Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said it is too early to wade into the feud between wife of ex-Anambra State governor, Ebele Obiano; and widow of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca
Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, made this known in a chat with Sunday PUNCH on Friday.
According to him, it was inappropriate at the moment to invite Ebele to a meeting with Bianca, because the former was facing another ordeal with the arrest of her husband by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Bianca and Ebele had clashed at the inauguration of Chukwuma Soludo as the governor of Anambra State on Thursday.
Bianca reportedly slapped Ebele at the event venue in Awka, the state capital, and the two had fought dirty before the dignitaries at the event, including Soludo; Obiano; ex-governor Peter Obi; and National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Victor Oye.
On whether Ohanaeze has plans to reconcile Ebele and Bianca, Ogbonnia said, “On the reconciliation of Ebele Obiano and Bianca Ojukwu, I want to believe that with time that matter will be over. Two people will always quarrel and they will reconcile. It is hoped that time will heal whatever wound that they have inflicted on themselves.”
“It is not expected to be a prolonged quarrel. So, by the grace of God it will end like that but if we discover that it continues, for example now, if after today, Mrs Obiano begins to make some comments or Bianca begins to make some comments, that is when it becomes so obvious that the matter is still lingering.
“By next week, they should be sympathetic to each other. It is only when there is a lingering crisis that there is a need for reconciliation.”
Ogbonnia said the fight between Bianca Ojukwu, the widow of the Biafran warlord and Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife to the ex-governor Willie Obiano, does not represent the Igbo people and should not affect their bid for a stint on the presidency.
“Any person who uses that incident between Bianca Ojukwu and Ebelechukwu Obiano to join the Igbo is not being fair. We have to be sensitive. It is very unfortunate that one would use what happened between two women to judge the Igbo, especially in relation to 2023,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Nigerian entrepreneur and founder, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, Atedo Peterside, has said the confrontation between Bianca and Obiano was necessary.
In a tweet on his verified Twitter page, @AtedoPeterside wrote on Friday, “Significant change often comes about in unpredictable ways.
“That ill-advised @biancaojukwu slap is an important warning; far too many brilliant Nigerian women have been needlessly oppressed and humiliated by uncouth and over-bearing First Ladies for too long.”
Also reacting, a former Senator who represented Imo State (Owerri) Constituency in the senate, Chris Anyanwu, said Obiano should apologise to Bianca and the latter should make peace with “her sister”.
“But, above all, they both should apologise to Anambra people and Nigerians at large. That vicious slur on Bianca’s character was a slur on all hardworking women; that loud slap was a slap in the face of Anambra State.
“By that ugly behaviour, they dragged the headlines away from the inspiring vision that Soludo presented; the hope he promised the people and took world attention away to a place of banality and ugliness,” she said.
