Lagos, Nigeria. The Nigerian government has expressed strong disapproval of the rising trend of installing traditional Igbo kings in foreign countries. The government warned that crowning an Eze Ndigbo outside Nigeria causes embarrassment and creates serious tension with host nations.
Doctor Magnus Eze, the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, released a statement about the issue. He said the government is working with the leading Igbo cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and traditional rulers from south eastern Nigeria to end the practice completely.
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, spoke about the problem during a meeting in Enugu State, Nigeria. She explained that it is perfectly fine for Nigerians to celebrate their culture abroad. However, setting up traditional leadership structures in other countries leads to conflicts.
She stated, “The situation has become a big embarrassment to government, Ndigbo, Nigerians and other foreigners in those countries where they have Eze Ndigbo.”
The government issued this statement after a recent problem in South Africa. An Igbo leader was crowned in East London, a city in the Eastern Cape province. This angered local South African traditional leaders and caused protests, violence, and property damage. South African authorities quickly declared the ceremony illegal.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that the Nigerian embassy in South Africa did not support the event. She also reminded the public of a similar issue in Ghana in July 2025. That incident caused threats against Nigerians living there and required a diplomatic meeting with Ghanaian President John Mahama to solve the problem and protect Nigerian citizens.
Senator Azuta Mbata, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said his group no longer recognizes these foreign titles. He warned that anyone taking such a title is acting alone. The group plans to send letters to embassies worldwide to inform them of this new rule, and the Nigerian government will help share this information to prevent future misunderstandings.