Rivers group strips Mbata of titles for accepting Ohanaeze leadership

Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation said it would continue to maintain its unique identity and history separate from others and as such would not want to be identified with Igbo ethnic nationality and culture.

It gave this position in a statement in Port Harcourt, signed by the President General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Eze Godspower Onuekwain.

It said the disciplinary actions of stripping Senator Azuta-Mbata of all his honours, recognitions and chieftaincy titles became necessary following his emergence as President General of Ohanaeze.

Eze Onuekwain said that Senator Azuta-Mbata’s decision to contest and subsequently emerge as the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo was not the collective view and position of the Eneka community, Apara Kingdom, and the entire Ikwerre ethnic nationality.

“The Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide, on behalf of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality in Rivers State, Nigeria, after a passionate and exhaustive review of the sacrilegious action of Senator John Azuta-Mbata, becoming the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, a socio-cultural organization of Igbo People of Nigeria, wish to state in no unambiguous and uncertain terms that:

“Senator John Azuta-Mbata has the inalienable right to belong to any association of his choice in Nigeria as enshrined in Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but by becoming the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, an exclusive organization of Igbo people, he has willingly and freely renounced his membership and identity of Ikwerre people (Iwhuruohna).

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“Having freely taken a position to be an Igbo man and to occupy the position of President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide unreservedly and unequivocally disclaims and denounces his action; as such action is his private decision taken without the consent of his community, kingdom, and Iwhuruohna.

“As an Igbo man, he (Azuta-Mbata) is now seen, regarded, and declared as a stranger living in Ikwerre land. Therefore, he has been barred from participating in any Iwhuruohna gathering, meetings, or political representation starting from his Eneka Community, Apara Kingdom, and Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide.

“All awards, honours, and titles bestowed on him by any organization in Ikwerre are hereby withdrawn”, the statement said.