By GREGG MMADUAKOLAM

Traditional rulers in South East on Friday evening inducted 32 Ezeigbo in Diaspora into main Igbo traditional rulership and renamed their title Ndinduigbo N’uzo Ije.

The Induction and renaming were presided over by the Chairman, South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Emma Okeke.

The event held at the Obi Eze Palace in Owerri.

Okeke is also the Traditional Ruler of Amaifeke Autonomous Community in Orlu.

He expressed delight at the induction and renaming, saying that it would bring peace and accelerate development in the South-East Geopolitical Zone.

“I am highly delighted to be part of this epoch-making event. Today, history is being made all over the world and Igbo speaking states in particular.

“This is the day the derogatory statement that Igbos have no kings has come to an end.

“It is a day that traditional rulers in Igboland and Igbo leaders in diaspora decided to come together to give honour to whom honour is due and speak with one voice for the betterment of the Igbo race and for posterity,” he said.

Okeke said that he felt humbled to be presiding over the event.

“I am glad and honoured that I am at the helm of affairs when the God of our ancestors decided to have mercy on the Igbo race by allowing this union and occasion to come to manifestation.

“The struggle of a millennium has come to an end,” he said.

According to him, people avoided Igbo activities due to alleged corruption/ bastardisation of traditional titles by some Igbo leaders in the diaspora.

“We are calling a spade a spade. Enough is enough on the sacrilege, and we believe that going forward, all our values, traditions and prohibitions shall be sustained, guided and enforced to the letter,” he said.

Okeke thanked President Bola Tinubu, Imo Gov. Hope Uzodinma, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, and state chairmen of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide for the occasion.

The event was chaired by John-Greg Okey, Ezebuadi, Eze Ugwudike Ichida and Chairman of Council of Ndinduigbo N’uzo Ije, Lagos State Chapter.

Ezebuadi remarked that the event was aimed at reconciling long-standing nomenclature dispute between traditional rulers in the South East (Ezes) and the ones outside the geopolitical zone (formerly Ezeigbo in diaspora).

He added that the event was aimed to give certificate of recognition to Ndinduigbo N’uzo Ije formerly known as Ezeigbo in diaspora.

He noted that more than 50 traditional rulers in the South East endorsed and graced the occasion.

One of the inductees, Chukwudi Ihenetu, Ohazurume 1 of Igbos in Ghana, who spoke on behalf of other inductees, thanked state governments in the South East and South-East traditional rulers for the event. (NAN)

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