PEACE AT LAST: OHANAEZE NDIGBO LAGOS BECOMES ONE; SOLOMON AGUENE PRAISES SANWO-OLU, HRM SHOTOBI, AMB. GEORGE OBIOZOR FOR RECONCILIATION EFFORTS
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; National President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb. George Obiozor and President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene
…Col Reuben Nwankwo, Olympian Chioma Ajunwa, Mrs. Priscilla Ikeji, Sir Chris Offia, others present
Since 2018, the efforts of the national body of Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo to bring her house in Lagos under one fold had failed due to a lawsuit that dragged the body and the winner of the presidential election, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene to court. The litigation effectively kept Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos in factions and dissenting groups. Finally, however, this has been put to end by a reconciliation meeting last Sunday facilitated by the Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu; the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, HRM Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi; the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb. George Obiozor and his leadership at the national headquarters in Enugu.
Speaking with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper after the successful reconciliation meeting, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene expressed joy at the outcome of the meeting. ‘This reconciliation meeting is aimed at bringing all aggrieved members who said they are angry after my elections as President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos.
L-R: Col Reuben Nwankwo; President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene; Deputy President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Victor Ozor and the Chairman of the Occasion…
They took me and the national body that conducted the election to court. For 3 years, we have been in court but recently they decided to settle out of court having seen the leadership that I have brought in place. They said they have not seen it this good in past years so there are no more factions or disjointed groups. My message is that we should bond in unity. There should be honour for our language and culture and we should respect ourselves. Reconciliation is done now. I thank Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu, HRM Oba Shotobi of Ikorodu kingdom and the Ohanaeze national body for making this happen.’
On his successes since coming to office, Chief Solomon Ogbonna remarked ‘Most of the things I did are because of the support of Igbo businesspersons and captains of industry in Lagos. This is not also forgetting Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu and our Patron, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii. I appreciate all of them. This is why many Igbo business and personalities are happy to be associated with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos because they can see the benefit of the association.’
‘Never mind the agenda of small Igbo groups and political associations that are trying to be a cog in the wheel of progress. They are envious of our successes since inception of my administration. Let me note that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is the mother of all Igbo bodies in Lagos. Whatever I get is for all Igbos. A case in point is the palliatives that we got from Lagos State Government which we have shared during the reconciliation meeting.’
‘No matter how small, the groups present know that they got some benefits. I don’t hide anything that we get. Those who come to the secretariat can testify. I don’t fall for blackmail of people who keep countering me. The bags of rice that we distributed are from Lagos State Government. Previously, when the leaders get things like these, they sell it out or give to their cronies but I said no. I can’t do that. These are 200 bags of rice and other food items which we have shared the way it should be done. We should support Lagos state and live in law and order. No matter who you are in Lagos, you are still a tenant though we are part and parcel of the government in Lagos. We should continue to support the Governor. I want to live a good legacy as leader of this great organization.’
L-R: former Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Mrs. Priscilla Ikeji; Chairman, Council of Ndi Eze Lagos State, Eze Sir Chris Emeka Offia and other Chief.
The leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos further described Amb. George Obiozor as a man of integrity, great character, and exemplary leader ‘who I am proud of as my national President, he is a man of truth. I am committed to his leadership at the national level. I want to restate that I am President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos. Therefore, things that have to do with national issues and Igbo presidency in 2023, I am not in the best position to speak on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. We have a duly elected National President in person of Amb. George Obiozor so I defer to him and choose not to speak on such issues’.
The Deputy President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Victor Ozor added: ‘We had misunderstanding for some time but we have come together to resolve the differences and everybody is back in same fold. We are very proud of this move made by Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene. Everyone is happy. We thank the Almighty God that it has happened today. As Igbos, we should all embrace peace. That is how we get results in life.’
L-R: Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora; General Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Women Wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP and Nigeria’s first Olympian to win a gold medal, DCP Chioma Ajunwa at the meeting.
On his part, the Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Everest Ozonwoke said: ‘This is a reconciliation meeting in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos. We had a court litigation that has been going on since 2018 but we thank God that we have been able to reconcile by the assistance of the national body which sent in a delegation from Enugu. We have gone through the challenges of leadership and the mistakes made in the past will not be repeated. Our level of contribution in Lagos is huge. We make it better than we meet it. With this united front, we believe we will be able to even relate more with government.’
Col. Reuben Nwankwo (retd), the Omobowale of Ikorodu who led one of the factions in time past was also present at the meeting where he noted that the essence of today is reconciliation. ‘We had several factions, I was leading one until the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and HRM Adewale Shotobi of Ikorodu kingdom intervened to quell the disagreement. My people called me names saying I have collected money from Solomon Aguene and that is why I abdicated. I told them that is not true.’
‘I am a soldier. When you are fighting a war, you keep sending intelligence to break your enemy but if you discover your enemy is more powerful, you surrender to save your life and of your men. If you don’t do that, you will keep fighting until they kill all of you. General Patton of US Army said ‘no bastard ever wins a war by dying for his country but you can win by making the other bastard die for his own country.’
L-R: President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene in a warm handshake with Col Reuben Nwankwo shortly after the reconciation meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos.
‘I told my people I have made assessment that you can’t fight Solomon Aguene and that is why we are reconciling today. Many of them are here today with their bags of rice collected but they didn’t remember me. I am the happiest person today, don’t give me rice but I am vindicated by my actions of yesterday that is bringing results today. I want my people to stop fighting and vituperation. You can’t destroy a winning team. It doesn’t help us. As far as I am concerned Solomon Ogbonna is our President until he completes his tenure. There is nothing like peace. I am the happiest person today.’
Also present at the meeting is Dr. Mrs. Priscilla Ikeji who has been a longstanding leader of the Igbo sociocultural organization in Lagos. ’I have been in Ohanaeze Ndigbo for a long time. I was Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Mushin LGA. Later, I became women leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos. Now, I am the Grand Patron of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos. We are here in this meeting for reconciliation and I am happy it is successful. Solomon Aguene is an amiable person. For many years, Ohanaeze Ndigbo had no secretariat he has given us one in Surulere. He has reconciled us that used to live like cat and rat before. I thank him for all these. I advise Igbos to be united and speak in one voice. Divided we fall, united we stand. Let us stand for Solomon Aguene.’
Nigeria’s first Olympian to win a gold medal, DCP Chioma Ajunwa was also in the meeting. She noted that it is her pleasure to be part of such epoch-making event. ‘My coming to this place is orchestrated to be a reunion between bodies that had altercations in the past. It is a good thing for every Igbo to hear that there is not more conflict within Ohanaeze Ndigbo.’
Meanwhile, a cross-section of attendees from various locations at the reconciliation meeting reiterated that they have never had it this smooth in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos until the administration of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene. Many of them visibly displayed the bags of rice that were given to them courtesy Lagos State Government. They also added that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos didn’t have a location where it can be traced. But with the Surulere secretariat, all Igbos now have an embassy. They added that the government of the day is identifying with Igbos through the enviable leadership of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.
They cleared the air on the reasons why Igbos have been seen in times past as adversarial to Lagos governments which they traced to their tribe leaders. They noted that many past Igbo leaders have painted previous Lagos governments in bad light meanwhile, they get things from them which they enjoy alone while not carrying others along. This is why many Igbo people think Lagos governors don’t like them despite their investments and taxes in Lagos. The transparency of Solomon Ogbonna Aguene has proven otherwise.
Other leaders present at the reconciliation meeting includes; Chairman, Ohanaeze Council of Elders, Chief Oliver Akabueze; Chairman, Council of Ndi Eze Lagos State, Eze Sir Chris Emeka Offia; Chief Leo Okafor; Eze Gerald Onuchukwu; Chief Chris Ekuilo; Women Leader, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Mrs. Violet Uche Obiora; General Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Women Wing, Lady Ada Ofoegbu JP among others.
