The South East Council of Traditional Rulers has officially replaced the controversial Eze Ndigbo title for Igbo leaders outside the South East with Onyendu Ndigbo, in a move aimed at addressing longstanding concerns over the legitimacy of diaspora traditional leadership.
The new policy was reinforced on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Owerri, Imo State, where the council inducted the second batch of 19 Igbo diaspora leaders under the new Onyendu Ndigbo title, describing them as cultural ambassadors rather than traditional rulers.
The decision, implemented through the Committee on the Regularisation of Igbo Diaspora Traditional Title and Leadership (CRIDTTL), follows years of controversy surrounding the installation of Eze Ndigbo in different parts of Nigeria and abroad.
Critics have argued that the practice created parallel traditional institutions and often led to conflicts with recognised monarchs in host communities.
Presiding over the ceremony, the Chairman of the Imo State and South East Councils of Traditional Rulers, Eze E. C. Okeke, said the newly recognised leaders must uphold the highest standards of integrity and leadership in their respective communities.
He urged them to promote Igbo culture, unity and peaceful coexistence while maintaining zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of office.
Eze Okeke also commended the Committee on the Regularisation of Igbo Diaspora Traditional Title and Leadership, chaired by Charles Odunukwe, with Prince Ubochi Ubochi serving as secretary, for developing a framework to standardise diaspora leadership.
According to him, the new arrangement is designed to preserve Igbo cultural identity while respecting the traditional institutions, customs and laws of host communities.
The royal father also acknowledged the support of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by its President General, Senator John Azuta Mbata, who was represented at the event by the organisation’s Vice President General, John Duru, and former Imo State Secretary to the State Government, Callistus Ekenze.
He further appreciated the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its role in promoting the welfare of Igbo communities living abroad.
Among those inducted were Emmanuel Chukwuma from Ivory Coast, Chris Umeh from Japan, Uche Egenti from Abuja, alongside other representatives from Abuja and neighbouring communities.
The latest induction follows the first batch held in May 2026, during which 32 diaspora Igbo leaders from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Ghana and other locations were recognised under the Onyendu Ndigbo title after undergoing a screening and verification process.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prince Ubochi Ubochi described the initiative as a significant step towards establishing a credible and globally respected leadership structure for Igbo communities in the diaspora.
He explained that the title Onyendu Ndigbo represents responsibility rather than royalty, adding that those recognised would serve as representatives of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and custodians of Igbo culture in their respective communities.
The adoption of the Onyendu Ndigbo designation comes amid recent actions by some state governments, including Lagos State, to curb the proliferation of unauthorised traditional titles over concerns that self styled monarchs could create conflicts with recognised traditional institutions.
