By Dr. Eze Chidubem,
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka
In the annals of Nigerian politics, few figures loom as large as Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the iconic leader whose vision birthed the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and whose indomitable spirit continues to symbolize Igbo resilience and unity.
Yet, under the stewardship of Anambra State Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, this hallowed legacy is being systematically undermined through a series of petty, vindictive actions that reek of insecurity and ingratitude. What should be a time for honoring Ojukwu's contributions has devolved into a calculated campaign of erasure, disrespect, and outright hostility most egregiously manifested in the recent assault on his widow, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu's chieftaincy title. This is not governance; it is a betrayal of APGA's foundational ethos, and it demands unflinching condemnation.
Let us begin with the most recent outrage:
the Anambra State Government's brazen disowning of Bianca Ojukwu's chieftaincy title, labeling it "fake" and "illegal." As Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and a pillar of diplomacy, Bianca embodies the grace and strength that Ojukwu championed. Her title, conferred by traditional institutions, is not merely a personal honor but a nod to the Ojukwu family's enduring role in Igbo cultural and political life.
Soludo's administration, through inflammatory press releases and media attacks, has sought to humiliate her, warning her against its use and casting aspersion on her person. This is no administrative correction; it is a direct assault on Ojukwu's memory, using his widow as a proxy to diminish the family's stature. Such pettiness exposes a governor more concerned with consolidating personal power than respecting the icons who paved his path.
This incident is not isolated but part of a broader pattern of erasure. Reports dating back to Soludo's early days in office reveal a deliberate removal of Ojukwu's image from APGA campaign materials, uniforms, and billboards, a symbolic decapitation of the party's founding father.
In 2021, during Soludo's gubernatorial campaign, Ojukwu's likeness vanished from party souvenirs and fabrics, replaced in some instances as Soludo rebranded APGA as a "Solution" entity. By 2023 and into 2025, this purge extended to official uniforms and promotional items, signaling a clear intent to sever APGA from its Ojukwu roots. Critics at the time decried this as a lack of regard for Ojukwu's history, yet Soludo pressed on, effectively airbrushing the Eze Igbo Gburugburu from the party's visual identity. This is not modernization; it is historical vandalism, an effort to rewrite APGA's narrative as if Ojukwu's sacrifices in the Biafran struggle and his establishment of the party in 2003 were mere footnotes.
Compounding this disrespect is Soludo's apparent refusal to honour Ojukwu's legacies in meaningful ways. While lip service is paid to infrastructure and development, the governor has overlooked opportunities to commemorate Ojukwu's contributions through memorials, educational programs, or cultural initiatives that could immortalize his role in Nigerian history. Instead, Soludo's administration has focused on self-aggrandizing "legacy projects," touring them with fanfare while sidelining the man whose vision enabled APGA's dominance in Anambra. This omission speaks volumes: a leader insecure in his own achievements seeks to eclipse those of his predecessors, even at the cost of alienating the Igbo base that reveres Ojukwu.
Perhaps the most damning revelation is Soludo's alleged statements that calls for the "trial" of the late Ojukwu during his lifetime, ostensibly to scrutinize his actions in the civil war era. Whispers in political circles and indirect criticisms in Soludo's responses to detractors suggest a willingness to revisit and tarnish Ojukwu's decisions for contemporary gain. Such rhetoric represents the height of ingratitude, especially from a governor who rode to power on the APGA platform Ojukwu founded. It fuels perceptions of a concerted effort to erase Ojukwu's legacy, as evidenced by attacks on former allies and the broader rebranding of APGA away from its Ojukwu-centric origins.
These actions are not just political missteps; they are a profound betrayal. Ojukwu is the eternal leader of APGA, his spirit the unseen force behind every victory the party has claimed, including Soludo's own in 2021 and 2025. As Bianca herself noted in the wake of that election, Ojukwu's invocation propelled APGA forward, proving his legacy's undying vitality. To diminish him now is to invite the wrath of history and the people.
Soludo must cease this pettiness, restore Ojukwu's imagery and honors, and issue a public apology to Bianca and the Ojukwu family. Failure to do so will not only tarnish his tenure but ensure that APGA's future victories—if any—come despite him, not because of him. The spirit of Ikemba lives on; no amount of erasure can extinguish it.
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