Rising from her Emergency meeting convened in London on Saturday 18 December 2021 to discuss the persistent uproar of Ndigbo in the UK over the numerous anomalies that tainted the recent Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK election of November 20, 2021, the interim leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK, an umbrella of all Ndigbo women in the UK has taken a couple of major decisions which acknowledges its position as recently stated by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Professor George Obiozor, ‘as very important arm of the apex Igbo organisation’. Therefore, the women wing thoughtfully recognises the extensive outcry of both men and women of Igbo extraction in the UK over the numerous irregularities that tainted the Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK November 20, 2021 election.
Taking a similar position as the majority of Ndigbo in the UK, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK takes cognisance of the irregularities that marred the election and adopts in its entirety, the report of the independent opinion and advice of the Forum for the Advancement of Igbo Race – ‘FAIR’, to consider the Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK election of November 20, 2021 as repugnant to both Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution and Igbo cultural heritage and tradition.
Going by this development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK fully supports and applauds the annulment of the flawed election of November 20, 2021 and extends her gratitude to the General House of Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK for taking such a bold step to arrest the intolerable situation.
The Women Wing is the bone of contention here in the U.K. and is the one of the reasons we considered the election flawed. Our new Ohaneze is insisting that women or men can not vie or contest in the opposite organisation as stated in the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide Constitution. But the election of the 20th November, imposed a woman as the president. Hence it’s flawed in the eyes of many of us.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK recognises the important role bestowed on women in Igbo culture and tradition as peacemakers and community builders and urges all Ndigbo women in the UK to join hands together towards finding peace in our communities, alleviating the sufferings of our people and bringing development to Igboland.
In pursuit of these objectives to peace, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK pledges unalloyed support to the leadership of the Transition Committee (Interim Management) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK, and emphasises her partnership and commitment with Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK.
The Women Wing of Ohaneze UK, therefore appeals kindly to all and anyone who may be in possession of any properties belonging to Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK, to hand these over to the Transition Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo UK in the interest of peace.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women Wing UK is a non-partisan and non-sectarian pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation designed to provide a platform, where all Igbo women within the UK may come together for the purpose of nurturing better understanding and harmonious relations amongst themselves and with other ethnic groups and communities in the UK wherever they reside.
*Mrs Eberendu, President Transition Committee, Ohaneze Ndigbo U.K. & Ireland Women Wing
