The installation of Eze Chukwudi Ihenetu as “Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana” (King of the Igbo People in Ghana) has ignited widespread protests and heated debates across Ghana, with youth groups and cultural advocates calling for the role to be scrapped.
Protesters took to the streets of Accra and parts of the Eastern Region, waving placards with inscriptions such as “No Foreign Thrones in Ghana” and “Honour Our Heritage.”
They argue that installing a foreign monarch undermines Ghana’s sovereignty and could erode the nation’s revered chieftaincy institutions, reports Daily Post
Their anger intensified after images of Eze Ihenetu’s lavish palace in Accra surfaced online. The palace, adorned with regal emblems and traditional Igbo architecture, has become a focal point for criticism.
“This is a dangerous precedent. We cannot allow parallel leadership structures to exist in Ghana,” said one protester during a rally in Accra.
The title “Eze Ndi Igbo” is widely used among Igbo communities abroad as a symbolic cultural institution. But in Ghana, critics insist the creation of such foreign thrones could threaten the sanctity of indigenous leadership systems. Unconfirmed reports suggesting that the Igbo leader plans to establish a 50-acre “Igbo kingdom” in Old Ningo have further inflamed tensions.
Allegations of land acquisitions by the Igbo community have been making the rounds, although authorities have yet to confirm any such transactions. The controversy deepened after a viral video showed popular Ghanaian broadcaster Captain Smart kneeling before Eze Ihenetu at a public event, sparking outrage and debate on social media platforms.
Many Ghanaians are now calling on the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to clarify if the country’s laws permit foreigners to assume royal titles and wield influence over cultural matters on Ghanaian soil.
“We must protect our heritage from external influences. This is non-negotiable,” a cultural advocate stated.
In response to the backlash, Eze Chukwudi Ihenetu defended his role, stressing that his position is ceremonial and has no political or territorial implications.
“The throne of the Diasporan Igbo in Ghana is meant to protect, defend and project the Igbo people and Nigerians as a whole. We have no political authority or territorial ambitions in Ghana. This is purely cultural,” he said in a media interview.
The Ghanaian government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, even as protests continue to gain momentum in various parts of the country.
