The newly elected leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has a daunting, yet critical task ahead.
At the helm is Senator John Azuta-Mbata, the new President-General, charged with uniting the Igbo people, driving socio-economic development, addressing security concerns, and ensuring fair political representation.
AIT.live takes a closer look at the man, John Azuta-Mbata, now leading this revered apex Igbo socio-cultural organization and the legacy he aims to build.
He is no stranger to leadership…
Senator John Azuta-Mbata, an indigenous Ikwere man of Eneka town in Ikwere Local Government Area who are of the ethnic Igbo nationality in Rivers State, South-South Nigeria, is expected to bring his decades of governance experience to the table.
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Born in January 1960 and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Ibadan, Azuta-Mbata’s academic and professional grounding, gives him the required exposure to lead Ohanaeze Ndigbo towards unity and progress.
During his time as a two-time Senator for Rivers East Senatorial District in Rivers State, Azuta-Mbata served on key Senate committees, including Defense, Works & Housing, Women Affairs, Finance & Appropriation, and Local & Foreign Debts.
Beyond politics, he is actively involved in his family’s construction business in Port Harcourt, where he currently resides.
But, the former lawmaker’s political career has not been without controversy.
In April 2005, Azuta-Mbata faced allegations of involvement in a N55 million budget bribe scam, but after a lengthy legal battle, he was fully acquitted by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on June 1, 2010.
He also played a key role in August 2000, when he temporarily presided over the Senate session that removed Senator Chuba Okadigbo as Senate President, following a report implicating Okadigbo and his deputy, Senator Haruna Abubakar, both now deceased, of misconducts.
The transition to his leadership has not been without rough roads, but John Azuta-Mbata remains committed to his task of positioning Ohanaeze Ndigbo as a powerful voice for the Igbo people, both nationally and globally.
His election as the 13th President-General is seen as a significant shift for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, spotlighting the contributions of the South-South Igbo community to the broader ethnic Ndigbo agenda.
