No Eze Ndigbo Outside Igbo Land — South-East Traditional Rulers Insist

The South East Council of Traditional Rulers (SECTR) has reaffirmed that, in order to safeguard and preserve Igbo cultural heritage from abuse, no Igbo leader outside Igbo land is permitted to bear the title Eze Ndigbo.
This position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a well-attended delegates’ meeting held in Enugu on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

The communiqué was signed by the chairmen of the council in the five South-East states, as well as their leader, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe. The traditional rulers reiterated that Igbo leaders in the Diaspora must use the title Ndindu Ndigbo, stressing that the decision is sacrosanct.
Speaking on the resolution, the Chairman of SECTR, Eze Dr. Emmanuel Okeke, explained that the move was aimed at protecting the sacredness and sanctity of the title Eze, which is reserved strictly for duly recognised traditional rulers within the South-East region.
Eze Okeke, who also serves as Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, said the decision was taken to preserve Igbo culture and prevent abuse, political manipulation and general disrespect for the traditional Eze stool.
According to him, the title Eze is sacred and applies only to recognised monarchs within the South-East, noting that it requires specific traditional rites and governance structures and should not be treated as an honorary designation or award.
Commending the resolution, the National Chairman of Ndindu Ndigbo N’Uzo Ije (Council of Igbo Leaders in the Diaspora), High Chief Aloy Obi, who was also a delegate at the meeting, praised the traditional rulers for what he described as a firm, courageous and principled stance on the sensitive issue of titles for Igbo leaders outside Igbo land.
High Chief Obi, who is also the Onyendu Ndigbo in Oyo State, said the council’s decision to uphold the use of Onyendu Ndigbo instead of Eze Ndigbo, despite pressure and lobbying to the contrary, reflected uncommon integrity, uprightness and commitment to the sanctity of Igbo cultural institutions.
He noted that the refusal of the council to bow to pressure further strengthened confidence in its leadership, stressing that by defending the traditional structure and spiritual essence of Igbo chieftaincy titles, the rulers had preserved the dignity, unity and cultural heritage of the Igbo people for present and future generations.
In his remarks, John Greg Ezebuadi, who led the Lagos State delegation, recalled that based on a 2010 resolution, they had earlier agreed on the title Onyeisi Ndigbo. However, he said the SECTR insisted that Igbo leaders in the Diaspora should be addressed as Ndindu Ndigbo.
Also speaking, the leader of the Igbo community in Mushin, Lagos State, Peter Umeh, said he had previously answered the title Eze Ndigbo of Mushin but had decided to comply with the SECTR’s resolution by adopting the title Onye Ndu Ndigbo in Mushin.
Umeh explained that the council of traditional rulers are the custodians of Igbo culture and tradition in Igboland and, therefore, their decision must be respected. He added that obedience to the council’s resolution was in line with the cultural and moral obligation to respect elders and constituted authority.
Delegates from outside Igbo land who attended the meeting also came from Edo, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo states.