Whether or not the title of Eze Ndigbo could be used for the head of Igbo community in Akure, the Ondo State capital is the crux of current dispute between the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade-Aladelusi, and the incumbent leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo in the state, Sir Gregory Iloehika.
While the Deji who is the paramount leader of Akure kingdom said he abhorred the title of Eze Ndigbo in his domain, the Igbo community insisted that the titled is sacrosanct and could not be changed by the monarch.
This development has pitched Oba Ogunlade-Aladelusi who is mobilising other traditional rulers on the dispute against Sir Iloehika who is backing on the support of his people and other Ezes stay afloat.
Before the recent spat between Oba Ogunlade-Aladelusi and Sir Iloehika, the traditional institution in Akure had accorded respect to Iloehika as the leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo in the state, installing him as a chief in the palace and had played a role in the past during the installation of the Deji.
Apart from paying homage to the Deji, the Eze Ndigbo had made financial contributions to the coronation ceremony of the monarch. But since the first dispute between the duo broke out over the leadership tussle in Mojere Market between the Igbos and Yorubas, there had been no love lost between the two leaders as the Deji had insisted on the scrapping of the title of Eze Ndigbo in his domain.
The Deji had accused Iloehika of behaving in disrespectful manner to him and Akure chiefs.
Despite the intervention of the state government, the Deji made moves to scrap the Eze Ndigbo title by setting in motion, processes of installing another person as the ‘Leader of Ndigbos’ in Akure, a move that the Ohaneze Ndigbo said would be resisted with all legal means at their disposal.
The Deji had in a letter dated January 31, addressed to Iloehika asked him to apply to be installed as the ‘Leader’ if he is interested in the title rather than the Eze Ndigbo which he presently parades.
The palace gave Iloehika one month ultimatum within which to apply for the new title or forfeit it to another person. In the letter, it was explained that the ‘leader’ is a new title approved for the Igbos and would be given to Iloehika if he wishes to offer himself to be installed as a chief in Akure Land The letter reads: “That the title ‘leader’ is being used to replace Eze- Ndigbo.
That in case you are interested in the new title, you should apply in writing to His Imperial Majesty, Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure land.
That one month is given to you effective from February 1st, to make your intention known. That failure of which the chieftaincy tile ‘Leader’ would be thrown open to all interested Igbos to contest.”
But Ohaneze Ndigbo and Iloehika through his lawyer, Mr. Wemimo Ajegbemiga, kicked against the letter of the Deji saying that the titled of Eze Ndigbo could not be changed because of the demand of the traditional ruler who is just one of the many monarchs in the country where the title is being used.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo in its reaction said the use of the title of ‘Eze’ outside the South East geo-political zone is not to rival monarchs in their respective homes and adopted states but to preserve their culture and traditions.
Through its President, Secretary and Public Relation Officer, Chiefs Okechukwu Okorie, Alloy I.K Anoliefo and Chucks Ezechiefor, the group said they have resolved to live peacefully with their host communities without tramping on the culture and tradition of the people.
The trio said the choice of the title was in conformity with the agreement reached by Igbos in the Diaspora in order to preserve the culture and tradition of the people who are living outside the Igboland.
They argued that Ohaneze, 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.
They said the use of Eze outside Igboland is not in any way equal to the Ezes in their hometowns or rival that of the towns or communities where they reside.
“We have considered the title of Eze Ndigbo as adopted by the Igbos 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 Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide which are the parent bodies.
“It was unanimously agreed that the Igbos in Ondo State as a body is standing by the position of the parent bodies on the use of the title as adopted by the Igbos in diasporas, and that Sir Gregory Iloehika having been installed remains the only recognised Eze Ndigbo.”
The group leaders said the leadership of Iloehika as the Eze is not limited to Akure but to all the 18 local government areas of the state as he was duly elected in a keenly contested election by the entire Igbos in the state.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo warned Igbos wherever they may be living to respect their host communities and not engage in any act that can bring the Ohaneze Ndigbo into disrepute.
In his response to the Deji on the need to change his title from that of Eze Ndigbo to ‘leader’, Iloehika through his lawyer, Mr. Ajegbemiga replied thus: “Your letter requesting our client to apply in writing within one month (1st-28h February 1st to 28, 2017) for chieftaincy title in your palace as ‘Leader’ of the Igbo in Akure land came as a surprise and total embarrassment to our client.
“This mode of recruitment of chiefs into the palace is alien, strange and was never in any record of Yoruba palace, but rather chieftaincy titles are bestowed on highly respected and honourable person in the society not minding the tribe or his colour.
“Kabiyesi, the issue of Eze Ndigbo had been settled when you invited all Igbos in Akure into your palace and there and then, you were informed by the representative of the Igbo that no traditionally inclined Igbo man or woman would like to contest the position of Eze Ndigbo with Sir Gregory Iloheika having been installed by the Ohaneze Ndigbo after he won validity and keenly contested poll among other Igbo contestants on August 10, 2011, which is purely an Igbo affair throughout Ondo State and had nothing to do with neither you nor the palace.
“Also, we need to inform Kabiyesi that, at no time was our client installed by previous kabiyesis but rather introduced to the palace by the Ohaneze Ndigbo just as he was introduced to the outgoing Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Ramman Mimiko, and at no time did the governor raise any complaint against him as you have not found him guilty of contravening any existing law in the state.
“Our client, being the Eze Ndigbo for the entire Igbos in Ondo State which is not limited to Akure Kingdom sees the so called ‘letter of request’ being directed to him as a means of wielding unnecessary sentiment, among other kabiyesis in Ondo State, and that whoever kabiyesi (the Deji of Akure) is installing now, for the facts that he or she is of igbo extraction remains under the leadership of our client, sir Gregory Iloheika who is the Eze Ndigbo in Ondo State.
“Kabiyesi, the word ‘LEADER’ is an English name which is alien to customs and traditions of Igbos communities both at home and in the Diaspora, it is also the believe of our client that same name is alien to Akure custom and dialect.
Kabiyesi, since no English man will ever subscribe to Okechukwu or Olarotimi instead of Donald or George, the word ‘leader’ has no grammatical meaning neither to our client nor the Igbos anywhere around the world.
“Nevertheless, our client is not unaware of the sentiment that led to this type of ‘white elephant offer’ that means no good to the Igbo in Akure Kingdom and its environ but to create chaos, disunity among the peace loving Igbos in your domain.
We have to restate that during our client’s installation, he swore to a sacred oath of defending and protecting the interest of all the peace loving and hardworking Igbos in Ondo State and not limited to Akure Kingdom.
“However, we wish to use this medium to make it clear to you kabiyesi, that our client is not interested in any other chieftaincy title from you, and that you want to use the word; ‘Onye Ndu or leader’ to destabilise the mutual interaction and understanding of the Igbos in Akure, we wish to state that there are other Obas in other communities and towns in Ondo State who never saw the coexistence of the Igbos or their leaders as threats.
Our client shall leave no stone unturned to see that peace reign in Akure Kingdom and Ondo State at large.
Kabiyesi, it is our candid opinion that legal counsel is expected in this regards.” As the two sides stuck to their guns on whether the title of Eze Ndigbo remains or not, residents of the Ondo State capital are eagerly awaiting a peaceful resolution of the crisis in order to prevent a clash between the two major tribes, Igbo and Yoruba.
