Obasanjo Meets Ohanaeze Leadership, Discusses ‘Issues of Mutual Interest’

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has held discussions with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo during which they discussed “issues of mutual interest”.

Speaking with journalists on phone, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, said that the discussions took place yesterday at the residence of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, in Owerri, Imo State.

While the former president was accompanied by Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, some Igbo leaders and Ohanaeze chieftains at the meeting included Ambassador Emuchay, former Minister of Aviation, Amb. Kema Chikwe, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu, and Chief Tony Ukasanya.

Though he was not forthcoming on the exact agenda of the meeting Emuchay described it as “very symbolic and crucial” adding that the outcome of the fruitful deliberations would soon be appreciated by Ndigbo.

The Ohanaeze scribe noted that the PG told Chief Obasanjo that he deserved to be honoured by Nigeria given the sacrifices he has made for the unity and development of the nation both as military Head of State, elected president and presently as a statesman.

According to him, Iwuanyanwu canvassed that a monument should be erected in Obasanjo’s name.

He recalled Obasanjo’s “role in ending the civil war with the slogan of no victor no vanquished; repayment of (Nigeria’s) huge external debts and recovery of the economy during his time as president.

The Ohanaeze PG was said to have hinted to the former president that the Igbo nation would in due course bestow honour on him in recognition of the sense of belonging that he gave Ndigbo during his time as president.

“Remember that when Chief Obasanjo was president, he appointed several Igbo sons and daughters into his cabinet and other high profile positions. A sense of belonging was provided Igbo nation during that time,” Emuchay said.

Iwuanyanwu’s leadership has positioned Ohanaeze to champion the Igbo cause without let or hindrances and he has consistently defended Igbo interests whenever they were threatened.

To this end, the Ohanaeze PG has, whenever the need arose, engaged with federal and state governments as well as leaders of other ethnic nationalities in order to create harmony.

Recently, Iwuanyanwu was in Lagos State and engaged with the authorities in a bid to put an end to the incessant demolition of properties, especially shops and houses belonging to Igbos.

He has also been seeking for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whose detention is regarded as the root cause of the  insecurity issues in the Southeast.