Divided they Stand

Chief Arthur Mbanefo

The 80th birthday celebration of Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the United Nations, Chief Arthur Mbanefo, rather brings to the fore the level of disunity and war of attrition among Igbo leaders
By Okechukwu Obenta, Awka
The much bemoaned disunity in Igboland, particularly the war of attrition and power tussle which commonly characterise the relationship between the leaders – an attribute which is generally believed to be responsible for the continued decimation of the influence of the ethnic group in Nigeria’s power equation – was glaringly manifested penultimate weekend, at the ancient Onitsha kingdom, Anambra state.
The kingdom hosted an epoch-making ceremony: the attainment of 80 years of age by one of the illustrious sons of the Igbo nation, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Arthur Mbanefo. He also occupies one of highest traditional stools in Onitsha kingdom as Mbanefo Odu III, but the position is currently a subject of litigation as a result of the face-off between him and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe who suspended him from the stool. His late father, Chief Isaac Anieka Mbanefo(1898-1994) was Mbanefo Odu II.
Though the ceremony  was sponsored solely by the siblings and other relatives of the elder statesman at their ancestral Mbanefo Odu family home, Odoleje village, an inland town in Onitsha kingdom to thank God for His special gift of longevity to one of their own, and especially for granting him the rare privileged  age of Octogenarian, it was indeed richly colourful. But the absence of many illustrious sons and daughters of Igboland and their friends at the event clearly showed that the on-going campaign for enduring peace and unity in Igboland is far from yielding the desired results.
Former President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Professor Joe Irukwu lamented the level of disunity and acrimony among the Igbos, and indeed among its leaders in an interview with newsmen at the ceremony. He described the attainment of the age of an Octogenarian by Mbanefo as a rare blessing by God and the celebration ought to be a great event because, according to him, the celebrant is an outstanding son, a great Nigerian and  a true nationalist .He particularly decried the absence of most illustrious sons and daughters of Igboland at the ceremony.
Irukwu noted that the absence of many Igbo leaders at the ceremony proves the level of disunity in Igboland and urged that all hands must be on deck to reverse the sad situation, pointing out that the Igbo motto: Igwe bu ike( meaning: Unity is Strength) is a veritable value that must be promoted by any patriotic Igbo, including the media.
Irukwu lamented that lack of unity among Ndigbo was largely responsible for the delay in the realisation of the agitation by the people of the South east zone for an additional state to be created in the area, as so to bring the number of states in the zone at par with the other five geo-political zones in the country.
Irukwu: "I was the chairman of the Sub-committee on state creation during the National Political Conference, and all members of the committee in that conference unanimously voted in favour of creating an additional state in the South east, that recommendation was unanimously approved by the conference, that Ndigbo deserve one more state and even the Executive approved that recommendation. If we had political unity in Igboland, we should have had one more state by now, but because of lack of unity, that has not happened.”
In fact, Irukwu regretted that if it was in other ethnic nationalities who are more united in the pursuit of their common interests such as the Hausas and Yorubas, Onitsha would have been turned into a mini-Mecca by sons and daughters of the area who would not only come to participate in the birthday celebration but would thereafter use the period to brainstorm on issues of common interest and how to realise them.
Other outstanding Igbo sons and daughters who graced the occasion included Dr A .B .C Ojiakor; and immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Anambra State University, Uli, Professor Paul Iheanacho Orajaka.
As a mark of solidarity with the Mbanefos, Ojiakor was accompanied to the ceremony by members of his age grade. He is from Uli in Ihiala local government area of the state. A medical doctor by training, Ojiakor described longevity as largely a gift from God, and hereditary. He noted that the elder statesman is known as one who leads a decent lifestyle.
He, however, bemoaned the state of affairs in Igboland, especially the increase in crimewave such as armed robbery and kidnapping. He also denounced the level of youth unemployment and decline in value system, and pointing out that the sad situation was a mark of failure by the political leaders in the area. To reverse the unfortunate situation, Ojiakor insisted that henceforth premium should be placed on the character of any person who wants to occupy political position on behalf of the Igbo nation.
Ojiakor: “The state of affairs in Igboland today is worrisome and it is a combination of so many things. The greatest problem we are facing today is insecurity, and it requires the attention of the government at all levels to stamp out the ugly situation. The issue of kidnapping and armed robbery is trying to destroy the Igbo nation and our leaders and all other well-meaning Igbo persons should be concerned and committed in fighting the crime. There is high level of unemployment, our value system is fast dying, and all these point to the failure of our political leaders. Anybody who wants to rule in any Igbo state must have good character and sound education.”
Orajaka, was however more blunt. He made it clear that Mbanefo is a hero, but appears to be outstanding like a lone ranger in Onitsha today because he refused to compromise the truth. The former VC noted that the embattled Onitsha High Chief has served the Igbo nation, Nigeria and the world at large meritoriously, and therefore deserved to be highly revered and celebrated as an outstanding patriot who strongly believes in the rule of law and truth, as well as a respecter of customs and traditions.
Other dignitaries at the event included the traditional ruler of Uli, Igwe Onyekonwu; his Oraukwu counterpart, Igwe David Emeka , Rtd. Justice Ikechukwu Igu and Rtd Justice Ezeani and his wife.
Indeed, Mbanefo had made immense contributions to the development of the Igbo nation and Nigeria at large. For instance, during the struggle for Biafran independence, he was the Commissioner for Commerce and Biafran Silver Medal award as a mark of appreciation for his contributions. With the collapse of Biafra, he renewed his commitment to the promotion of the principle of “One Nigeria,” and has consequently made huge marks in various aspects of national life, services for which he has been rewarded with many national awards, including Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2002.
In 1975, he had served as member of the Federal Government  three-man committee that looked into the continued relevance and future of the Northern States Interim Common Services Agency (NSICSA) and the Eastern States Interim Assets and Liabilities Agency (ESIALA). In 1980, he served in the Irikefe Panel of Inquiry into the controversial loss of $2.8billion of crude oil sales; served as Pro-Chancellor of three leading Federal Universities: University of Lagos(1984-1986); Obafemi Awolowo University (1986-1990) and Ahmadu Bello University (1990-1993). Also, between 1995 and 1996, he served in the Presidential Committee on States Creation, Local Government and Boundary Adjustment. The work of that committee has remained very relevant to the current components of Nigeria’s federal structure, giving birth to the following six states: Ekiti, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Gombe, Nassarawa and Zamfara by the late General Sani Abacha military junta. Mbanefo was also later appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Special Representative to the United Nations in October, 1999.
Though he looks as if he is still in his mid-50’s, Mbanefo in an interview  told The Source that he has been off the scene in the current political power struggle so as to provide the younger generations the opportunity to participate, learn and make their own contributions. He, however, said that he is always available to give advice whenever necessary, but that he prefers offering them from behind the scene
Though the 80th birthday ceremony was virtually boycotted by many indigenes of Onitsha, particularly the traditional ruler, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and other members of Obi- in-Council, Owelle of Onitsha, Chief Chukwuma Azikiwe, son of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe graced the occasion. His presence at the occasion was indeed a clear indication that the traditional institution of the ancient kingdom was in serious disarray. By his traditional stool as Owelle, which he inherited from his late father, the younger Azikiwe is supposed to be a member of the Obi- in-Council.
Perhaps, the tussle Obi Achebe is having with some prominent indigenes of his domain, which Mbanefo is one of them accounted for the poor presence of notable Igbo leaders at the newest Octogenarian’s birthday celebration, just as has been the case even during the Obi’s annual Ofala festival. As a result of the refusal by Mbanefo and some other indigenes of the domain to pay traditional homage to the Agbogidi as required under the customs and tradition to indicate their loyalty to him as their king, he has ostracised them.
Those who are currently under the Agbogidi’s orstracism list as made available to The Source are about 78 persons. However, six persons from about five villages in the town are regarded as the principal offenders, while the rest fell into the category for supporting them.
The six principal offenders were listed as Amulunweze Goddy Odukwe (Ogbeoza), Ezenwa Olisa Mortune(Umuase), Nnabuenyi Arthur Mbanefo (Odoje) Akunwata Fred Enweonwu (Umuaroli), Nnanyelugo Dr. Gabriel Emodi (Ogbeodogwu) and Akunwata Ogbolugu Mbanefo (Odoje). Obi Achebe had already granted amnesty to the orstracised, only if they come forward to show remorse for their alleged act of misconduct.