Ohanaeze Denies Requesting New Name For Nigeria, Bans Spokesman

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has distanced itself from the statement credited to the body urging President Muhammadu Buhari to move for a name change for Nigeria.

The deputy spokesman of the organisation, Comrade Chuks Ibegbu had while speaking on the danger of retaining the name Nigeria as the National name of the country, said that the name “Nigeria was given to us by a lover of Lord Lugard who later became his wife and was given at the heat of passion.”

According to Ibegbu, “Many countries in Africa, Asia, and even Europe changed their colonial names after independence but we foolishly stuck to the name with all its attendant minuses.”

“I challenge Nigerians to have an immediate conference where different indigenous names could be agreed upon as the new name of this country.”

Reacting to the statement, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said the statement does not represent the position of the body but a personal view of Comrade Ibegbu.

Nwodo told Punch on phone that Ibegbu had been queried and banned from issuing any further statements on behalf of the group.

“Ibegbu is on his own. Ohanaeze Ndigbo never authorised the statement and a such does not represent the position of Ohanaeze.

“His statement is outrageous, hence he is banned from issuing a statement on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo without authorisation. He also has been issued a query on the statement,” he said.