OHANAEZE POLITICAL FORUM – HOW SOLOMON OGBONNA DISLODGES IGBO POLITICAL CABALS IN LAGOS
• Assures Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Asiwaju, Lagosians that Igbos ‘have found a way to work together’
By Oki Samson
Ndigbos who intend to participate actively in the politics of Lagos may now have a sense of direction.
Those who have been previously involved in Lagos politics may now heave a sigh of relief out of all the turbulence of the past years. This is because of the new development which has emerged from Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos under the leadership of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, the umbrella sociocultural organization for about 6 million Igbos who call Lagos home.
Those who follow the history of Igbos in Lagos politics will know that it has been reeked with infighting, badmouthing, and mudslinging. All of these unpleasant stories have made other tribes in Lagos, especially the Yoruba population, regard them as unserious, uncooperative, and unsettling.
Some don’t even consider them as a force to reckon with in Lagos politics despite the large number and commercial capacity, Trek Africa Newspaper has observed.
This new development was brought about by the Solomonic leadership of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, the incumbent President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos. It will be recalled that thanks to his leadership which began in 2018, the umbrella body of Igbos in Lagos now have a traceable address for its official secretariat.
Many illustrious Igbo sons and daughters in Lagos and overseas including business moguls, Nollywood stars, cultural icons, sports stars, among others can connect to a central location, can freely come to an office which is open for business, can meet with a responsive leader in order to have collaborations and partnerships to assist their people, among other benefits.
Secondly, the sociocultural organization under Solomon Aguene has interacted most peaceably with the government of the day in Lagos.
Previously, the widely-held belief is that Igbos will naturally take adversarial stance on governance in Lagos. Without doubt, Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu could be considered luckiest of all Lagos Governors since 1999. This is because of the harmony which the affable Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene has assiduously forged with the Governor whom he has always called ‘friend of the Igbos’.
The breath of fresh air was birthed in the political realms. ‘We have found a way to work together. When we talk of politics in Lagos, look at these people around me today and give it to them. Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, we want to possess our possession. We can’t be working like elephant in Lagos politics and be eating like rats. What can Anya, Orobo, and Baba Tata show for their efforts. It is only going to 1 or 2 people who cannot go to their village.
When we have over 6 million people who are interested in politics and they deprive them simply because they believe in intimidation,’ Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene declared boldly at a recent press conference attended by Trek Africa Newspaper at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Secretariat in Lagos.
Disclosing more about the new idea, staunch Lagos-based Igbo politician and Chairman of the new Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, Chief Chris Ekwilo JP popularly called Anya shared: ‘We are all aware that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is apolitical devoid of participating full time in politics but there is a reason why President Solomon Ogbonna deemed it fit to create this political forum because Ohanaeze Ndigbo as umbrella body of the Igbo nation cannot be seen to be involved in political act hence the call for this political forum. This is the political arm of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos.
Before now, the entire Igbo politicians including myself, the founder of Igbo United Coalition in APC, Chief Uche Babatata, founder of Igbo Vision in APC, Chief Ansalem Udoka aka Orobo omo Baba eto, founder of Igbo Mandate in APC. We have been operating in separate directions thereby attracting the owners of the party to see us as unserious people. Often, some of us sow seed of discord among Igbos in APC.’
Named Ohanaeze Ndigbo Political Forum, this political wing was facilitated by Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene. ‘So Mr. President, the man who has raised the bar of leadership deemed it fit to bring these groups together in Ohanaeze to play politics as one united body hence Ohanaeze Political Forum. The reason is because the government of Lagos state attach much imporatance to him for contributing to Lagos state that, the Governor often call him ‘my own brother’, said Chief Chris Ekwilo who is the leader of the new Igbo political group.
‘With this very forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos will have easy access to deal with our brothers on the need for them to sow a seed of trust between us and our host communities. And to be seen as partners in progress and to stop seeing an average Igbo person as those who bite the fingers that feed them. And that they will not keep tagging us ‘won n ja lowo’, meaning ‘they often fight’. It is also to correct misinformation that those who close their shops in major markets to obtain their PVCs is to vote against APC.’
‘I want to assure our Governor, friend of Ndigbo and our host community and to remind them what we did in 2019 in Muson centre and Alaba market when Chief Ogbonna raised the hand of Mr. Governor and what followed is bloc vote from people of Igbo extraction. We are here to repeat that feat. With this new development, the anticipated bloc vote from Igbo will be achieved’, the leader concluded.
The deputy leader of the Ohanaeze Political Forum, Hon. Ansalem Udoka added: ‘this is the first time we are getting it right with President, Chief Solomon Ogbonna. I want to put it to you that any other Igbo group apart from those you see here today is not a standard Igbo group. Chief Chris Ekwilo is not a new name in Lagos politics. He delivered Asiwaju Tinubu in 1999, Fashola in 2009, Ambode in 2015, and delivered Sanwo-Olu in 2019.
The Igbo leaders you see here today are the real leaders of Ndigbos in Lagos state. My advice to the Executive Governor of Lagos state is that we have resolved our differences. Come 2023, Igbos will give the bloc vote to Mr. Governor and Asiwaju. At the centre of excellence, no going back.’
The secretary of the political body, Hon. Smart Onyia said: ‘I want to commend President Ogbonna. He has the magic wand and has come to display political artistry. He brought life into Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos and he is bringing life into Ohanaeze politics. By creating this political wing, he has succeeded in stopping the problems bedeviling our politics. There are people who bring bad names to Igbos because they occupy political hierarchy. They are political burden. They rain curses on Ndigbo. They can’t go to the East. Igbos don’t want to hear such again, they call themselves apex leader yet they have been feeding fat on the government.’
‘Now, the Solomon of our time has come with the wisdom to lead. He has chosen the square peg in the square hole, the political juggernaut, Chief Ekwilo to lead. The political climate is now favourable to deliver Asiwaju Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu’, Trek Africa Newspaper gathered.
Another Igbo political leader, popularly called Babatata shared: ‘today is the day Lagos got it right. All the time Lagos have been saying we are not voting for them but we have. This time around, they will see massive votes because of Solomon Ogbonna come 2023’.
Is it finally uhuru for Igbos in Lagos politics, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene emphatically answered: ‘I am calling the Governor of Lagos state to wake up and watch what will happen when we have agreed to work against our common enemy, they are like virus among Igbos. I can’t mention the name of our common enemy because he has not given us anything commensurate to what we have done but today it has stopped. We have no opposition again.
The Ndigbo have one common enemy. Some of them use my people in background in video and picture while they take money to go and build mansions. I say today ‘enough is enough’.
‘Any other group that does not pass through Ohanaeze Ndigbo of Solomon Ogbonna is a business enterprise, do not recognize them.
We are here to let our landlord know that Ndigbo are good people. We succeed in Lagos and we must give our best to the land. We believe in the government of Lagos. We have seen, touched, and tasted the government of the day in Lagos and because of that, we will give commensurate value to what you have done. We will sing another song of going to Lagos and Abuja.
We will deliver bloc votes’, the Igbo culture ambassador rounded up his thoughts on the Ohanaeze Political Forum.
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