There seems to be palpable tension between the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo sócio-cultural organisation, and officers of its youth wing following the purported removal from office of Mr. Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, as acting president of the organisation’s youth wing.
This is just as Ohanaeze youth wing has barred the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ambassador Okey Emutchay , from entering Ohanaeze’s national secretariat, located on Park Lane, Enugu.
SummitNews recalls that In a public disclaimer issued on Wednesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia,
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, advised the general public to maintain a safe distance from Mr. Okpalaezeukwu. It warned that any interactions or transactions with him pertaining to Ohanaeze matters would be undertaken at one’s own risk.
Furthermore, Ohanaeze announced the reinstatement of Mr. Damian Okafor as the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, thereby replacing Mr. Okpalaezeukwu in this position.
The statement partly read: “the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide wishes to inform the general public that Mr Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, the erstwhile acting National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has long been directed to revert to his position as the Secretary- General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Youth Wing.
“The directive was contained in a letter to Okpalaezeukwu, dated July 24, 2024 by Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“In asking Okpalaezeukwu to revert to his position, Emuchay admonished; “you are aware that there exist positions above you in the hierarchy of the organisation but you were granted a privilege to act as the Youth Leader for several months”.
“It is worthy of note that, earlier before the letter to Okpalaezeukwu, the former President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, had written a letter of reinstatement as the National Youth Leader to Mr Damian Okafor, after an official visit to Ebonyi State. The National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze was also briefed.”
The statement stated that NEC of Ohanaeze was astonished that even after Okpalaezeukwu had been relieved of the position of the acting National Youth Leader, “it appears that another “Ohanaeze” monster has been created”.
Ohanaeze regretted that on July 30, 2024, Okpalaezeukwu, in a combined character of a “wounded lion and a bull in the China shop,” invaded its National Headquarters with thugs.
“The hoodlums hit and maimed all that stood their way. Above all, the Okpalaezeukwu and his misadventurers destroyed and desecrated everything that is held sacred in the Ohanaeze Secretariat. His anger is a delusion and a wild misconception that he will act as a youth leader in perpetuity.”
The organisation stated that “such unruly, unscrupulous, despicable, odious and sacrilegious conduct by Okpalaezeukwu”, had reported to Chairman South East Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State Sen. Hope Uzodimma, his host Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, of Anambra State; the Enugu State Director, Department of State Services, and the Enugu State Police Command, among others.
The statement partly read: “Most unfortunately, Okpalaezeukwu has defiantly continued to parade himself, falsely and conceitedly as the Acting National Youth Leader.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is Mr Damian Okafor. Okafor emerged through a democratic process on Thursday, August 5, 2021. The election that produced Okafor was keenly contested.
“The election commenced with the accreditation of delegates from the seven Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states. Okafor who hails from Ebonyi state defeated three contestants to emerge the National Youth Leader in the peaceful election.
“However, there was a rift amongst the Youths which dragged for a long time. In 2023, the Youths appointed an acting Youth Leader in the person of Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu from Anambra State. The NEC which was led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, adopted Okpalaezeukwu with a caveat that he was to act pending when the rift in the youth wing was settled.
“And like the power to a Lucifer, to reign in on Okpalaezeukwu has remained a huge challenge, even after the highest authority of Ohanaeze has directed Okpalaezeukwu to revert to his former position.
“Though, it is highly regrettable to have a new entrant amongst the fraudsters, charlatans, impersonators and mischief makers who ride on the invaluable footprints of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to defraud the unsuspecting public, the fact remains that the fatherliness, latitude and leniency of the former Ohanaeze leaders towards such social deviants cannot be sustained.
“The Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, and the NEC therefore alert the unsuspecting public that Mr. Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu has been declared a persona non grata; unfaithful, unworthy, unfit and maladjusted to the core values of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“The general public are by this press release advised to distance themselves from Mr. Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu on issues pertaining Ohanaeze in their own interest.”
But reacting in a communique issued shortly after the emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Ohanaeze Youth Wing held at its National Secretariat, Park Lane, Enugu, on Friday the leadership of the youth wing insisted that Okpalaezeukwu remained their leader.
The communique read by the publicity secretary, Chika Art-Adiele, was endorsed by 23 out of 24 NEC members of the Youth Wing.
It maintained that until election was held to elect another leader of the group from Ebonyi State, Okpalaezeukwu remained their acting National leader.
The resolutions partly read: “That Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu remains the Ag. National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, as unanimously elected by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, ratified and confirmed by both the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by President General, and Ime Obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo (the Highest Decision Making Body as recognised by the Constitution); and this Authority subsists until an elected Youth Leader of Ebonyi State Extraction emerges.
“We therefore pass a vote of Confidence on our indefatigable Ag. National Youth Leader – Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu; and hereby reaffirm our implicit Solidarity and Support.
“We bemoan the reckless statement of a supposedly Elder in the person of Mazi Alex Ogbonnia, who ordinarily should reign in on Okey Emuchay, to accord our dearest departed father and Hero a befitting honour and reverence, before the tussle of usurping and exercising the Powers of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Emuchay in this instance, is in a frolic of his own, chasing personal vendetta.
“The NEC never met to take any of the alleged decisions in his write up. In fact, Alex was not present in the quoted meeting as he was said to have traveled to America and it is from there that he writing based on hear say.
“The Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo lacks the Powers to remove and/or replace any executive officer; therefore Emuchay’s attempt to unilaterally remove the acting National Youth Leader- Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, after collecting millions from his Pay Masters to dance naked in the market place, violated the Ohanaeze Constitution and must be checked.
“We are aware of the records of Financial misappropriation by Okey Emuchay, both in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Administration and South Africa, and his sabotage against the release of our brother Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been unjustly held. We are convinced that Okey Emuchay and Cohorts are enemies in the House.
“We hereby declare Okey Emuchay Persona non grata, and therefore Bar him from entering the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, henceforth.”