Chief Iwuanyanwu taking the oath of office as President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide
The five governors of the Southeast states and other leaders of the zone on Sunday unanimously adopted and inaugurated Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, as the new President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting of members of Ohanaeze Imeobi with the governors and other Igbo leaders held at the state-of-the-art Banquet Hall, Enugu, newly constructed by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration. The Banquet Hall is located within the premises of the remodelled Old Government Lodge, GRA, Enugu.
The meeting had in attendance Governor Ugwuanyi, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, and the Deputy Governors of Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu, Dr. Kelechi Igwe and Prof. Placid Njoku respectively, who represented their governors, accordingly.
Other Igbo leaders at the event include former governors of Imo and Anambra states, Chief Ikedi Okakim and Mr. Peter Obi who is the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the just concluded general election; former President of the Senate, Chief Adolphus Wabara; Governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah; Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb. Okey Emeuche; former Presidents General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey and Chief John Nnia Nwodo; and wife of the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Mrs. Uche Azikiwe.
L-R: Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, Chief Iwuanyanwu, and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
Others were serving and former members of the National Assembly; serving and former ministers and ambassadors; clergymen; Obi of Onitsha, HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; Chairman, Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Amb. Lawrence Agubuzu and other royal fathers; elder statesmen; Presidents of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of Southeast states; National President, Association of Town Unions, Chief Sir Emeka Diwe and other members of the executive; and Town Union Presidents of the Southeast states, etc.
In his acceptance speech, Chief Iwuanyanwu thanked the Igbo leaders and the entire people of the Southeast zone for finding him worthy to pilot the affairs of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation. The new President General also thanked the Southeast governors in a special way for their support for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He promised to do his best, rise to the challenge, defend, and advance the Igbo course. Chief Iwuanyanwu added that his tenure will promote transformation in education, agriculture, industrialisation, electricity/power generation, health, among others, calling for collective efforts and support of all.
The President General who pointed out with delight that “this is the first time I have seen the five governors of the Southeast coming together to take up and support a course” stated that his emergence is a new dawn in Igbo land as “the governors are united in that project, and I am very proud of you.”
Impressed with Governor Ugwuanyi’s performance and his validity in upholding and promoting the enviable status of Enugu as the historic capital of the old Eastern Nigeria and the Southeast, Chief Iwuanyanwu commended the governor for transforming the Old Government Lodge, Enugu and constructing a befitting Banquet Hall within its premises where his adoption and inauguration as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo took place.
He described the incident as not just a coincidence in history but also a testament to Governor Ugwuanyi’s sound vision and steadfastness towards the course of the Igbo people. “This is a new dawn in Igbo land. The governors are united and focused. For example, the Governor of Enugu State, a man that I have always known as a young man; he has done very well as a governor, and I am very proud of him.
“Now I am here, this place is a hallowed ground. This place is the former Government Lodge of Eastern Nigeria. This is where our great leader Zik used to stay. Everything about Eastern Nigeria was conceived here.
“Governor Ugwuanyi has re-activated this place. This is a very good coincidence in history that my inauguration and my acceptance are being performed on this ground. From this ground we emerged in 1960 from a relatively low back point to be number one in Nigeria, number one in education, number one in industry, number one in progress, etc.”
