Nigeria: How To Hate The Igbo

By Oguwike Nwachuku

Last week, most of the newspapers reported the feud between the Deji of Akure, Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo, and Eze Ndigbo in Akure, Gregory Iloehika, over claims of a plan by Aladetoyinbo to dethrone him.

Many issues were at stake but the glaring ones are who should collect royalty from the Igbo community who seem more comfortable paying to the Eze Ndigbo than the Deji, and the influx of “illegal traders” at Mojere market where Igbo traders were accused of contravening the rules.

*Some Igbo Politicians  

One Emeka Umeh, chair of the Igbo traders, was accused by the interim chairman of the market, Saka Aliu, of responsibility over the “illegal traders”.

A meeting was held where Umeh was mandated to do away with the “illegal traders” but he allegedly refused, leading to forceful resort to eject the “illegal occupants” on the directives of the Deji.

The forgoing was the background upon which the Eze Ndigbo was brought into the picture to intervene, but the Deji may have considered his intervention slow and his style, arrogant and disrespectful to his authority and institution.

“We shall continue to allow integration of all Nigerians, but we will not allow anyone to degrade or trample upon our tradition and institution,” he said.

The Deji accused the Igbo in Akure of insubordination and violation of tradition.

Rotimi Olusanya, the Asamo of Akure, who spoke for Aladetoyinbo, accused Iloehika of disregard for Akure people and the traditional ruler. 

Ndigbo As Migrants In Nigeria?

By Ikechukwu Amaechi

Three years ago, I travelled to the United States for the annual convention of Mbaise people living there. The convention, which is usually rotated among the states in the U.S., held in Dallas, Texas, that year.

(Pix: Vanguard)

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, a proud Mbaise son, and President General of Ezuruezu Mbaise, the umbrella association of Ndi Mbaise in Nigeria, Okey Aguwa, who lived in the U.S. for many years before coming back home, were also in attendance.

That was the first time I was attending the convention that had become a landmark event for our people in the U.S. every year. And it was like a homecoming of sort for me.

A very good percentage of Mbaise people living in the U.S. was there because, as I was told, many of them live in the twin cities of Dallas and Houston in Texas.

I met many friends, some of whom were school mates, who left the shores of Nigeria immediately we left secondary school.

What surprised me most was that most people who graced the ceremony had the titles of chief or lolo prefixed to their names. Many were adorned in elaborate traditional regalia with heavy beads around their necks and wrists and oversized fans in their hands.

And you dare not call anybody by his first name without first pronouncing the word chief.

I remember telling someone who sat beside me at the gala night that there seemed to be more chiefs and lolos of Igbo extraction in the U.S. than we have in Nigeria. The guy smiled and said I had not seen anything yet. “Wait until you see the Eze Ndigbos. These ones are the small fries in the bourgeoning chieftaincy industry among Ndigbo in the U.S.”.

As it is in the U.S., so it is in almost every part of the world where the Igbo live and, of course, Nigeria their country is not an exception.