Youth groups in Greater Accra and Ashanti regions are escalating calls for the deportation of Dr. Chuckwudu Jude Ihenetu, who claims leadership of Ghana’s Igbo community.
Demonstrators allege his plans to establish a cultural enclave threaten national sovereignty, citing ongoing construction of an “Igbo village” on a 50-acre Accra-Aflao highway plot. The site reportedly includes a palace, cultural centers, and streets honoring Igbo figures.
Protests follow viral revelations by Dr. Ihenetu about the project, which ignited tensions in Ningo-Prampram where youth recently demolished structures linked to the alleged settlement. Similar land-reclamation demonstrations are mobilizing in Kumasi. Organizers emphasize territorial integrity concerns, rejecting xenophobia accusations.
Civic coalition APEX Citizens of Ghana has petitioned the National House of Chiefs, warning that unrecognized parallel traditional institutions risk destabilizing customary governance. Dr. Ihenetu, installed by community members in 2012, continues preparations for the Igbo New Yam Festival in September 2025 despite opposition.
Historical context intensifies scrutiny. Ghana’s 1969 “Aliens Compliance Order” expelled undocumented foreign traders, disproportionately affecting Nigerians. Nigeria retaliated with Ghanaian expulsions in the 1980s. Current fears of diplomatic fallout persist amid reports of Nigerian nationals’ involvement in transnational crimes, though most immigrants operate legally.
Sections of Ghana’s Igbo community publicly distance themselves from the initiative. “We seek peaceful coexistence, not separate territories,” one long-term resident stated. Ghana’s government remains silent as security agencies monitor potential unrest and Nigeria-Ghana relations.