The Eze Onyendu Ndigbo of Oyo State, High Chief Alloy Obi, has urged members of the Igbo community in the state not to allow enemies to divide them.
Obi made the appeal at a press conference held on Thursday in Ibadan, the state capital.
At the press conference were the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of Oyo state, Chief Ndubuisi Okorie and other Igbo leaders in the state.
Obi while addressing his kinsmen, advised them to come together in line with the spirit of togetherness for enduring peace.
He then appealed to them “not to allow enemies” to divide them in the state.
Speaking on the recent Appeal Court judgement which affirmed him as the Eze Onyendu Ndigbo in the state, urged all and sundry to come together and work for the development of the community.
“My victory at the Court of Appeal is not just for me as a person, the Appeal Court case lasted for ten years. I would have given up if it were just about me as a person.
“I remained in the struggle in the last ten years because of the implication on Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Igbo extraction all over the world.
“Going down memory lane, the case started 28 years ago, exactly May 17th 1996 when I joined. Despite my stand against injustice.
“I tried everything possible to avoid crisis but unfortunately those who thought that they would benefit from it refused to heed the intervention spearheaded by Chief Onyemaizu and the result of the 15 member committee set up by Late Col Ike Nwosu. Also there were various interventions initiated most especially by the leadership of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers in conjunction with the Ohanaeze Worldwide but all these were all rebuffed.
“Today the ruling of the Court of Appeal has fully restored the authority of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South East Council of Traditional Rulers as parent bodies to regulate the activities of Ndigbo and Igbo Organization Worldwide.
“I also call on the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Oyo State to put together a sovereign Igbo conference in Oyo State to chart a roadmap and blueprint for true unity and progress of Ndigbo in Oyo State.”
‘Don’t allow enemies divide us’ – Igbo traditional leader tells kinsmen in Oyo
