A renowned activist lawyer, Dim Uche Nnam Okwukwu, has emerged as the President General of Ohanaeze N’digbo Worldwide at the organisation’s ongoing convention in Port-Harcourt.

The General Assembly of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, according to a statement by the returning officer, Dr. Achi Achi, copy of which was made available to newsmen, said the new President General, Okwukwu, was returned unopposed at the the convention, which began on Thursday and is expected to end on Friday.

The returning officer said the President General, Okwukwu was elected by the progressive movement in Igboland, expressing appreciation to the national delegates who stormed Port Harcourt for the exercise, even as he noted that they were the true members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo for finding the helmsman worthy.

He said the new leader had pledged to defend the interest of all Igbos under the sun and uphold the tenets of the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

Okwukwu, in his acceptance speech, Okwukwu thanked the delegates, saying that he humbly accepted the enormous responsibility imposed on him to lead the Igbo race “at this moment in our history.”

The newly elected President General said his top priorities included engaging the Federal Government on the unconditional release of the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and restructuring Nigeria.

Besides, he promised to “unite fractured nerves and bring the Igbo together as one indivisible family,” saying that he was fully aware of the unprecedented trust reposed in him and his capacity to do so.

This was just as he pledged solemnly to defend Igbo nation by living up to their high expectations, adding: “I shall live up to their high expectations.”

He thanked all members of the Electoral Committee, the elders, members of the press and Igbo public, men, women, and youths for all the joint efforts that helped to yield these positive outcomes.

The newly elected President General, while noting that Igbo nation had gone through unprecedented travails, assured that he would waste no time in engaging the Federal and State governments, Igbo businessmen, politicians, youths, and intelligentsia, to address the problems facing the Igbo nation.

He said he would meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners, and ensure de-criminalization of political exiles to enable them return home to join the process of reconstruction.

“We shall encourage the Federal and State governments to engage all agitators to address grievances so as to bring a just closure to issues,” Okwukwu said.

Speaking further, the newly elected President General said he would also engage the Federal Government in dredging, modernization and restoration of the Igweocha/Port-Harcourt and other coastal ports for the Igbo/East and others, together with the dredging of the Azumini to Opobo Imo River basin to the coast, in order to recreate a pole of export-import industrialization and development in Igboland/East, down to the Middle-Belt and Maiduguri.

“I will work for the creation of the Anioma State as an equalization state for the Igbo, and for additional Aba, Adada, Etiti, Orlu or other states in case the balance is further disrupted,” he said.

On restructuring, Okwukwu promised to mobilise the Igbo for it to come about, which he said all other ethnic nationalities had ready templates, but no recent Ohanaeze leadership had had any courage to address.

“I will work hand in hand with critical Igbo stakeholders to advance the unity of the Igbo nation, and ensure that Igbo communities in Benue, Edo etc, are fully incorporated into the Ohanaeze family memberships, modernize the Igbo language as one of the major languages of global commerce, culture, science and technology,” he said.

Okwukwu, it was gathered emerged as the consensus candidate having been identified as the only independent contestant among more than four aspirants that sought to lead the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

The election attended by several people was held in Port-Harcourt, with delegates from the South-East and the Diaspora in attendance, while more than 200 social and cultural groups were also present at the historic event.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo.

The announcement was made on Friday.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, while speaking on behalf of the governor, said that Owoade after thorough consultations and divinations, has been recommended by the Oyomesi.

He added that the name has been approved by the governor.

Details later…

The Nigeria Police Force has detained a yet-to-be-named officer seen in a viral video with Wahab and Subomi, sons of billionaire businessman, Chief Razaq Okoya, abusing naira.

This was disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on his X handle on Friday.

According to him, the moment captured in the video involving the police officer is unethical and contrary to the values of the force, stressing that disciplinary action is underway to address the misconduct.

Adejobi wrote, “The policeman captured in the recent viral video shared by the sons of the Lagos businessman, Chief Okoya, where they were abusing the naira, has been identified and detained for disciplinary action.

“The involvement of the policeman has been condemned, as it’s unethical. We will always strive hard to uphold the sanctity, credibility, and core values of the police. Thanks.”

Recall that last week, the video of the two Okoya sons abusing naira has attracted widespread criticism with many believing that nothing would happen to them because of their father’s status in the country.

In the video, Wahab and Raheem Okoya are dressed in white agbada outfits and flaunting stacks of crisp N1000 notes to promote the latter’s new song titled, “Credit Alert”.

As the video continued, it captured the mobile policeman holding bundles of N1000 notes, while the billionaire’s sons danced and flung the cash into the air.