Reactions have continued to trail the just concluded election of Ohaneze N’digbo world-wide which saw the emergence of former Senate president pro-tempore who hails from Obio-Apkor local government area of River s state John Azuta- Mbata.
Some of those who shared their thoughts on the matter frowned at the decision of Senator John Mbata to take up such a sensitive position which they say was capable of mortgaging the identity of the People of Ikwerrre ethnic Nationality where he hails from.
The emergence of the New president of Ohaneze Ndigbo John Mbata has been a subject of controversy due to diverse historical evidences filtering from different quarters regarding the ancestry of the Ikwerrres and their relationship with the Igbos.
While the Igbos insist that the Ikwerrres are a sub-unit of the heterogenous entity known as the Igbo race
Stakeholders of the Ikwerrre ethnic Nationality maintain that their ethnic group has been in existence with a distinctive culture and value system prior to their social and economic interaction with the Igbos
They added that linguistic similarity has never been a yardstick for an ethnic group to be subsumed into another.
On his part, the newly elected president of Ohaneze Ndigbo Rivers state chapter, another son of Ikwerrre ethnic Nationality, Livingstone Wechie said those against the idea are living in denial while citing an individual’s right to association as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
The election which saw the emergence of Senator John Mbata was conducted at Enugu State.
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
