By Okey Onuegbu & Tobenna Iloghalu

Expectedly, the Igbo summit on the restructuring of the country which held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka on Monday, witnessed the convergence of the ‘who-is-who’ in the struggle to reform Nigeria’s political structure from across Igboland and the entire country.

It turned out an event with a pan-Nigeria colouration with diverse political leaders from a multiplicity of political platforms, regional groupings, religious and traditional leaders in attendance.

These included Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who was chairman of the occasion, chairman of the Local Organising Committee and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, former Chief of army staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), senators Ike Ekweremmadu, Victor Umeh and Enyinnaya Abaribe.

Former minister of health, Dr. Tim Menakaya and the national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike Oye were also there. Wife of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the former Biafran leader, Lady Bianca Ojukwu, former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe and Dame Virginia Etiaba (first female governor in Anambra state and Nigeria generally) were all in attendance just as Chigozie Ogbu, Chief Osita Chidoka, Frank Ogbuewu and Prof Osita Eden.

Also at the occasion were Empire Kanu; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa; Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor; Professor Pat Utomi; General Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu; Sen. Ibok Essien; the Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; prominent academic, historian and Yoruba folklorist, Prof. Banji Akintoye; Prof. Jerry Gana (former Minister of Information); federal legislators such as Hon. Obinna Chidoka, Ben Nwankwo, Anayo Nnebe, and some state Houses of Assembly members led by chairman, southeast conference of speakers, Hon Rita Maduagwu.

The clergy were not left out. Dr. Edward Ezenwafor, Archbishop of Enugu diocese, Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor, the Catholic bishop of Awka diocese Rev. Dr. John Ndubuisi; Rev. Prof. Ben Osisioma; Ven. Christopher Okolo; Rev. Agunwa Emmanuel;; Rev. Ifeanacho Sylvester Kalu; Rev. Isaac Ogbonna, amongst others from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

Similarly, Southeast Traditional Rulers Council got represented in their numbers by Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe of Onitsha and HRH Ebelechi Dick of Abia state.

Chief Edwin Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof. Banji Akintoye, Chief Sam Olu Falae, former chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference in 2014, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, national publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, Chief Supo Shonibare and former Lagos state deputy governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele.

Women, cultural and youth groups present were state chapters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Afenifere, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Middlebelt, South South groups, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives’ Grand Alliance (APGA), Atiologu dance troupe, Adanma dance group, and South East Amalgamated Traders Association (SEAMATA).

Notable absentees to the event were all south east governors with the exception of the governor, Willie Obiano. Along with those governors – Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, Rochas Okorocha of Imo state and Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state – were two others as Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state and Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.

Former governors – Peter Obi of Anambra, Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu state, Achike Udenwa of Imo state, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, Orji Uzor Kalu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Jim Nwobodo and Chris Ngige – as well as Raph Uwazuruike of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Uche Ekwunife, Onyebuchi Nwachukwu, Hope Uzodinma and former nate president, Sen. Ken Nnamani etc.