The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has unveiled ambitious initiatives aimed at promoting Igbo cultural preservation, institutional sustainability and economic self-reliance. Key among the plans are the establishment of professorial chairs in Igbo studies and the creation of new development-focused institutions.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, announced this while presenting a one-year stewardship report at the organisation’s Imeobi meeting held at the International Conference Centre in Enugu.
Azuta-Mbata disclosed that arrangements were in progress to establish professorial chairs in Igbo language, history and culture, each supported by a N35 million take-off grant. He noted that seven professorial chairs—one in each university across the seven Ohanaeze states—had already been endowed, with applications from eligible professors currently undergoing review.
He described the initiative as more than an academic exercise, calling it a strategic investment in cultural preservation, intellectual renewal and the protection of Igbo identity for future generations through structured research and scholarship. According to him, the aim is to ensure that the Igbo story is properly documented, defended and dignified.
To strengthen the organisation’s financial base and administrative efficiency, the Ohanaeze leader also announced the establishment of Alaigbo Development Company and the Ndigbo Development Foundation. He said both entities would receive a N50 million take-off grant before the end of 2025.
Reviewing achievements within his first year in office, Azuta-Mbata revealed that construction of the new Ohanaeze national headquarters in Enugu was nearing completion. He described the project as a major milestone that would provide the organisation with a befitting administrative hub and a lasting institutional legacy.
He added that plans were underway to incorporate a museum of Igbo music, art and culture within the headquarters, making it a central repository for Igbo artefacts and cultural heritage.
On the significance of the Imeobi meeting, Azuta-Mbata said it represented renewal, continuity and the collective determination of the Igbo people to remain relevant, impactful and significant across generations.
Speaking at the event, political economist Pat Utomi urged Igbos to clearly define their role within the Nigerian project, emphasising the importance of fairness, rule of law and the protection of property rights as foundations for wealth creation and security. He stressed that sustainable development is impossible without principle-driven political leadership.
Former Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, called for greater unity and coordinated action among Igbos in tackling common challenges, urging the people to speak with one voice in the pursuit of their legitimate interests.
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Also speaking, Professor of Political Economy at Nasarawa State University, Jideofor Adibe, identified what he termed “Igbo phobia”—a historic sense of exclusion dating back to the colonial era—as a major challenge facing the Igbo. He advocated the adoption of a new charter for Ohanaeze Ndigbo and stressed that Igbo identity must remain central to self-preservation and development.
Adibe further urged Igbo musicians, artists and filmmakers to actively project Igbo culture on global platforms such as Netflix, warning that cultural decline would persist without deliberate intervention. He also called on the Igbo to build strategic alliances with other regions and channel youth frustrations into the development of inclusive and robust economies.
The meeting drew several prominent Igbo leaders and dignitaries, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, and the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, among others.