Uche Okwukwu Elected Ohaneze President General

Uche Okwukwu has been elected as the new President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Igbo ethnic in Nigeria.
Okwukwu, who was elected at Enugu was once the secretary general of the organization. But his election came on the heels of a controversy because the mainstream of the Ikwerre, his ethnic group in Rivers State have declared that they were not Igbo and would have nothing to do with Ohaneze Ndigbo.
Ohaneze had however zoned the Presidency of the organization to Rivers State on a rotational basis and it was the turn of its members in Rivers State to nominate the next President General.
It was tough to agree on a nominee because of the rejection of the Igbo tag by groups like Ikwerre, Etche, Ogba, Ekpeye, and Ndoki from among whom the nominee was to emerge. Ogbakor Ikwerre Convention, the general assembly of Ikwerre people held a meeting two days ago and barred Ikwerre people from making themselves available for the office.
The election, held today, January 10, 2025, comes amidst controversy over a previous election conducted on January 5, 2025, by a factional body of Ohaneze Ndigbo, which announced Chief Dr. Jackson Omenazu, another Ikwerre man, as President.
However, the majority of Ohaneze Ndigbo members rejected the January 5 election, declaring today as the authentic date for electing the new leader of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.
“Okwukwu’s emergence is seen not only as a significant milestone for the Ikwerre people but also as a step toward unifying Ndigbo worldwide. His leadership is expected to address lingering divisions, especially concerning the Ikwerre people, who registered as a separate ethnic group in Nigeria after the civil war, citing alleged maltreatment by the Igbo hinterland during that period,” said a journalist who covered the election in Enugu.
The new President General may play a vital role to integrate the Ikwerre and other minorities in Rivers and Delta States into Ohaneze.
“This development marks a turning point in the leadership history of Ohaneze Ndigbo, with high hopes that his tenure will strengthen the bonds among all Igbo-speaking communities and solidify their shared identity as one people.”