The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has officially banned the conferment and use of the “Eze Ndigbo” (King of the Igbos) title outside of Igboland following violent protests that erupted after a coronation ceremony in South Africa last month.

Igbo associations in the diaspora occasionally hold cultural activities to promote their heritage. During such gatherings, the title ‘Eze Ndigbo’ is conferred on a man chosen by his community to serve as their leader.

Last month, the selection of an Eze Ndigbo in Kugompo, South London, a city in the Eastern Cape Province, sparked outrage, with angry South Africans torching vehicles and buildings reportedly owned by foreign nationals.

The Nigerian high commission in South Africa apologised for the controversy, stressing that the gathering was only symbolic and not political.

In July 2025, a similar coronation led to protests in Ghana, with demonstrators demanding that Nigerians leave the country.

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, minister of state for foreign affairs, led a delegation to Accra to diplomatically resolve the tensions.

On Thursday, members of the Imeobi, the highest decision-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, met in Enugu over the matter.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who attended the meeting, noted that the coronations have become a big embarrassment to Nigeria.

According to a statement issued by Magnus Eze, special assistant to the minister on communication and new media, Odumegwu-Ojukwu said citizens could express themselves culturally without causing a nuisance to indigenes of their host country and others.

At the meeting, the national executive committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, in collaboration with the south east council of traditional rulers abolished the concept of Eze Igbo outside Igboland.

Azuta Mbata, president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, presented the decision of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.

“Anybody who is being awarded that type of title anywhere outside of Igbo land is on his own. It’s unknown to the Igbo people, and we will call upon all state governors; we’ll correspond to all embassies in the world, informing them about the position of Ndigbo,” Mbata said.

“The position of Eze Ndigbo anywhere outside Igbo land is hereby alienated and proscribed. That is the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide.

“We will determine in consultation with the kings of Igbo land what the punishment will be for anybody who goes against this position and that punishment will be implemented at the village level.

“Your hometown, your town union will be under injunction to implement that punishment, but we are going to declare that punishment after due consultation.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the ministry of foreign affairs would communicate the decision through its missions and high commissions globally.

A leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) escalated on Thursday, as a faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe staged a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja.

This follows a separate massive demonstration just a day earlier by a rival faction led by former Senate President David Mark.

Gombe, accompanied by a Kogi State lawmaker, Leke Abejide, and hundreds of supporters, accused the David Mark-led leadership of attempting to hijack the party’s leadership in defiance of its constitution and internal processes.

Addressing officials of the electoral body during the protest, Gombe insisted that due process must be followed in resolving the leadership dispute.

He said, “We are here to urge INEC to follow due process. You cannot come to the ADC through the window and expect to overturn the owners of the ADC.

“As democrats, we don’t want any moneybags to come and destroy democracy. The ADC is for all Nigerians from wards, states to national levels.”

Also speaking, Abejide called on the commission to resist what he described as an attempted takeover of the party, stressing that the ADC constitution clearly outlines eligibility requirements for leadership positions.

“We are here to urge INEC to do the right thing and rescue democracy from the hands of usurpers. How do you come to a party and attempt to hijack the leadership on the same day? Which political platform is that done?

“The party constitution is clear about this. You have to spend at least two years in the ADC as an active member before you can aspire for any position. It is clear that the commission has not erred. These people are hijackers and INEC must follow through on reverting to status quo ante bellum by recognising Nafiu Bala Gombe as the national chairman of the party,” he said.

In the same vein, the ADC Director of Youths and Mobilisation, Mohammed Sahad, commended INEC for complying with a court order but urged the commission to go further by affirming Gombe’s leadership.

“INEC has not erred in any way. In fact, we commend the commission for obeying the court order. But they need to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe as the authentic national chairman of the ADC.

“INEC needs to do the right thing and do it now. That is why we are here,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the commission, INEC National Commissioner, Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, assured the protesters that their concerns would be reviewed.

“I am here on behalf of the chairman and I believe INEC as a commission will look at your letter and give you feedback. Thank you for being orderly with your protest,” he said.

The protest comes barely 24 hours after a rival faction of the party, led by former Senate President David Mark, staged a large demonstration in Abuja under the banner of #OccupyINEC, accusing the electoral body of actions they claimed undermined democracy and the party’s internal leadership structure.

The demonstration, held at the Maitama Roundabout, drew several prominent political figures, including former presidential candidates and ex-governors, as well as hundreds of supporters, particularly members of the Kwankwasiyya movement.

Participants at the protest were seen singing Nigeria’s former national anthem, “Arise, O Compatriots!”, despite its replacement on May 29, 2024, with the country’s 1960 independence anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” following a directive by President Bola Tinubu.

The back-to-back protests underscore the deepening rift within the ADC, raising concerns over the party’s stability ahead of future electoral contests.

The Federal Government has approved the rerouting of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway to pass through Ogoniland in honour of the late Senator Mpigi Barinada Barry.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during a “Night of Tribute” held on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.

Speaking at a Night of Tribute in Abuja yesterday, Umahi described Mprigi’s death as a profound loss to the nation and recalled his unwavering commitment to national development, integrity, and bridge-building in the Senate.

He noted that Senator Mpigi’s legacy extends beyond his constituency, with impactful projects in Lagos, Ogun, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kano states.

Umahi described the late lawmaker, who represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District, “as a man of impeccable integrity, whose word was his bond, emphasising that such consistency is rare in politics”.

The minister highlighted Senator Mpigi’s instrumental role in resolving challenges on key road projects, including the Bodo-Bonny Road and the Eleme-Onne section of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

In recognition of Senator Mpigi’s service, he stated that president Bola Tinubu has approved the rerouting of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to pass through Ogoniland.

Umahi assured the bereaved family of the Federal Government’s support, pledging to sustain Senator Mpigi’s developmental vision.

The minister prayed for the repose of Senator Mpigi’s soul, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from his legacy of integrity, patriotism, and service.