Formation 1976 Official language Igbo, English | Headquarters Park Avenue, Enugu | |
Membership 5 states (+ Igbo indigenous communities in Rivers, and Delta states) Budget Primary Contributors - Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo. Website www.ohanaeze.org/2.html | ||
Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria. The group represents all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria. Igbos by census, represent one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Contents
Although the group is not a political party, part of its objectives of creation is to foster unity among its members in other to better allow them to be representative within the political scenario of Nigeria.
History
After the Nigerian civil war, some prominent Igbos gathered to proclaim the need to unify Igbos under a common umbrella body. This initiative was much welcomed considering maximum displacement of the Igbos during the war and its aftermath. An organizational assembly was created, referred to as the Igbo National Assembly (INA). This organization was later banned by the Federal Military Government at the time, probably due to the Government's fear of a grand suspicious agenda being cultivated by the Igbos via the organization; hence, the creation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in 1976.
Professor Ben Nwabueze, a foremost constitutional lawyer, assembled prominent Igbo leaders to form the organization of which he emerged the Secretary-General of the organization spanning a period of 20 years.
The organization was effectively championed and supported by the Kingsley Mbadiwe, Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara, Dr. Pius Okigbo, and Chief Jerome Udorji (who served as the first Secretary General), among other notable Igbo personalities.
Key members
Organizational structure
The socio-cultural group was planned to serve as a clearing house in matters affecting the interest and general welfare of Ndigbo in Nigeria and the rest of the world. The structure at the National level has the General Assembly as the highest policy making body.
This is followed by what is called Imeobi, which means inner caucus and the Council of Elders which are serviced by Executive Committee and other various standing committees. This structure is equally replicated in the state and local government chapters. Its constitution was amended in 1999, which gives room for the integration of both the youth and women in its fold.
Political crisis
It was the quest to hang on to power and the politicisation of the group that erupted in what analysts regard as an unresolved crisis in Ohaneze Ndigbo during the tenure of Prof. Irukwu from Abia State .This actually led to the breakdown of the association.