By Austine Uche-Ejeke
This question of the whereabouts of recently elected Ohaneze president-general Senator John Azuka Mbata has become imperative going by the long silence from him and also in view of what is currently going on in the polity.
Senator Mbata was overwhelmingly elected as the new helmsman of Ohaneze ndi Igbo  on January, 10, 2025. He took over from the late Ikeduru, Imo state born Igbo leader, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Since after his election a couple of months ago a lot of things have been happening that ordinarily would require the voice of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization leader to speak out for the entire South East and indeed other states harbouring people of Igbo extraction.
But that is not the case as the new leader sort of disappeared into thin air with no one hearing his voice on crucial national issues that is affecting the very people he was supposed to lead.
His absence draws tears from the eyes and sends most people back to nostalgia when they remember great Ohaneze president-generals like the iroko professor Joe Irukwu and recently passed Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
During the reign of the duo the federal government, the global world and indeed ndi Igbo in general knew that they had leaders who were not only always speaking out but physically fighting for the cause of the Igbos
It is on record that one of the causative factors that led to Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s death was the horrendous wickedness of the DSS who subjected him to a long distance trek just for him to see the incarcerated IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu in his detention camp.
Recently there have been issues that require the position of the Ohaneze as a unified organization to take a stand but no where did we see our supposed leader or even members of his executive. This has led to mushroom splinter groups and factions claiming to be Ohanaeze make very insulting and debasing comments that do not reflect the position of the Igbos.
It is even so shameful that former Senate majority leader Ali Ndume had to come out to speak and advocate for the Igbos when president Tinubu in his usual manner in recent board appointments neglected the Igbos and the South East region.
Ali Ndume had to call him to order by reminding him that his appointments should be all embracing and inclusive to accommodate all the geo-political regions of the country.
As that was not enough an unknown rag-tag faction of Ohaneze had the guts to warn Peter Obi to steer clear of 2027 and allow Tinubu to complete his two terms. What an absurdity! It was after several days of the unfortunate outburst that a member of the Mbata led EXCO came out to counter the group insisting it did not come from mainstream Ohaneze. And the question still goes where is Senator Mbata and why is he not speaking out.
In the past few months a lot of very troubling issues have been happening that have negatively affected the Igbos but no voice or comment from their supposed leader. This is not supposed to be so!
Businesses, shops and properties of Igbos are regularly demolished even with their goods inside and nobody is speaking out.Streets that Igbos paid huge amounts of money to be named after them are renamed and it is allowed to just slide.
Also recently happening to ndi Igbo in Ghana causing reprisal attacks on Igbos and their businesses in Ghana, yet mum was the word from Mbata.
Again in a country where we have three major traditional rulers as recognized by law suddenly want tit changed to just two Sultan of Sokoto and Ooni of Ife, leaving out the Obi of Onitsha that is supposed. to complete the tripod. It has even passed crucial stages in the Senate and if care is not taken may be passed to law.
It is our belief and prayers that Ohaneze president-general John Mbata is sound and healthy and  suffering from no disability as that may be the only acceptable excuse for his not speaking out and taking his position as the foremost Igbo leader by virtue of the position he is occupying. Even if the reverse is the case there is already a structure in place as we have  sworn in executive that should step in.
A lot of killings are going on in Igbo land with the recent Arondizuogu massacre and other places .Herdsmen are maiming, raping our women and killing our people in Ebonyi, Anambra, Abia , Enugu and Imo states yet nobody is voicing out
Police and other security agencies are having field day in  the south east that you can count up 80 police, army and other security check points and road blocks from Sagamu to Owerri, a route that leads to ancestral Igbo land.
Most of the roads in the south East are in a very deplorable state while massive road construction are going on in other regions of the country.
A recent video shows the state of art of the railway terminal in Abuja and Lagos whereas there are no train services in the whole of South East, not to talk of a befitting railway terminal and Mbata is keeping quiet as if all is well!
Every right thinking Igbo man should join voices and forces to question the whereabouts of the Ohaneze president-general John Mbata. If after assumption of office he finds it difficult to function due to one reason or the other, the most honourable thing for him to do is to throw in the towel by way of resignation .
This is a very turbulent and troubling period for the Igbos particularly in this administration where every nonsense is shoved down their throats with the notion of what can they can do??
2027 general elections are coming up in a couple of months and we need to take a stand. Do we just cross our legs just like we did in 2023 where Igbos in Lagos were humiliated, harassed, beaten, killed and forced not to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice by some highly reprehensible characters.
This is the time for Ohaneze president-general John Mbata to resurrect and stamp his feet on the ground and say enough is enough! He should not only be talking but going round the country, building bridges and insisting that Igbos are not third or even fourth class citizens in this country called Nigeria!!
