KINGSLEY EBERE
It appears that the crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State chapter may be coming to an end soon following the plans of the founder and first elected president, Chief John Uche, to reconcile the warring factions and restore peace in the State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports as was disclosed by Chief Uche at his office in Okota, Lagos.
He expressed concern over the crises and advised the warring factions to shealth their swords and embrace peace for the interest of Ndigbo.
Chief Uche stated that he cannot sit back and be watching Ohanaeze, which he suffered to build over the years, to be destroyed by few individuals over leadership crisis as a result of selfishness.
Chief Uche, also known as King maker, stated that he had watch with keen interest to see if the factions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State led by Chief Solomon Aguene and Chief Sunday Ossai will call themselves to order by reconciling and charting a way forward.
However, he regretted that the crisis was worsening on daily basis and none of the parties wants to make sacrifices and the crisis will not end soon thereby jeopardizing the unity and progress of Ndigbo in Lagos State.
Chief Uche stated that he had already attended the meeting of both parties and his purpose was to restore peace so that Ohanaeze Ndigbo will be the united force it used to be when he founded it courtesy of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, which mandated him to establish Ohanaeze in Lagos State.
He explained that he had already drafted letters to the parties inviting them for meetings and will notify Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Senator John Mbata what he intends to do in order to restore peace in the Lagos State Chapter.
Chief Uche recalled that the aim of forming Ohanaeze was to protect Ndigbo and it was apolitical and had nothing to do with Government intervention even in the area of finance.
However, he regretted that Ohanaeze has been politicized and some questionable characters have hijacked the leadership over the years and destroyed the aims and objectives of forming organization, which is affecting Ndigbo.
He stated that he was not taking any side with any of the warring factions but all he wants is to restore peace and unity among the members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State.
Chief Uche said Ndigbo should be worried about the future of Ohanaeze because majority of the elder statesmen have passed on and there is no replacement due to crisis both at the National and State levels.
On the history of Ohanaeze in Lagos State, Chief Uche explained that it was the then Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide that gave him the letter of mandate to establish Ohanaeze, which he did and used the existing Igbo Speaking Community structure to create the group in various LG/LCDAs and an election was conducted, which he won and spent four years before he handed over peacefully.
He stated that every Igbo person should express concern over what is happening to Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the State and noted that because of the crisis, it has weakened the organization and Ndigbo cannot speak with one voice again.
He further explained his plans to reach out to the critical stakeholders including the market men and women, town unions, LGs/LCDAs to come together to bring back Ohanaeze to its past glory for the interest of Ndigbo in Lagos State.
Chief Uche stated that once peace is restored in Ohanaeze, it will be structured in such a way that candidates will not be subjected to selling their properties in order to participate in the election nor give room by bringing external bodies to come and conduct election in Lagos State thereby extorting candidates who will work to get their money back instead of rendering service to Ndigbo.
