The Edo State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has announced a ban on the use of traditional Igbo titles such as Eze Ndigbo, Ezeigbo, Ezendigbo, Igwe and similar designations outside recognised traditional institutions in Igboland.
The group said the decision was based on a resolution reached at the organisation’s General Assembly held on April 9, 2026, and applies to Igbo communities in Edo State, across Nigeria and in the Diaspora.
Speaking during a press conference in Benin City on Monday, the Secretary of the Edo State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Ofodu, said the directive was aimed at preserving the integrity of Igbo traditional institutions and preventing the emergence of parallel leadership structures outside their recognised cultural framework.
“This is to let you know that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has warned against the use of unauthorised Igbo traditional titles such as Ezeigbo, Ezendigbo, Igwe, and similar designations outside recognised traditional institutions in Igboland,” Ofodu said.
According to him, the organisation maintains that only constitutionally and traditionally recognised authorities in Igboland possess the authority to confer such titles.
He argued that the creation or operation of parallel traditional leadership structures outside Igboland lacks cultural legitimacy and is inconsistent with existing legal and traditional provisions.
“The resolution reaffirms cooperation with Edo State’s established traditional authority, including loyalty to the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, and other recognised traditional rulers across Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts,” he added.
Ofodu urged security agencies, government institutions and members of the public to disregard any unauthorised use of the proscribed titles, stressing that compliance with the directive would help maintain order and prevent avoidable tensions within host communities.
He further advised Igbo residents in Edo State to channel community affairs through recognised structures such as town unions and the Igbo Community Union, working in alignment with the broader objectives of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
Beyond the traditional institution issue, the group also used the occasion to launch a voter registration mobilisation campaign aimed at encouraging greater participation by Igbo residents in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ofodu called on all eligible residents aged 18 years and above to obtain voter cards, update their registration details where necessary and actively participate in the democratic process.
Also speaking, the State Legal Adviser of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Igbokwe, said the decision to prohibit the use of such titles was informed by experiences in several countries where self-styled traditional rulers allegedly created disputes and misunderstandings within Igbo communities.
“The message sent to Edo Chapter is to disseminate the information from their last executive meeting where the issue of some Igbo people in the diaspora take the title of Eze Ndigbo or Eze Igbo in their various places of business,” Igbokwe said.
According to him, concerns raised by the national leadership of Ohanaeze and the Council of Traditional Rulers in Igboland showed that the practice had generated controversies in some foreign countries.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo noted that it has caused several problems in Ghana, in South Africa, in Amsterdam and other parts of the world.
“So they have put their feet down in conjunction with the Council of Traditional Rulers of Ndigbo that, that Eze Ndigbo or Eze Igbo or performing the duties of Eze Ndigbo in any form or manner should be totally and permanently proscribed and prohibited,” Igbokwe stated.
The organisation maintained that recognised community associations and cultural unions remain the appropriate platforms for coordinating the affairs of Igbo people living outside their ancestral homeland.
The latest directive is expected to guide Igbo communities in Edo State and beyond on issues relating to traditional leadership, cultural representation and engagement with host communities.
The title “Eze Ndigbo” has historically been adopted by some Igbo community leaders outside the South-East as a means of representing the interests of Igbo residents in host states and foreign countries.
However, the practice has generated controversy over the years, with traditional rulers in Igboland and Ohanaeze Ndigbo repeatedly arguing that traditional royal titles can only be conferred within recognised customary institutions.
Several disputes involving self-styled community monarchs have emerged in parts of Nigeria and the Diaspora, prompting renewed calls for clearer guidelines on cultural leadership and representation among Igbo communities living outside Igboland.
