Respected Igbo Culture Advocate, Dr Chuma-Odili Harris Udokamma a.k.a Ogene Igbo, has expressed shock and sadness over the passage of the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos, Eze Nwabueze Ohazuluike (Mkpume).
Ohazuruike, popularly known as Tokas until his death, was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Association of Ndi Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora.
Ogene Igbo, in a condolence message on Wednesday, said the late Eze Ndigbo had made “indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.
According to Ogene, Eze Ohazuruike was an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Igboland and Lagos in particular in just a little over twenty years of his reign as a consummate Igbo Leader.
He expressed his condolences to the family, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, the Igbo Speaking Community, the Traditional Council of Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora and the entire Igbo people living in Lagos State, praying God to grant peaceful repose to the soul of the deceased Igbo Leader.
Ogene said: “A mighty Iroko has fallen; Ezd Mkpume, Eze Ndigbo na uzo ije has joined the ancestors”.
“I recall vividly, in 2012, at Ndigbo in Lagos Annual New Yam Festival, Eze Tokas appreciated my efforts and campaigns for a true rebirth of Igbo language films in Nollywood. He led the Traditional Council of Eze Ndigbo in Diaspora to honour me with an hononary Chieftaincy Award “Ogene Ndigbo”, the traditional title that would later be conferred on me in my home town, Azu- Ogbunike in 2016.”
“Eze Ohazuluike was a rallying point of lovers of Igbo culture in diaspora. He was a great unifier, he forstered peaceful coexistence and unity amongst Ndigbo across the Western and Northern Nigeria, using his position as Eze Ndigbo conferred on him, and endorsed by the Igbo eternal Leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, to mobilise Ndigbo in diaspora to a true cultural revivial.”
“It is my prayer that God grants peaceful repose to the soul of our amiable Eze Tokas, Mkpume. He is forever in my heart. Eze Mkpume will be greatly missed” Ogene Igbo concluded.