The wranglings among the Igbos in Oyo State was finally laid to rest on Saturday, March 12, 2011 with the formal inauguration and presentation of Chief Alloy Obi as the Onyendu Ndigbo, putting an end to a 14-year-old leadership supremacy tussle.At the event which held on the grounds of Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan, were thousands of Igbo indigenes. Their joy at the occasion was obvious as the presence of members of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo added colour and anthenticity to the event.In his address, the President General of Igbo General Assembly, Mr Felix Igboanugo, delved into all the problems that emanated from the leadership tussle, saying however that the issue was resloved with the ratification of the election of the Onyendu.Mr Igboanugo added that the onus was now on the entire Igbos to ensure that the unity and peace is sustained by encouraging all our brothers and sisters .. to come back into the fold ..He was full of praises for the governor of Oyo State who not only recognised the current leadership of the Igbos in Oyo State, but was magnanimous enough to offer a free venue (Obafemi Awolowo Stadium), free accommodation and feeding of the visiting royal fathers and Ohanaeze leadership. He added that the governor gave the Igbos in Oyo State 25 new motorcycles and a promise to include them in his cabinet if elected into office for second term.While speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, (Dr) Cletus Ikechukwu Ilomuanya, who led other members of the Council to the occasion, said he and others were very happy to be at the occasion as it marked the final end to the fight for leadership among the Igbos in Oyo State.According to Dr Ilomuanya, On August 14, 2009, all the state chairmen of South East Council of Traditional Rulers paid a courtesy call on the governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1. We prayed for the quick resolve of the lingering problem among the Igbos which had been on for 14 years. We also set up a committee to conduct a proper election into the office of the Onyendu, which was a new title used to replace the one that was causing rift. The Igbos in Oyo State had a free and fair election in 2010, from which Chief Alloy Obi emerged the winner. So, today, we are witnessing peace and unity among the Igbos in Oyo State and our being at this occasion is to formalise the inauguration of the Onyendu Ndigbo.The Councils chairman used the occasion to advise the Igbos not to forget their roots, appealing to them to invest a percentage of their businesses in their states too, to aid development. He stated further that they should all comport themselves during the 2011 elections, saying that the elections must be peaceful as Nigeria is one entity. Dr Ilomuanya thereafter raised the hand of the Onyendu, Chief Obi, and gave a royal blessing with the assistance of other traditional rulers and the representative of Oyo State governor, Chief Gbade Ishola.The representative of the governor, while speaking, said the occasion was unique. That, according to him, was because the leadership tussle among the Igbos in Oyo State, particularly Ibadan, had spanned over 13 years and all effforts to ensure that a single leader emerged failed. He said he was, however, full of joy that all that had come to an end with the inauguration of the Onyendu, which marked a turning point. The large presence of the Igbos at this venue signifies allegiance. On February 3, 2011, when the president of Igbo General Assembly led other Igbos to the governor, he was very happy as he danced in your midst. He told you you were his people; that he respects, admires and adores you.He added that most of the businesses in the state are owned by the Igbos, the reason for which he decided to repair the Oke Padre-Salvation Army Road because of the concentration of businesses owned by the Igbos there, Chief Ishola added. The governor, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, used the occasion to appeal to the Igbos to vote for him.He said the current government had hitherto not included the Igbo in its cabinet because of the leadership tussle, stating that the government did not know who exactly to deal with. Today, that has come to an end. And I assure you on behalf of the governor that if by the grace of God, Adebayo Alao-Akala returns to government house, in May 2011, Igbo representation in that government will be very strong, he stated.Also in his own speech of endorsement at the occasion, the Baale of Ekotedo, Chief Taiye Ayorinde, told the gathering that he had been part of the struggle for leadership between two prominent Igbo sons in Oyo State. Chief Ayorinde said that the Olubadan of Ibadanland is the only prescribed and consenting authority to give chieftaincy title and could not be taken to court over that. He stated that the person who took the Olubadan to court had committed sacrilege and had been stripped of the title. The Baale thereby enjoined all Igbos to always dialogue and not engage in cold war.Chief Ayorinde described the election that produced Chief Obi as the Onyendu as free and fair. He (Chief Obi) was elected, anointed and approved. He was not the only one who contested. Igbos who dwell in Oyo State from all South Eastern states were witnesses. Who am I not to acknowledge him when the South East Council of Traditional Rulers have acknowledged him, he addded.The oath of office was administered on the Onyendu by the legal adviser to the Igbo general Assembly, Barrister Ogonna. After taking an oath of office, the Onyendu promised to foster unity among his people, saying that it was time the Igbos took their rightful place in the scheme of things in Oyo State. The gathering was, thereafter, entertained with traditional music accompanied by instrumnets only peculiar to the Igbo culture. It was indeed a great day of joy for the Igbos in Oyo State.
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