No Going Back On The New “Onyendu Ndigbo Nauzoije Title “,Says Igbo Leader, John Greg Okey Ezebuadi

By Emmanuel Edom

Igbo Leaders in diaspora hitherto operating under the aegis of Eze Ndigbo Nauzoije ,has formally adopted a new nomenclature known as “Onyendu  Ndigbo”.

Despite the unpopularity, agitation and negative appellations being attached to the new name by other Ezendigbo groups,the  Igbo Leaders Insisted On the  New “Onyendu Ndigbo Nauzoije”Name, Saying that South East Governors and Traditional Rulers known as  Royal Father from the zone are Behind the Change.

Speaking at a conference organized by ” Ndindu Ndigbo Nauzoije, Lagos State Chapter, Onyendu John Greg Okey Ezebuadi , warned those rebelling against the name change of the  consequences that will follow their  continued use of “Eze  Ndigbo Title” , especially, as  Lagos  State government has banned the name.

Ezebuadi ,stated that  the reason for the press briefing was to correct erroneous impression and what he called “numerous sponsored misinformation currently being circulated by certain individuals parading themselves as Eze Ndigbo title holders” .

He regretted that some persons who were wrongly conferred with the title of Eze Ndigbo “merely as a commercial or honorary gesture have failed to understand the responsibilities, limitations, and true significance of the title, especially within the context of Igbo leadership in the diaspora”. 

Ezebuadi ,placed the name change blame on certain individuals, who he alleged, have abused the past privileges, by  arrogating some unmerited and unqualified titles to themselves, such as” His Royal Majesty; Imperial Majesty and His Royal Highnesses.

According to him , the crisis over the previous Eze Ndigbo name, that they were using ,emanated due to the unlawful, fraudulent and anti Ndigbo Traditional activities of those few elements, who he said “often wrongly equated themselves with recognized indigenous traditional rulers, who have been duly certificated by their respective state governments of origin”.

To restore sanity ,protect and preserve the integrity of Igbo Ezeship institution in the diaspora, the Royal Fathers Council in the South East, therefore, decided to regularize and change the nomenclature, Ezebuadi clarified .

Going down memory lane , Onyendu Ezebuadi, gave a graphic account from 2008 to date,  on how the deliberation to change the name started  .

According to him, the former Chairman of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers , His Royal Majesty Eze C. I. Ilomuanya, started the process by publicly announcing a proposed change in the nomenclature of Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora, through national newspaper publications, without consultation with the then Eze’s in Diaspora leader, Late Eze Hyacinth . N. Ohazulike .

Further Highlighting on the issues, Ezebuadi, who is the leader of Ndindu Ndigbo Nauzoije in Lagos ,explained that Following agitations by the then Ndieze Ndigbo Association, the then President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue (OFR), in February 2010, convened a 7 hours crucial meeting at his country home, known as African House, in Ugwashi-Ukwu , over  the issue of nomenclature change and “Ndi- Isi Ndigbo” was chosen. 

Regrettably he said  , the  Ndi- Isi Ndigbo name was again rejected  by Eze Ilomuanya , which led to the invitation of Diaspora Ndieze, by the then Executive Governor of Imo State , Rochas Okorocha , in 2013, for a three-day meeting at the Government House in Owerri and once again Eze Ndigbo was replaced with Ochi Igbo. 

However, Ezebuadi revealed why their Association Leadership finally succumbed to the directives of the Royal Fathers from South East, now under His Royal Highness ,Eze Emmanuel C. Okeke in 2025.

He explained that,it was the distortion, Weakening , balkanization , commercialization of Ezeship titles and infiltration by rogue elements into the leadership of Eze Ndigbo institution,which was occasioned by the alleged flagrant proliferation of  Eze Titles by the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos , that made the Igbo Leaders to accept Ndindu Ndigbo as the new nomenclature.

He said , “This unfortunate development created an enabling environment for factional leaders within the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos — originally established as a socio-political pressure group, to begin commercializing the revered institution”.

” Titles of Eze Ndigbo were indiscriminately conferred like commodities, reportedly sold for as little as one hundred thousand naira, without due process, orientation, or adherence to established cultural and traditional protocols”, Onyendu alleged.

In conclusion, he stated that the decision to adopt the new name, “Onyendu Ndigbo” , has provided them with a “stronger institutional footing, backed by the recognition and consent of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, and the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide”.

See full Text of the address below

TEXT OF MEDIA CONFERENCE PRESENTED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF NDINDU NDIGBO NAUZOIJE, LAGOS STATE CHAPTER (FORMERLY EZE NDIGBO NAUZOIJE)

On behalf of the distinguished memboers of Igbo leaders, now known as (NDINDU NDIGBO), I warmly welcome you all to this very important press conference.

 The purpose of this gathering is to address and correct the numerous sponsored misinformation currently being circulated by certain individuals parading themselves as Eze Ndigbo title holders .

It is unfortunate that some persons who were wrongly conferred with the title of Eze Ndigbo merely as a commercial or honorary gesture have failed to understand the responsibilities, limitations, and true significance of the title, especially within the context of Igbo leadership in the diaspora. These individuals often wrongly equate themselves with recognized indigenous traditional rulers who have been duly certificated by their respective state governments of origin.

Firstly, many of us here today are foundational members who have consistently protected and preserved the integrity of this Igbo institution in the diaspora. Our involvement predates its formal establishment in Lagos State and across the Southwest region of Nigeria.

 NOMENCLATURE: CHANGE OF NAME FROM EZE NDIGBO TO ONYENDU NDIGBO NAUZOIJE

Sometime in 2008, the then Chairman of the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty Eze C. I. Ilomuanya, publicly announced a proposed change in the nomenclature of Eze Ndigbo through national newspaper publications. This announcement was made without prior consultation with the leadership of the Association of Eze Ndigbo Nauzoije and the Diaspora, which at the time was under the leadership of Eze H. N. Ohazulike (OON).

In response, Ndi Eze in the diaspora formally communicated their position, emphasizing that Eze Ndigbo Nauzoije represents an organized body of respected Igbo leaders in the diaspora, many of whom hold recognized chieftaincy titles in their various communities. These leaders are guided by strict adherence to Igbo traditions and cultural norms. For instance, the association’s constitution clearly stipulates that titles such as HRH and HRM are the exclusive preserve of indigenous traditional rulers duly recognized within their respective communities. As such, members of the diaspora leadership structure do not assume or use such titles.

It was also clarified that any individuals who acted contrary to these established norms did so without proper orientation or alignment with the foundational principles laid down by respected Igbo leaders in the Diaspora.

Later on, in 2009, Eze Ilomuanya invited the leadership of Ndi Eze Ndigbo in the diaspora to a meeting in Owerri. The invitation was honoured, and deliberations were held. However, despite the resolutions reached, there was no sustained implementation, which necessitated that the association continue with its established structure and activities.

In February 2010, the then President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue (OFR), convened a crucial meeting at his country home, known as African House, in Ugwashi-Ukwu. The meeting lasted for over 7 hours and involved extensive deliberations on the issue of nomenclature.

At the end of the meeting, the President-General advised that the association consider adopting an alternative name other than Eze Ndigbo. Several options were proposed, and after careful consideration, the name Ndi-Isi Ndigbo was selected. This resolution was accepted by the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and was subsequently communicated to the public through media engagements.

The association promptly began implementation of the new name. However, shortly thereafter, a full-page publication in The Sun newspaper indicated that HRM Eze Ilomuanya had rejected the resolution reached by Ohanaeze Ndigbo. In light of this development, the association once again continued its activities while maintaining respectful engagement with relevant stakeholders.

In 2013, the then Executive Governor of Imo State invited the leadership of the association to a three-day meeting at the Government House in Owerri. The invitation was accepted, and extensive deliberations were held. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Governor strongly advised that the title 

Eze Ndigbo be replaced with Ochi Igbo. This recommendation was accepted in good faith, and the resolution was celebrated as a significant step toward unity and alignment.

However, within a week, another full-page publication by HRM Eze Ilomuanya in The Sun newspaper rejected the outcome of the meeting and criticized the resolutions reached. Despite this setback, the association remained committed to its principles and continued to maintain cordial relationships with indigenous traditional rulers on an individual basis. 

Throughout this period, we remained confident in maintaining the status quo, particularly within the Southern zonal structure, where the leadership of Eze Ndigbo Nauzoije exercised firm control and discipline over its members. Only a very negligible number of individuals deviated from established norms— especially in the misuse of titles such as HRH and HRM, which our constitution (Article 7) clearly reserves exclusively for duly certificated and Staffed indigenous traditional rulers.

WHY WE YIELDED TO THE CHANGE FROM EZE NDIGBO TO ONYENDU NDIGBO THIS TIME 

However, beginning from 2018, the leadership structure of the Council of Eze Ndigbo in Lagos State became compromised. It was gradually infiltrated by interests aligned with the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, and within a short period, the system was effectively hijacked and weakened beyond repair.

This unfortunate development created an enabling environment for factional leaders within the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos — originally established as a socio-political pressure group, to begin commercializing the revered institution. Titles of Eze Ndigbo were indiscriminately conferred as commodities, reportedly sold for as little as one hundred thousand naira, without due process, orientation, or adherence to established cultural and traditional protocols.

Individuals were granted such titles without the slightest education on the responsibilities, limitations, and ethical expectations attached to them. Even more concerning, some recipients were falsely assured that possession of such certificates entitled them to assume exalted designations such as HRH and HRM. Consequently, situations arose where individuals with no recognized standing, even tenants in rented apartments began to parade themselves as “His Imperial Majesty” within communities that were not their own.

This distortion of tradition and erosion of values became deeply troubling. Indeed, it reached a point where some of us deliberately refrained from wearing our full traditional regalia in public, so as not to be mistaken for such individuals.

At this critical juncture, in 2025, when the leadership of the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers formally once again objected to and placed a ban on the use of Eze Ndigbo Nauzoije, the situation had deteriorated to the extent that it became extremely difficult to sustain any credible defense of the existing structure.

In the interest of preserving dignity, restoring order, and aligning with recognized authorities, we resolved to comply with the directive and adopt the new nomenclature, *Onyendu Ndigbo*. This decision has provided us with a stronger institutional footing, backed by the recognition and consent of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, and the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.