Ohaneze Ndigbo marks 50th anniversary with book launch in Lagos

Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has marked its 50th anniversary with a book launch and sober reflection on the organisation’s five-decade history.

Eminent Igbo sons and daughters, including traditional rulers and other prominent stakeholders, gathered at Dover Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, for the golden jubilee celebration.

Unlike the usual anniversary celebrations characterised by dancing and merrymaking, the event featured intellectual engagement and reflections on the organisation’s journey, challenges and future.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a 600-page book titled Ohaneze at 50: The Burden of Memory, The Politics of Relevance, which chronicles the history and evolution of the organisation.

The book was authored by Ireke Agbeze Kalu Onuma, Executive Director of the Ndigbo Lagos Foundation, who was present at the inception of Ohaneze Ndigbo and has witnessed its development over the past five decades.

The publication provides a reflective and forward-looking assessment of Ohaneze Ndigbo’s 50-year history, while examining its challenges and the need for the organisation to remain relevant in Nigeria’s socio-political landscape.

The event was attended by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; the King of Abriba Kingdom, Enachioke; Abia State Governor Alex Otti; former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi; Elder U.K. Eke; Dr Uma Eleazu; Prof. Okey Anueyiagu; Comrade Ada Agina-Ude; and actor Kanayo O. Kanayo, among others.

Participants reflected on the lessons of the past and discussed ways of strengthening Ohaneze Ndigbo’s relevance while charting a more impactful path for Ndigbo in Nigeria’s future.