Renowned human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has raised alarm over a bill currently receiving swift and deliberate attention in the National Assembly.
The bill seeks to confer elevated constitutional status on the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto.
According to Ejiofor, this development signals the quiet relegation of the Igbo people and their traditional institutions to the margins of national relevance.
In a statement released on Tuesday titled "Ohanaeze’s Opposition to the Bill Seeking to Elevate the Sultan and Ooni Above Other Traditional Rulers in Nigeria , A Sobering Wake-Up Call for Ndi Igbo," Ejiofor warned that the proposed legislation should send shockwaves through the conscience of every right-thinking Igbo person.
He praised the prompt and unequivocal opposition by Ohanaeze Ndigbo but cautioned that this must not become yet another episode of empty rhetoric.
Ejiofor expressed regret that while other regions rally around shared goals, defend their heritage, and cultivate institutional strength, the Igbo have allowed themselves to be weakened by internal rivalries, political shortsightedness, and an inability to present a united front.
He said that while other regions build enduring structures, protect their institutions, and pursue collective agendas with determination, Ndigbo often appear indifferent settling for political leftovers and token appointments.
The statement reads: "As Ala-Igbo endures desecration at the hands of soulless elements , and Ndigbo struggle under the weight of ravaging insecurity across their ancestral homeland, a bill seeking to confer constitutional elevation upon the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto is being given swift and deliberate attention at the National Assembly.
The move by the National Assembly to confer elevated constitutional status upon the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife, placing them above all other traditional rulers in Nigeria, should send shockwaves through the conscience of every right-thinking Igbo person.
While the prompt and unequivocal opposition by Ohanaeze Ndigbo is laudable, this must not be another episode of rhetoric outrage followed by passive silence.
What is at stake is not just the symbolic demotion of our traditional institution, but the further entrenchment of hierarchy that pushes the Igbo Nation to the periphery of national relevance . It is about the systemic erosion of our identity, the marginalisation of our traditional institutions, and the quiet relegation of Ndigbo to the margins of national relevance.
At the heart of this matter lies a deeper, more troubling reality: the chronic disunity, the alarming complacency, and lack of strategic vision that have plagued the Igbo nation for far too long.
While other regions rally around shared goals, defend their heritage, and cultivate institutional strength, we have allowed ourselves to be weakened by internal rivalries, political myopia and a crippling inability to speak with one voice. While other regions build enduring structures , defend their institutions , and pursue collective agendas with unwavering resolve , Ndigbo often appear unbothered , content with political leftovers and token appointment .
Ala Igbo is bleeding; from within and without. Ala igbo is under siege , not just from external threats, but from the internal rot nurtured by our silence , selfishness and betrayal. And our silence has become complicity.
We are watching our land fall into the hands of opportunists and profiteers; those who exploit our divisions for personal gain, who trade away our future for momentary advantage. If we do not act now, we will soon become strangers in our own land.
This is a call to conscience. A call to unity. A call to rise.
Ndi Igbo, the time has come to put Ala Igbo first; above party, above self, above fleeting positions and patronage. We must rebuild what has been broken, restore our pride, and reimagine our collective destiny.
If we do not seize this moment, posterity will remember us not just for what we suffered, but for what we failed to defend.
Let us rise with one voice. Let us act with one purpose. For the future of our children, for the soul of Ala Igbo, and for the integrity of our heritage."
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