“THE ATMOSPHERE SHOWS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR OHANAEZE IN LAGOS” — CHIEF OKAFOR
By Clement Odum
The leadership crisis rocking Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos may finally be nearing resolution, following a high-level reconciliation meeting convened last Saturday by the Ohanaeze leadership committee and concerned stakeholders.
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The meeting, aimed at resolving the long-standing leadership tussle between Chief Solomon Ogbonna and Chief Sunday Ossai over the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos presidency, brought together prominent Igbo leaders, traditional rulers across Lagos local governments, and key stakeholders within the Igbo community.
Among those present was Chief Oba Okafor, who was widely acknowledged as spearheading the reconciliation process between the two factions.
Speaking after the meeting, Chief Okafor described the engagement as historic and divinely inspired, stressing that genuine peace can only be achieved when all parties willingly accept reconciliation.
“I thank God and to God be all the glory for this epoch-making history. When you are trying to make peace, once the parties involved accept the agreement and the outcome, it will surely work,” he said.
Chief Okafor expressed deep concern over the protracted crisis, noting that Ohanaeze in Lagos had been plagued by internal disputes for nearly eight years.
“For me, it is shameful that for the past eight years Ohanaeze has remained in crisis in Lagos. There have been problems here and there. I took it upon myself as a matter of personal responsibility to resolve the issue. I had no personal interest or opinion. I simply sought to understand the root cause of the rift between the two parties,” he stated.
According to him, the reconciliation process was deliberately made transparent and inclusive.
“I told them we would not talk in secret. Everything must be on record. We called the Igbo community to witness that we are ready for settlement, and that is what we have done today.”
Chief Okafor disclosed that a clear roadmap has now been agreed upon, including the constitution of joint committees.
