Tony Okafor,Awka
The Igbo Community Association, Federal Capital Territory (ICA FCT), has strongly condemned the reported attempted coronation of an “Ezeigbo” in South Africa, describing the move as illegal, culturally inappropriate, and capable of endangering Nigerians living abroad.
In a press statement signed by its President General, Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, and Secretary General, Mr. Emmanuel Chinwoke Onah, and made available to our Correspondent in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Tuesday, the association expressed deep concern over the tensions generated by the development, noting that the incident had already sparked near-xenophobic reactions within host communities.
While denouncing the hostile response of some protesters in South Africa, the ICA FCT blamed the organisers of the coronation for what it termed “continued embarrassment” to the Igbo people and Nigeria at large.
The association stressed that the practice of enthroning “Ezeigbo” outside Igbo land is a clear violation of established traditional institutions and long-standing cultural mandates.
It recalled that the South East Traditional Council had, in a formal communiqué, outlawed such practices, a position later affirmed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“It is wrong, illegal, and a direct violation of our customs to enthrone a king in another person’s domain,” the statement read, adding,“The leadership of the Igbo community in Abuja will not stand by while the actions of a few individuals in the diaspora jeopardise the safety and reputation of millions of our kinsmen globally.”
The ICA FCT further warned that such unauthorised coronations could provoke diplomatic and social tensions, drawing parallels with past incidents in Ghana and other countries where similar actions led to strained relations between Nigerians and host communities.
Calling for urgent intervention, the association urged Nigerian and international security agencies to clamp down on the trend, insisting that individuals parading themselves as “Ezeigbo” in foreign lands should be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“We must prevent a replication of the tensions seen in Ghana across other diaspora communities,” the statement added.
The group emphasised the need to preserve the dignity and integrity of Igbo cultural heritage by adhering strictly to traditional authority and respecting the laws of host nations.
It also called on members of the diaspora to act responsibly and avoid actions capable of undermining the collective interest of Nigerians abroad.