of Igbo community sitting on the comfort of Igbo throne but also in extension to support every Nigerian with the little I can because I can not do it all.
Besides, I played vital role in ending over 25 years trade dispute between Nigerian traders and Ghana Trade Union. If I went this lent to help my brothers, how will I now be the same person initiating their arrest? So, it is unthinkable, it is falsehood born out of envy and greed.
“Also, I am a very true Igbo man. Mother, father Igbo. I am from the South Eastern part of Nigeria and in very ramifications, every Igbo man whose generations passed through the 30 months civil war and still experiencing the marginalisation and structural imbalance ravaging Nigéria is a Biafran and we are doing the best we can to support each other in terms of business, love, peace and unity among each and every one of us until solutions will be found to these problems, hence I continued defending every Igbo man the best way I can.
“Recently, on Sunday to be precise, I got information that some Igbo were arrested here in Ghana allegedly having IPOB meeting.and before you know it on Monday about 21 women came to the palace lamenting that their husband’s were arrested, 13 of them with their children on their back and I woke up to do the best I can to get freedom for our people, to know the root cause of the problem and why our people were arrested. Supprisenly today, Tuesday, I received information on my facebook page from more than 1000 sources that one Sunny and one Comrade Alfred were circulating on the social.media that I, HRM Ihenetu conived with Nigeria government to arrest Igbo in Ghana where they were allegedly holding IPOB meeting.
“I am using this medium to dismiss this allegations as false. My enemies are only spreading this rumour to smear my name and cause misunderstanding between myself and good people of Igbo community in Ghana. I want to let them know that their evil plan would not work because I am standing for the Igbo and Nigerians and for the peace of Nigeria and Ghana.
“This information is false. Ask Nigerians here, since this incident occured, I am the only Igboman that has gone to know what the problem is all about and I have also done my best to reach out to both countries on the best way to solve the problem and our people released.
Anybody that is writing this thrash on the internet is only spreading falsehood and the law of justice and equity will soon catch up with them,” he said.