From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the reason Eze Ndigbo title is being used by Igbo leaders outside Igboland is to preserve the culture and tradition of the people.
Contrary to the belief in many quarters, Ohaneze Ndigbo said the adoption of the title was not to engage in rivalry with traditional rulers outside Igboland.
The Ondo Council of Traditional Rulers had, recently, banned the title of Eze Ndigbo in the state, following persistent crisis among Igbo in the state.
However, President and Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state, Chiefs Okechukwu Okorie and Alloy Anoliefo, respectively, said the Igbo have resolved to live peacefully with their host communities.
There were disputes between the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi and the Igbo community over the use of the title of ‘Eze Ndigbo’ by Ndigbo leader in the town.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the state, however, said the choice of the title was in conformity with the agreement reached by the Igbo in Diaspora, to preserve the culture and tradition of the people living outside Igboland.
“Ohanaeze, being the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation like the Arewa and Afenifere, would want to preserve the language, culture and tradition of their people wherever they may find themselves, hence the adoption of the title of Eze,” the Igbo leaders said.
A statement by the Igbo leaders after a meeting in Akure reads: “We have considered the title of Eze Ndigbo, as adopted by the Igbo, outside Igboland, as sacrosanct and non-negotiable and that the title is widely recognised and used both within and outside Nigeria as approved by the association of Ndieze Ndigbo N’uzo Ije and Onaneze Ndigbo worldwide which are the parent bodies.
“It was unanimously agreed that the Igbo, in Ondo, as a body, are standing by the position of the parent bodies on the use of the title as adopted by the Igbo in diasporas, and that Sir Gregory Iloehika having being installed remains the only recognised Eze Ndigbo in Ondo state.”
They said the leadership of Iloehika as the Eze was not limited to Akure, the state capital, but to all the 18 local government areas of the state as he was duly elected in an election by the entire Igbo residing in the state.