About three weeks ago, hundreds of Ghanaians took to the streets in Accra and parts of the Eastern Region of the country to protest the installation of a Nigerian national, Chukwudi Ihenetu, as the “Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana,” a symbolic traditional leader representing the Igbo community in the country.
The protest, held with banners bearing such messages as “No Foreign Thrones in Ghana” and “Honour Our Heritage,” drew attention to what demonstrators described as an attempt to undermine Ghana’s chieftaincy system by recognising a foreign royal figure on Ghanaian soil.
They have also been accused of other things like setting up an illegal settlement which goes against their beliefs and law in Ghana.
According to Dr Hassan Ayarigah, a Ghanaian senior citizen who was on Ghana Metro TV to shed light on the ongoing saga between the people of Nigeria, the Igbo community to be precise and their host Ghanaians, noted that a foreigner calling himself a King in another man’s land is wrong.
“Someone not a citizen of this country (Ghana) can’t do such a thing. You come to a place and acquire 50 acres of land to build the Igbo Kingdom so that it will become one of a kind in the world, which has never happened anywhere in this country before. It shows that we are loose. We allow everybody to take control.
“You want to build a Kingdom that will determine the president in Nigeria, and anybody who wants to buy or acquire a property will come there and buy land as an Igbo Nigerian and live in the kingdom., That is another kingdom in Ghana. They are now rubbing shoulders with other Kings in Ghana, and this shows that we are going to have big problems in the future.
“We also tried to find out those behind the crime rate, and you realise that 90 per cent of crime, if you check the statistics. Kidnapping, armed robbery, drug, fraud, 419, yahoo yahoo. They have manipulated the system.
“Right now they are even killing landlords. They come and rent your house. Only one person shows face but at least 30 people will come and live there later. If we allow such a kingdom, very soon something terrible will happen. We will be recording missing people in this country every day.
“We are not against settlers. We have Yoruba settlers, and we are living happily with them. We have Hausa settlers, and we are living happily with them. The point, whether we are selling our sovereignty to the Nigerians? Even in Nigeria, they aren’t welcome by the Hausa and Yoruba.
“You remembered there was a xenophobic attack in South Africa, it was targeted against the Igbos, but later affected all the Africans because wherever they are, they are always like that. I’m not stigmatising them. Don’t forget that I live in Nigeria. I was schooled in Nigeria. We have lived there before. On this issue, Eze Ihenetu, who has held the title (Eze Ndigbo) for several years, has clarified that his role is purely cultural and not political,” he said.
Public anger was further aroused after claims surfaced that a 50-acre expanse of land in Old Ningo was being considered for the establishment of an “Igbo Kingdom” in Ghana.
While these reports remain unverified, they have led to renewed calls for clarity from the government.
“We are not against the Igbo people or any other community,” one protester said. “But Ghanaian land and traditions cannot be handed over to foreign monarchs. We have our chiefs and systems. We won’t allow this here. Never!”
So far, the Ghanaian government and the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs have not issued any official response. However, protesters are demanding clear guidelines on whether foreign nationals can be legally recognised as traditional rulers within Ghana’s territory.
Many fear that such recognitions, if left unchecked, could lead to the emergence of parallel traditional structures that might threaten the authority of Ghana’s indigenous chieftaincy system.
A Nigerian national at the centre of a viral video suggesting plans to establish an “Igbo Kingdom” in Ghana has formally apologised to the government and people of Ghana, describing the comments as outdated and regrettable.
On Wednesday, July 17, 2025, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that he had summoned Mr Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, the man featured in the video, for a meeting following public concern over the footage, which resurfaced on social media.
Mr Ihenetu, who is regarded by some within Ghana’s Nigerian community as a tribal leader, explained that the video was taken from a 2013 interview and no longer reflects his views or intentions. He stated that he had not acquired land in Ghana for any such purpose and described the original remarks as “ill-advised.”
“He conveyed profuse apologies to the President, Government, chiefs and people of Ghana for the unfortunate agitations his remarks have caused,” Mr Ablakwa said in a Facebook post shared after the meeting.
The video, which circulated widely online, showed Mr Ihenetu speaking about acquiring land in Ghana to create a kingdom for the Igbo people.
Although the remarks were made over a decade ago, the footage sparked public debate on matters relating to land ownership, cultural identity, and traditional authority.
Mr Ablakwa urged the public to remain calm, reiterating Ghana’s long-standing Pan-African orientation and its tradition of hospitality towards fellow Africans.
He maintained that while Ghana welcomes all Africans in the spirit of unity, visitors must respect the country’s laws and avoid statements that may be viewed as unlawful or divisive.
“We are proud of our Pan-African identity,” Mr Ablakwa stated. “But we expect all our guests to abide by our peaceful and law-abiding traditions.”
He also reminded Ghanaians to exercise restraint in their public commentary, warning that inflammatory responses could lead to unnecessary tensions.
He described the relationship between Ghana and Nigeria as one of “inseparable friendship and brotherhood.”
(City People)
