Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has prohibited the conferment and use of the title “Eze Ndigbo” outside Igboland, warning that violators will face sanctions to be determined by traditional authorities.
The decision was announced on Thursday by the group’s President-General, John Azuta-Mbata, during the Imeobi/General Assembly meeting held in Enugu.
Azuta-Mbata said the ban followed extensive consultations, including deliberations between the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze and the South East Council of Traditional Rulers.
He explained that the organisation would formally communicate its position to state governments and Nigerian missions abroad.
“The South-East is proscribing the award of the title of Eze Ndigbo outside Igboland.
“Anybody who is conferred with such a title outside Igboland is on his own. It is unknown to the Igbo people,” he said.
He emphasised that the directive is final and binding, stressing that any such title conferred outside the South-East would no longer be recognised by the Igbo nation.
According to him, consultations are ongoing with traditional rulers across Igboland to determine appropriate sanctions, which will be enforced through community structures such as town unions and local leadership.
The group also expressed concern over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), describing it as “tantamount to the jailing of the entire Igbo.”
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, called for strict enforcement of the ban to curb tensions arising from such practices abroad.
She cited incidents in Ghana and South Africa where the installation of “Eze Ndigbo” figures in diaspora communities led to disputes and, in some cases, threats to Nigerians and their property.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu warned that the flamboyant display of self-styled kingship in foreign countries often provokes hostility and undermines the reputation of law-abiding Nigerians living abroad.
She described the trend as a growing cultural challenge that threatens identity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
The minister commended Ohanaeze for taking decisive action, expressing confidence that the ban would help restore order and foster mutual respect between Nigerians and their host communities.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, Emmanuel Okeke, said the actions of some individuals had portrayed the Igbo people negatively in foreign lands.
“Igbos should stop using money to cause trouble in the name of Eze Ndigbo in the states and countries they reside,” he said, pledging the council’s support in addressing the issue.
