The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has officially outlawed the conferment of the Eze Ndigbo title outside Igbo land, describing the practice as unacceptable and damaging to the image of the Igbo people.
The decision, reached in collaboration with the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, was endorsed during a high-level meeting of the group’s Imeobi (its top decision-making body) in Enugu.
The Federal Government also expressed strong disapproval of the trend, with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, describing such coronations abroad as embarrassing to Nigeria.
She noted that while Nigerians in the diaspora are free to celebrate their culture, installing traditional rulers in foreign countries often creates tension with host communities.
The latest directive follows a controversial coronation in South Africa, where a Nigerian, Solomon Ogbonna Eziko, was installed as Eze Ndigbo na East London in the Eastern Cape on March 14.
The event triggered protests, violence, and the destruction of foreign-owned properties, drawing criticism from local leaders and residents.
Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa later distanced itself from the ceremony, clarifying that it was purely cultural and not an officially recognised traditional institution.
Speaking on the decision, the President-General of Ohanaeze, Azuta Mbata, said the organization has fully adopted the position of traditional rulers to abolish the title outside Igbo land.
Anybody awarded such a title outside Igbo land is on their own. It is unknown to the Igbo people,he stated.
He added that the group would notify state governments and Nigerian embassies worldwide of its position.
Ohanaeze further warned that individuals who violate the directive would face sanctions, to be determined in consultation with traditional rulers.
Such penalties, the group said, would be enforced at the community level through town unions and local institutions.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it would support efforts to communicate the directive globally and prevent future diplomatic tensions.
Officials emphasized that while cultural expression remains important, it must not conflict with the laws, traditions, or sensitivities of host nations.
The move highlights increasing concern over how diaspora cultural practices intersect with international relations, especially when they risk triggering unrest or misunderstandings abroad.
