Group Accuses Hon. Idimogu Over “Onwa Ndigbo” Congratulatory Message To Hope Uzodimma

For ascribing the title ‘Onwa Ndigbo to the name of the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma in his congratulatory message to the governor, National Igbo Maritime Advocacy for Transparency and Accountability Group (NIMATAG) has threatened to sue Hon. Jude Idimogu, immediate past House Assembly member, Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2 in the Lagos House of Assembly.

The group which spoke through the National Coordinator, High Chief Osita Chukwu Patrick stated that the title is an impersonation because it was not collectively endorsed by Kings across Igbo land.

According to him, for somebody to bear the title Onwa Ndigbo, he must have been endorsed by the King’s in all the South Eastern states.

He added that it would have been pardonable if he had referred to him as Ones Imo which he said would have been limited to only a state.

Coordinator of the group, who tackled the former lawmaker over the congratulatory message via a national newspaper, expressed displeasure over the tittle noting that Hon. Idimogu knows nothing about the culture of the Igbo land and must retract the advertorial.

The coordinator affirmed that Uzodimma does not have the capacity and pedigree to accept such title urging him to dissociate himself from the highly extolled and revered title.

Chief Osita lamented that the tittle bestowed on Uzodimma by the ex-lawmaker on newspaper is an abomination in the whole Igbo land of south east region of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its entirety, noting that Hon. Idimogu is only seeking attention or favour from the governor.

Osita reiterated that the former lawmaker who was a member of the House of Assembly, representing  Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 2, stated that the group will be forced to constitute legal actions against him, if he (Idimogu) fails to retract that advertorial with the title “Onwa Ndigbo.”

According to the group coordinator, there is the need to arrest the lawmaker over the advertorial from him to the Governor of imo state, adding that Onwa Ndigbo in the making should have been most suitable for the title.

 

“Hope Uzodinma is my friend and senior brother for that matter, he is a core Ibo man, no doubt but as for a man who has a royal status like me will not stay and see Igbo title messed up,

“Many times you see people wearing red caps with beads, it is a curse if you are not given the title. You just go ahead to answer one name or the other in the name of wanting to be known or to be seen. In my own character, I don’t submit or support that or stay where such things are used.

“It is good to maintain your status not giving yourself the name or title that you are not or that we didn’t know when it happened because no one gives title in Igbo land except the royal highness and a royal highness cannot give you a title that is general without contacting other royal highnesses that encompass the entire South East.

“I stand to be corrected in this matter because I may not be correct but I want this to generate so much noise to be tutored well so that those who have been answering that name across the glove, not only in Nigeria to desist from bearing the title that is not bestowed on them.

“Onwa Ndigbo is a big title that one cannot just give to himself. For instance, in Yorubaland, you cannot call yourself Aare Ona Kakanfo without being bestowed in you, there are procedures to follow.

“The people that gave the title Onwa Ndigbo to Uzodimma should come out and say it, show us the certificate, show us those behind it those who signed it and tell us where the ceremony held.

Asked what he expected Honourable Idimogu to do about the development, he said, “To retract it and say I am sorry, that was not what I meant.

” We will drag him to court so that he will know that. What I am going to say now is that arrest Idimogu so that he will know that he has made a statement that is capable to cause breach of peace in the whole Igbo land,” he submitted.

By Roland Ekama