S-East monarchs replace controversial Eze Ndigbo title

By Henry Obetta

The South East Council of Traditional Rulers has formally replaced the controversial Eze Ndigbo title for Igbo leaders outside the South-East with ‘Onyendu Ndigbo,’ in a move aimed at resolving longstanding disputes over the legitimacy of diaspora traditional leadership.

The decision, implemented through the Committee on the Regularisation of Igbo Diaspora Traditional Title and Leadership (CRIDTTL), comes amid growing controversies surrounding the coronation of Eze Ndigbo in different parts of Nigeria and abroad, with critics arguing that the practice often creates parallel traditional institutions and conflicts with recognised monarchs in host communities.

The new policy was reinforced on Saturday in Owerri, where the South East Council of Traditional Rulers inducted the second batch of 19 diaspora Igbo leaders as Onyendu Ndigbo, describing them as cultural ambassadors rather than traditional rulers.

Presiding over the ceremony, the Chairman of the Imo State and South East Councils of Traditional Rulers, Eze E. C. Okeke, said the newly recognised leaders were expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity and leadership in their respective communities.

He charged them to promote Igbo culture and unity while maintaining zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.

Eze Okeke also commended the Committee on the Regularisation of Igbo Diaspora Traditional Title and Leadership, chaired by Charles Odunukwe with Prince Ubochi Ubochi serving as Secretary, for developing a framework to standardise diaspora leadership.

According to him, the new arrangement is intended to preserve Igbo cultural identity while respecting the traditional institutions and laws of host communities.

The royal father also acknowledged the support of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by its President-General, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, who was represented at the event by the organisation’s Vice President-General, John Duru, and former Imo State Secretary to the State Government, Callistus Ekenze.
He further appreciated the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its role in promoting the welfare of Igbo communities abroad.

Among those inducted were Emmanuel Chukwuma (Ivory Coast), Chris Umeh (Japan), Uche Egenti (Abuja), alongside other representatives from Abuja and neighbouring communities.

The latest induction follows the first batch conducted in May, when 32 diaspora leaders from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Ghana and other locations were recognised under the Onyendu Ndigbo title after undergoing a screening and verification process.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ubochi described the initiative as a major step towards creating a credible and globally respected leadership structure for Igbo communities in the diaspora.

He said the title of ‘Onyendu Ndigbo’ confers responsibility rather than royalty, adding that the recognised leaders would serve as representatives of the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers and custodians of Igbo culture in their various domains.

The introduction of the ‘Onyendu Ndigbo’ designation follows recent actions by some state governments, including Lagos, which had moved against unauthorised traditional titles, amid concerns over the proliferation of self-styled monarchs and possible conflicts with recognised traditional institutions.

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