The apex body of all Igbo unions in Germany, Ndi-Igbo Germany, has warned that all those who parade Igbo traditional titles in foreign land are impostors and impersonators and should be treated as such.
The group reiterated its stand against all forms of falsification, commercialisation or impersonation of Igbo traditional titles in foreign land, especially in Germany.
In statement signed by Oge Ozofor, its coordinator, and Tony Dominic, general secretary, sent to BusinessDay, Ndi-Igbo Germany said as custodians of Igbo culture in foreign land, it has from inception strived to maintain the purity and essence of that culture.
“To this end, we have successfully banned all forms of falsification, commercialisation or impersonation of Igbo traditional titles of Ozo, Nze, Eze, Onowu or such similar titles here in Germany,” the group said.
“Conferment of such titles is the prerogative of specific Igbo communities/kingdoms in Igbo land” and “a celebration and recognition of consistent contributions of positive influence and development made to the specific community or the larger society by the recipient”, it said.
Ndi-Igbo Germany stated that as the only apex body of all Igbo unions in Germany, it does not confer and does not recognise such titles as they are nonexistent in Germany.
“In clear text, we want to bring to the notice of the public, all the embassies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the state governments of all the South-East states, their Ministries of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs, their State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Rulers, that any person, persons parading himself/herself as Ozo, Nze, Ogbuefi, Onowu (xy name) of Germany or such similar titles are nothing but imposters and impersonators and should be treated as such,” it said.
Ndi-Igbo Germany, therefore, called on all Ndi-Igbo, both home and abroad, to join hands and complement the group’s effort to halt “this cultural aberration which erodes, cheapens and bastardizes our value system of hard work, honesty, benefits and reward system”.
“We call on all Igbo diaspora groups in the world to join us and take similar stand,” it said.
