By Saminu Ibrahim
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly Worldwide has announced the discontinuation of its five hundred billion naira civil suit against the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
The withdrawal of the suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/790/2020, followed the Corporate Affairs Commission CAC restoration of the organization’s Certificate of Incorporation earlier withdrawn by the commission in line with Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 as amended.
The President General of Ohanaeze Indigbo General Assembly Worldwide, Barrister Basil Onyeachonam Onuorah made the disclosure at a press briefing weekend in Abuja.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo recalled that on the 29th of June 2020, the Corporate Affairs Commission made a publication which was also published in CAC verified Twitter handle notifying the general public that CAC has withdrawn and cancelled the registration certificate of OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY, in line with the extant laws.
This comes as Ohanaeze Ndigbo declared that henceforth, any publication or gathering in the name of OHANAEZE NDIGBO anywhere in Nigeria or abroad without the due approval or recognition by the current National Executive of the group, amounts to impersonation, stressing that such conveners will face the full force of the law.
He said “The Corporate Affairs Commission notified our organization of the Certificate restoration through the Commission’s letter titled Reinstatement of certificate Registration: INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF OHANAEZE NDIGBO GENERAL ASSEMBLY – IT: 144918, dated 20th October, 2020”.
The President General explained that Ohanaeze Ndigbo supports the corporate entity of one Nigeria, emphasising that there is a great future in one Nigeria, “this is the time for greater unity in Nigeria, a time to respect our elders and honour those whom honour is due, a time to consolidate on the visions of the founding fathers of OHANAEZE NDIGBO; it is the vision of our founding fathers to unite NDIGBO and speak with one voice”.
According to Onuorah, this is the time for Ndigbo to align and appreciate the federal government for its developmental strides in Igbo land.
Specifically, he said under the present administration of federal government of Nigeria, people oriented projects capable of impacting on the economy of South East region have been prioritized in governance.
“Recently, reconstruction of Akanu Ibiam airport was completed and commissioned. Enugu-Port Harcourt express road, Enugu-Onitsha express road and other arterial federal roads are at different levels of rehabilitation while construction work on the Second Niger Bridge is progressing at impressive speed.
“It is a thing of joy that Onitsha sea port is now functional, even as Ebonyi International Airport has been approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria and other gargantuan projects for the South East region” he said.
He added that it is a thing of joy to announce to Ndigbo all over the world that OHANAEZE NDIGBO for the first time, in the history of its existence, is now registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria with the registration number IT:144918.
“OHANAEZE NDIGBO is now a body with Corporate status, legally recognised by the Federal Government of Nigeria, Charter of the United Nations and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)”.
He maintained that the ongoing restructuring and recomposition of OHANAEZE NDIGBO became imperative, pointing out that the organisation was reduced to a mere pressure group, an elders forum of certain political persuasions, existing without corporate legal status, driven with egocentrism and lack of accountability.
“We are honoured and humbled by the support of notable Igbo leaders in Nigeria and diaspora who are committed to the unity, security, prosperity of NDIGBO and the ongoing restructuring of our apex sociocultural organisation”.
Onuorah emphasised that the group is not a factional body, but the only Ohanaeze Ndigbo which exists legally as a lawful organisation, according to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to represent the interests of Ndigbo and be accountable to Ndigbo and the laws of the land.
He said the group will work with the youths of Igboland. “We will support our youths to take advantage of both federal and state governments empowerment programmes, aimed at poverty alleviation”.
“We will begin with the ongoing youth empowerment funds and programs introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
He said the Elders Council will no longer be business as usual, saying it is no longer a one man business. “This is the time for all our Igbo elders to participate in the affairs of OHANAEZE NDIGBO”.
The group commended Nigerian youths for standing up in moment of anger and frustration to speak up, adding that the nationwide protest has yielded the anticipated attention from the Federal Government of Nigeria and concerned stakeholders.
He however added that the youths must desist from further protest as their voices have been heard loud and clear.
“We sympathize with all those who lost their loved ones in the recent Nationwide protest on ENDSARS and other similar demands, and pray for the repose of all the souls departed”.
