Eze-ndi-igbo can not be banned!!!

Ban on Ezendigbo titles: Ohanaeze chieftain begs Igbo Royal fathers
By SAM ANOKAM
Tuesday, August 18, 2009

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The purported ban on Ezendigbo title in Lagos State which followed the visit by the chairman of traditional rulers in the south east with other royal fathers recently to the state has elicited reactions from different individuals and groups.

A Chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Mike Chidebelu has joined issues with the royal fathers on the abolition.

“ Ezendigbo in Diaspora has been an old thing. It is just a name given to leaders by Igbo communities outside Igbo land. It has a process. You do not just become Ezendigbo by imposition. But suddenly and recently too, some influential Royal Fathers started visiting States and their first port of call happened to be Lagos and they said that the Ezendigbo in the diaspora has been bastardized and as a result has been banned.

We have not received any whitepaper on that. This is what we read in the Newspapers. But what we now ask is, can you ban what you are not part of? The government did not organize us as a community. It is a process through which a people work out themselves to organize. So how can government wake up to ban what they are not part of? Like I said before, Ezendigbo is just a name given to somebody who passed through a process to become a leader. That is why well meaning people and bodies like the student bodies, have come together to back the Ezendigbo of Lagos showing their solidarity saying that they (government) have no right to ban the position of Ezendigbo.”

The retiree from the Nigerian railway Corporation and former President Abagana Youth Association, Lagos branch took a swipe on the royal fathers for such ventures. He advised them to rather concentrate in their domains to attract dividend of democracy to their people than dissipate energy over Ezendigbo which is just a name.

He further said. “There are a lot of things lacking in their communities. Such things as good roads, water, electricity, school buildingsr among others. The royal fathers should concentrate their time on these things for their people who put them in leadership position and not to worry about bastardization of Ezendigbo in Diaspora. What is in the name? The most important thing is to do what your people asked you to do.”