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Igbos’ in Oriade LCDA, Discredit Eze Umenwekwe Chukwukadibia’s Ezeship Claims, Say,”he is not Our King” By Ifeoma Ikem
Igbos’ in Oriade LCDA, Discredit Eze Umenwekwe Chukwukadibia’s Ezeship Claims, Say,”he is not Our King”
By Ifeoma Ikem
In what appears like the final push to end the contentious Oriade Ezeship tussle, principal Stakeholders, Kingmakers, Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership, Igbo Speaking Community,residents,have unanimously and in unison discredited the purported Ezeship claims by Eze Umenwekwe Chukwukadibia , Calling him a liar and imposture.
Indeed more facts continued to emerge,as stakeholders clamped down on Eze Chukwukadibia’s reported claims and evidences which he had projected, thereby faulting all of them.
With an unexpected overwhelming and unalloyed support ,Oriade LCDA principal Stakeholders gave Chukwukadibia,the Ezeship Claimant ,what a sympathetic resident described as “a head boot and bleeding nose”, by denying him in total, saying that ” Chukwukadibia was late Eze Ogidi of Amuwo Odofin’s ‘OBI’ and was never approved or crowned Eze by Oriade People and kingmakers”.
In what many described as rubbishing Chukwukadibia’s acclaimed credentials, Oriade LCDA principal Stakeholders advised him to stop further parading himself as their Eze, stating thus : “He doesn’t reside or cast his electoral votes here. His purported Ezeship is Unknown to us all and he is not a member of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo Speaking Community .He does not fellowship or pay dues with us in all our activities. He does not have a traditionally standard proper palace in Oriade LCDA, other than his recently rented N100,000 apartment ,with which he laboured in vain to hoodwink some unwary members of the public “.
During a lengthy kingship authentication verification investigation carried out by our Correspondent, all the principal Stakeholders interviewed, were apparently and obviously unhappy with Chukwukadibia for creating what they saw as “a baseless crisis in their hitherto peaceful community, whereby they claimed that Chukwukadibia is a ‘foreigner’ and not part of them”.
The first Stakeholder to release his barrage of criticisms, was Eze Ndigbo in Riverine, Eze Chinaedu Mozie, alias “Nwatakwacha, “he said ” the authentic Eze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA is Eze Udo, Eze Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu, who lives and built his house and palace in Oriade LCDA.Sometimes ago, the Supreme Council of Ndieze in Lagos state deliberated on this Ezeship issues and directed Chukwukadibia to stop parading himself as Eze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA.He can’t reside in Agric area, Ojo local government Area and be claiming to be Eze in Oriade LCDA.
Querying Chukwukadibia’s 15 years claims as Eze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA, Eze Riverine asked him to mention who crowned him. Who crowned him?, Eze to which People?.” Before Oriade LCDA was created,from the year 2003 to early 2020’s, I was a member of ‘ime Obi’ and Chief Security Officer, CSO, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Oriade, Amuwo Odofin , I never knew him as Eze or who crowned him.It was only Eze Anthony Elui and late Eze Udo, Eze Ogidi , that we knew as Ezes in Amuwo Odofin before Oriade was carved out “.
Counseling Chukwukadibia, Eze Mozie Opined, ” We should respect ourselves as Igbos, because we have rich traditional heritage when it comes to Ezeship, a tenant can not be an Eze.Chukwukadibia can’t be living in another place and be claiming Ezeship in Oriade.In this matter between two of them, even everything goes, truth can’t go.Let Chukwukadibia go to the place he resides, bought and built house to contest for Ezeship, he Lacks that quality here in Oriade, I don’t know why he doesn’t want to give up his baseless struggle.
One of Kingmaker in Oriade, said that ,Ochiagha Gurugburu, Chief Ikechukwu, released his own salvos and challenged anyone laying claims to Oriade LCDA Ezeship to show his certificate.
“It is not an issue, anybody, whosoever that says he is Eze Ndigbo, Eze Udo in Oriade LCDA, should show us his certificate.Anyone who claims that I played any role in his life as Eze Ndigbo, must bring the certificate that I signed.As an Eze, you must show us your certificate and palace,” Ochiagha mocked Chukwukadibia .
While Challenging those he said that are using police to intimidate them over the Ezeship tussle, the Kingmaker declared his stand stating that, ” the only man, who is recognized as Eze Udo in Oriade LCDA, is Eze Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu, Eze Ohazurumee, who the Igbo Kingmakers , political groups , Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo Speaking Community in Oriade LCDA, have all agreed to be our Eze, because he agrees with the terrain.If they like, let them use police to threaten and intimidate us, at the appropriate time, truth will overcome and we can’t fight with the Yorubas, because they are our landlord”.
Clarifying their earlier relationship with Chukwukadibia, Ochiagha stated thus: ” Yes, at the earlier stage, we invited and interviewed Chukwukadibia and he deceptively showed us a building in Oriade, claiming that it was his own and based on that,we issued him with a certificate that I signed recommending him to be crowned Eze by the Igbo Speaking Community in Oriade LCDA.But when we now found out that he rented a two bedroom flat, everybody withdrew , let him exhibit the content of the certificate that I signed .The truth is that he doesn’t vote in Oriade LCDA, he votes in Ojo and the two people that were following him, Chief Alex Ezeobi, aka, Biafra and ichie Sunday Edyson Okeke, known also as “Mmiri Oma na Isuofia”, later found out the truth, that Chukwukadibia is not the real man that they thought that he was and they withdrew”.
On way forward for lasting peace in Oriade LCDA over the Ezeship tussle, the Kingmaker Ochiagha said that” If Chukwukadibia really want to answer that Ezeship name, no problem but there are certain things to be done, we should come together”.
“But as at today, the Eze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA that we know and following, is Eze Udo, Eze Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu and we found him worthy of these and that is why we are aligning with him.let me limit it this way, but I have my own story to tell,if they want to drag me into this.They can’t intimidate everybody with the police, no, no, no ,no.You can’t fight with the Yorubas, Omoniles. You can’t come from nowhere and say that you are building a kingdom, which kingdom?. I have been following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before AD party to APC . At the appropriate time, the APC Party will make a statement and give instructions to the police, Ochiagha concluded.
Going down memory lane In his own contribution, Chukwukadibia’s estranged Cabinet Chairman, Chief Sunday Edyson Okeke, alias ‘Mmiri Oma na Isuofia’, who indirectly accepted to be the innocent Initiator of the Ezeship tussle, however,stated that ,”Apollos Umenwekwe Chukwukadibia , has been lying and very economical with the truth”.
He stated that he did not know when and who coronated Chukwukadibia as Eze.He accused Chukwukadibia of initially brain washing them and that when he later discovered that he never had any residential property in Oriade, he advised him to purchase a property in Oriade, even it was a bungalow, if he truly wished to become an Eze in Oriade, but he ignored them.
He said thus: ” It was late Eze Udo Amuwo Odofin,Eze Ogidi, who initially crowned him “Obi ” Onireke, Obi Amuwo Odofin, Obi Oriade and because late Eze Ogidi was living in a street in Oriade, I felt I could use Chukwukadibia to retain the legacies of the late Ogidi .I was the person that reconciled him with Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA.I know the bungalow he lives at Ilufe area of Ojo local government Area, he has no tenant there and iam not trying to mock him financially but he is not living in Oriade LCDA,it is as simple as A,B,C,D “.
When our Correspondent drew his attention to the fact that Eze Chukwukadibia, had in a recent publication with an Online Newspaper Stated that he resides at No. 8 Olubodun Crescent, off Galaxy Olola Community, Ijegun, Satellite town, Chief Okeke retorted angrily and explained thus :
” Iam an Ichie, an “Ozo” titled holder in Isuofia, Anambra State,meaning that I shouldn’t lie. That address he provided is a false information and claims.I was the person that paid N100,000 for that rented apartment in the compound known as”Malaysia ” , owned by an Igbo landlord from Umuchu in Anambra State”, Okeke stated.
According to him, “I was his back bone and our initial plot was that Chukwukadibia will hold on to the rented apartment, pending when he buys a house in one of the streets there, so that when people hears our fabrications ,that he was crowned by late Eze Ogidi as Eze Oriade, it will become believable .I have spent over N300,000 of my own money on him, just in a bid to make him Eze Ndigbo in Oriade LCDA and while i and my colleagues were suffering for him, he disappointed us “, Mmiri Oma regretted.
Regretting further his unfruitful efforts towards helping Chukwukadibia, Chief Okeke advised Chukwukadibia to step down and stop parading himself as Eze Ndigbo Oriade and cease forthwith from peddling false hold in Oriade.
Mmiri Oma therefore concluded that as far as Igbo tradition is concerned,it is Eze Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu that is the authentic Eze Ndigbo because he lives and built his house in Oriade ,”As an Ichie in my town, somebody can’t be living in another place and be King in another place ,an Eze must have an “Obi” in his kingdom.Surposing someone wants to visit him?, It should not be in a hotel.It was on the account of these things that I withdrew from him, because he is not serious to be an Eze , he doesn’t seek advice and doesn’t operate like an Eze”, Chief Okeke opined.
Confirming some of the positions of Chief Okeke, the former Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Oriade, Chief Alex Ezeobi, popularly known as “Biafra”,stated that : “the only recognized Eze in Oriade LCDA now, is Eze Emmanuel Chukwuakalikamadu”.
This affirmation ,Biafra said, is based on the report of the committee set up by Chief Edwin Egboka, alias.
Why Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s birthday visit to Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) in Minna (where he hailed the octogenarian as a patriotic leader committed to national unity) was more than a courtesy call. It was a reminder of a peculiar constant in Nigerian politics: the steady pilgrimage of power-seekers, bridge-builders and crisis-managers to the Hilltop mansion. Jonathan’s own words captured it bluntly: IBB’s residence “is like a Mecca of sorts” because of the former military president’s enduring relevance and perceived nation-first posture.
Babangida turned 84 on 17 August 2025. That alone invites reflection on a career that has shaped Nigeria’s political architecture for four decades; admired by some for audacious statecraft, condemned by others for controversies that still shadow the republic. Born on 17 August 1941 in Minna, he ruled as military president from 1985 to 1993, presiding over transformative and turbulent chapters: the relocation of the national capital to Abuja in 1991; the creation of political institutions for a long, complex transition; economic liberalisation that cut both ways; and the fateful annulment of the 12 June 1993 election. Each of these choices helps explain why the Hilltop remains a magnet for Nigerians who need counsel, cover or calibration.
A house built on influence; why the visits never stop.
Let’s start with the obvious: access. Nigeria’s political class prizes proximity to the men and women who can open doors, soften opposition, broker peace and read the hidden currents. In that calculus, IBB’s network is unmatched. He cultivated a reputation for “political engineering,” the reason the press christened him “Maradona” (for deft dribbling through complexity) and “Evil Genius” (for the strategic cunning his critics decried). Whether one embraces or rejects those labels, they reflect a reality: Babangida is still the place where many politicians go to test ideas, seek endorsements or secure introductions. Even the mainstream press has described him as a consultant of sorts to desperate or ambitious politicians, an uncomfortable description that nevertheless underlines his gravitational pull.
Though it isn’t only political tact that draws visitors; it’s statecraft with lasting fingerprints. Moving the seat of government from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991 was not a cosmetic relocation, it re-centred the federation and signaled a symbolic neutrality in a country fractured by regional suspicion. Abuja’s founding logic (GEOGRAPHIC CENTRALITY and ETHNIC NEUTRALITY) continues to stabilise the national imagination. This is part of the reason many leaders, across party lines, still defer to IBB: he didn’t just rule; he rearranged the map of power.
Then there’s the regional dimension. Under his watch, Nigeria led the creation and deployment of ECOMOG in 1990 to staunch Liberia’s bloody civil war, a bold move that announced Abuja as a regional security anchor. The intervention was imperfect, contested and costly, but it helped define West Africa’s collective security posture and Nigeria’s leadership brand. When neighboring states now face crises, the memory of that precedent still echoes in diplomatic corridors and Babangida’s counsel retains currency among those who remember how decisions were made.
Jonathan’s praise and the unity argument.
Jonathan’s tribute (stressing Babangida’s non-sectional outlook and commitment to unity) goes to the heart of the Hilltop mystique. For a multi-ethnic federation straining under distrust, figures who can speak across divides are prized. Jonathan’s point wasn’t nostalgia; it was a live assessment of a man many still call when Nigeria’s seams fray. That’s why the parade to Minna continues: the anxious, the ambitious and the statesmanlike alike seek an elder who can convene rivals and cool temperatures.
The unresolved shadow: June 12 and the ethics of influence.
No honest appraisal can skip the hardest chapter: the annulment of the 12 June 1993 election (judged widely as free and fair) was a rupture that delegitimised the transition and scarred Nigeria’s democratic journey. Political scientist Larry Diamond has repeatedly identified June 12 as a prime example of how authoritarian reversals corrode democratic legitimacy and public trust. His larger warning (“few developments are more destructive to the legitimacy of new democracies than blatant and pervasive political corruption”) captures the moral crater that followed the annulment and the years of drift that ensued. Those wounds are part of the Babangida legacy too and they complicate the reverence that a steady stream of visitors displays.
Max Siollun, a leading historian of Nigeria’s military era, has observed (provocatively) that the military’s “greatest contribution” to democracy may have been to rule “long and badly enough” that Nigerians lost appetite for soldiers in power. It’s a stinging line, yet it helps explain the paradox of IBB’s status: the same system he personified taught Nigeria costly lessons that hardened its democratic reflexes. Today’s generation visits the Hilltop not to revive militarism but to harvest hard-won insights about managing a fragile federation.
What sustains the pilgrimage.
1) Institutional memory: Nigeria’s politics often suffers amnesia. Babangida offers a living archive of security crises navigated, regional diplomacy attempted, volatile markets tempered and power-sharing experiments designed. Whether one applauds or condemns specific choices, the muscle memory of governing a complex federation is rare and urgently sought.
2) Convening power: In a season of polarisation, the ability to sit warring factions in the same room is not small capital. Babangida’s imprimatur remains a safe invitation card few refuse it, fewer ignore it. That convening power explains why movements, parties and would-be presidents keep filing up the long driveway. Recent delegations have explicitly cast their courtesy calls in the language of unity, loyalty and patriotism ahead of pivotal elections.
3) Signals to the base: Visiting Minna telegraphs seriousness to party structures and funders. It says: “I have sought counsel where history meets experience.” In Nigeria’s coded political theatre, that signal still matters. Outlets have reported for years that many aspirants treat the Hilltop as an obligatory stop an unflattering reality, perhaps, but a revealing one.
4) The man and the myth: The mansion itself, with its opulence and aura, has become a set piece in Nigeria’s story of power, admired by some, resented by others, but always discussed. The myth feeds the pilgrimage; the pilgrimage feeds the myth.
The balance sheet at 84.
To treat Babangida solely as a sage is to forget the costs of his era; to treat him only as a villain is to ignore the architecture that still holds parts of Nigeria together. Abuja’s relocation stands as a stabilising bet that paid off. ECOMOG, for all its flaws, seeded a habit of regional responsibility. Conversely, June 12 remains a national cautionary tale about elite manipulation, civilian marginalisation and the brittleness of transitions managed from above. These are not contradictory truths; they are the double helix of Babangida’s place in Nigerian memory.
Jonathan’s homage tried to distill the better angel of IBB’s record: MENTORSHIP, BRIDGE-BUILDING and a POSTURE that (at least in his telling) RESISTS SECTIONAL ISM. “That is why today, his house is like a Mecca of sorts,” he said, praying that the GENERAL continues to “mentor the younger ones.” Whether one agrees with the full sentiment, it accurately describes the lived politics of Nigeria today: Minna remains a checkpoint on the road to relevance.
The scholar’s verdict and a citizen’s challenge.
If Diamond warns about legitimacy and Siollun warns about the perils of soldier-politics, what should Nigerians demand from the Hilltop effect? Three things.
First, use influence to open space, not close it. Counsel should tilt toward rules, institutions and credible elections not kingmaking for its own sake. The lesson of 1993 is that subverting a valid vote haunts a nation for decades.
Second, mentor for unity, but insist on accountability. Unity cannot be a euphemism for silence. A truly patriotic elder statesman sets a high bar for conduct and condemns the shortcuts that tempt new actors in old ways. Diamond’s admonition on corruption is not an abstraction; it’s a roadmap for rebuilding trust.
Third, convert nostalgia into institutional memory. If Babangida’s house is a classroom, then Nigeria should capture, publish and debate its lessons in the open: on peace operations (what worked, what failed), on capital relocation (how to plan at scale), and on transitions (how not to repeat 1993). Only then does the pilgrimage serve the republic rather than personalities.
At 84, Ibrahim Babangida remains a paradox that Nigeria cannot ignore: a man whose legacy straddles NATION-BUILDING and NATION-BRUISING, whose doors remain open to those seeking power and those seeking peace. Jonathan’s visit (and his striking “Mecca” metaphor) reveals a simple, stubborn fact: in a country still searching for steady hands, the Hilltop’s shadow is long. The task before Nigeria is to ensure that the shadow points toward a brighter constitutional daybreak, where influence is finally subordinated to institutions and where mentorship hardens into norms that no single mansion can monopolise. That is the only pilgrimage worth making.
Ajadi Celebrates Juju Legend Femolancaster’s 50th Birthday in the UK
Nigerian Juju music legend, Otunba Femi Fadipe, popularly known as FemoLancaster, is being celebrated today in London as he clocks 50 years of age.
Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, a frontline politician and businessman, led tributes to the Ilesa-born maestro, describing him as a timeless cultural icon whose artistry has enriched both Nigeria and the world.
“FemoLancaster is not just a musician, he is a legend,” Ambassador Ajadi said in his birthday message. “For decades, his classical Juju sound has remained a reminder of the beauty of Yoruba heritage. Today, as he turns 50, I celebrate a cultural ambassador whose music bridges generations and continents.”
While FemoLancaster is highly dominant in Oyo State and across the South-West, his craft has also taken him beyond Nigeria’s borders.
FemoLancaster’s illustrious career has seen him thrill audiences across Nigeria and beyond, with performances in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, and other parts of the world. His dedication to Juju music has projected Yoruba traditional sounds to international stages, keeping alive the legacy of icons like King Sunny Ade and Chief Ebenezer Obey while infusing fresh energy for younger audiences
He further stressed the significance of honoring artistes who have remained faithful to indigenous music while taking it global. “In an era where modern sounds often overshadow tradition, FemoLancaster stands as a beacon of continuity and resilience. He has carried Yoruba Juju music into the global space with dignity, passion, and excellence,” he added.
The golden jubilee celebration in London has drawn fans, friends, and colleagues, who all describe FemoLancaster as a gifted artist whose contributions over decades have earned him a revered place in the pantheon of Nigerian music legends.
“As FemoLancaster marks this milestone,” Ajadi concluded, “I wish him many more years of good health, wisdom, and global recognition. May his music continue to echo across generations and continents.”
celebrity radar - gossips
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
Gospel Songstress Esther Igbekele Marks Birthday with Gratitude and Celebration
By Aderounmu Kazeem Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria — The gospel music scene is aglow today as the “Duchess of Gospel Music,” Esther Igbekele, marks another milestone in her life, celebrating her birthday on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
Known for her powerful voice, inspirational lyrics, and unwavering dedication to spreading the gospel through music, Esther Igbekele has become one of Nigeria’s most respected and beloved gospel artistes. Over the years, she has graced countless stages, released hit albums, and inspired audiences across the world with her uplifting songs.
Today’s celebration is expected to be a joyful blend of music, prayers, and heartfelt tributes from family, friends, fans, and fellow artistes. Sources close to the singer revealed that plans are in place for a special praise gathering in Lagos, where she will be joined by notable figures in the gospel industry, church leaders, and admirers from home and abroad.
Speaking ahead of the day, Igbekele expressed deep gratitude to God for His mercy and the opportunity to use her gift to touch lives. “Every birthday is a reminder of God’s faithfulness in my journey. I am thankful for life, for my fans, and for the privilege to keep ministering through music,” she said.
From her early beginnings in the Yoruba gospel music scene to her rise as a celebrated recording artiste with a unique fusion of contemporary and traditional sounds, Esther Igbekele’s career has been marked by consistency, excellence, and a strong message of hope.
As she adds another year today, her fans have flooded social media with messages of love, appreciation, and prayers — a testament to the profound impact she continues to make in the gospel music ministry.
For many, this birthday is not just a celebration of Esther Igbekele’s life, but also of the divine inspiration she brings to the Nigerian gospel music landscape.
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