“You Can’t Ban Eze Title In Diaspora And Still Retain Oha”, Eze Peter ifeanyi  Asonye, Tells Senator John Mbata,Enugu Ime Obi, South East Royal Fathers . Watch Video Below.

By Daniel Ohamadike

Following ongoing heated controversy over alleged purported banning and restriction of Traditional Igbo Leaders in Diaspora, from using Eze Ndigbo title before their names, a notable Diaspora leader,His Royal Highness,Eze Amb. Peter Ifeanyi Asuonye ,has kicked against the directives, saying it’s alien, anti Igbo culture  and traditions.

The Leader, also known as Eze  Ohazurume 1 of Ibeju Lekki LCDA  ,who stated that Oha and Eze can not be separated for whatever reasons, noted that the name Ohanaeze is as old as Igbo Nation ,but became very prominently used in diaspora, shortly after the Civil War.

Giving a historical background , Asuonye , fondly called  Eze Gburugburu of Lagos State ,stated that, the name that was used earlier by Igbo’s in diaspora, was “Igbo Union”, but shortly after the Nigeria – Biafra War,the likes of late elder statesmen , Pa Akanu Ibiam and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe ,started Ohanaeze Ndigbo at Uwana Afikpo and  began the use of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Diaspora.

Blaming leadership failure , he said that , “it is a clear  lack of vision, credible programmes and bereft of  leadership acumen, that will make Senator John Mbata and his Imeobi  to contemplate banning the use of Eze  Ndigbo title  in Diaspora, while at  the same time retaining Oha” .

This situation, he said ,”is the reason for the obvious  lack of unity and peace amongst Ndigbo,with an active and vibrant  Ohanaeze Ndigbo faction functioning even at the National level”

Regretting the purported ban on the use of Eze Title outside Igbo Land , he further  slammed Enugu Imeobi , saying that “If they are serious , they should totally ban Ohanaeze Ndigbo world wide, meaning that Senator Mbata’s own office as President General becomes none existent “, Eze Ohazurume said 

Commending the Former Ohanaeze Ndigbo President , Eze Ohazurume , who is a Mayor of Peace ,United Nation world Wide, said ” Chief Solomon Aguene has Fought A Good Cause For Ndigbo and has Left The Scene Shoulder High”.

He recollected that it was an Ex President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief  Nnia Nwodo, who came to Lagos and nullified an  earlier election that Oba Ojoto won, leading to  factions and Court case, which was  instituted by Oba Ojoto ‘s Group against Chief Nnia Nwodo, Chief Solomon Aguene, Eric Egbe and DIG Okpara , who were the head of the Electoral  Committee then.

He explained that It was that case

that later gave birth to the Court Consent Judgement that elongated Chief Aguene’s tenure  to April 8,2026.Aguene did not sue any body, it was same Oba Ojoto that calmed his group and approach Aguene for the Consent Judgement .

Already , protest and rejection has been trailing Senator Mbata and  Ohanaeze Imeobi’s declaration across the globe , despite Bianca Ojukwu ‘s support.

The latest rejection of Mbata’s directives is from the President General of the Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, Chief Dr.Sunday Udeh, who rejected the declaration, calling it diversionary and unnecessary heating up of the polity .

Chief Udeh advised Senator Mbata to be issue based and to focus his leadership programmes  towards addressing Ndigbo problems and not delving into unnecessary controversial and divisional issues like banning of Eze Ndigbo titles,which he said is capable of destroying Mbata’s reputation.

He noted that Mbata’s  directives does not concern or affect Igbo Speaking Community in Lagos, because they are distinct and duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, as an independent Association with its own mandate under the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Besides rejection of  Senator Mbata’s Eze Ndigbo title ban by Ndieze in USA, Asia, Europe and other African States, most Eze’s  under Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State , numerous Ndieze groups  in Lagos State, have kicked against the directives and vowed never to comply.

This is even as Chief Emmanuel Anya, President General of Ndigbo Community in  Rivers State , had also earlier disassociated his Community from Senator Mbata’s Declaration, explaining that his group is a legal entity recognized by CAC and the laws of Nigeria.

Most of the protesters attributed the idea of banning the use of ” Eze Ndigbo title” in diaspora, to Selfishness, pride and arrogance of some few  leaders in the South East, blaming the South East Council of Traditional Rulers for the crisis .

Speaking on the recent Eze title ban, Former Ohanaeze Ndigbo  Youth Leader in Ikorodu, Chief Sunday Ikechukwu Ogbu , said he is not surprised by Senator Mbata’s declaration, because ,according to him , “Mbata knows next to nothing about Ohanaeze Ndigbo organization and leadership, it’s  constitution, bye laws, principles and regulations”.

He asked , “What do you expect from an Ikwere Man, who was brought in to rule Ohanaeze Ndigbo by a Governor for  political reasons” .

He blamed some Igbo leaders who were lured to support Mbata’s candidacy , alleging that “those greedy , selfish Igbo leaders who voted an Ikwere Man as President General ,sold their conscience, just because of hand shake with the Governor and financial inducement”.

He also regretted that Ndigbo is the cause of their problems because of the love for me and gratification .

Recently , Asiwaju Ndigbo in Yoruba Land and Eze Ndigbo Gburugburu in South West, Eze Tochukwu Anosike , has lambasted the Purveyors of Onyendu nomenclature ,alleging that” some few greedy members of Onyendu agitators collected one million Naira from the South East Council of Traditional Rulers ,promising to accept the name change” .

It would be recalled that the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Azuta Mbata, on April 9, 2025 , was reported to have declared the conferment and use of the title “Eze Ndigbo” outside Igbo land as invalid, warning that violators will face sanctions to be determined by traditional authorities.