Ohanaeze leader urges Ikwere people to support Azuta-Mbata for Igbo unity
Engr. Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe, President General of the Igbo Community Association (ICA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has called on the Ikwere people of Rivers State to rally behind the newly-elected Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General, Senator Azuta-Mbata.
In a statement released on Monday, January 20, Ezenekwe praised the recent Ohanaeze Ndigbo election, which he described as a reflection of the collective unity of the Igbo people. He acknowledged the growing tensions within the Ikwere community following Azuta-Mbata’s election but urged against division, calling for harmony and solidarity.
“Ikwere is Igbo. It has always been Igbo, and will remain Igbo. We are together and we speak the same language. No more divisions within us,” Ezenekwe emphasized, stressing the importance of unity among all Igbo-speaking communities.
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the election, saying, “We, Ndị Igbo in Abuja, are very pleased and delighted with the outcome of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo national election. It shows that we are together in unison, and that whether we find ourselves in Rivers, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Enugu, or Anambra States, we remain together as one family of Igbo-speaking people.”
Reflecting on the long history of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ezenekwe traced its origins to the 1930s in Lagos as the Lagos Igbo Union, its transformation into the Igbo State Union in 1948, and its renaming to Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 1979. He highlighted the group’s role in promoting unity and advancing the interests of the Igbo people.
As Senator Azuta-Mbata steps into his leadership role, Ezenekwe pledged full support from the Igbo Community Association in Abuja, which has a network of over 78 grassroots units across the FCT. He emphasized the importance of working together to strengthen the position of the Igbos worldwide, saying, “We will draw on our grassroots strength to support the new leadership. Igbo Community Association in Abuja understands the need to be united against odds staked against the Igbos.”
Ezenekwe’s message calls for unity and encourages the Ikwere people and all Igbo communities to stand together for the progress of the Igbo people under Azuta-Mbata’s leadership.
