Pastor Uche Ohaji is the Lagos State Coordinator of Eastern Union (EU), a socio-political pressure group for the people of the Old Eastern Region that has existed for about two decades. He spoke to NGOZI UMA on what the group stands for, as well as its plans to engage the government and build strong relationships with political and traditional leaders in the state.
What is the Eastern Union all about?
Eastern Union is a civil society organisation that was formed in Lagos in the year 2006. It is meant to be a platform for galvanising the interests of people from the original Eastern Region, which is the present-day Southeast and South-south. So, the significance of the Eastern Union is to give a voice to the voiceless.
What will you consider as its achievements so far?
From the time I joined Eastern Union till now, it has created a higher level of consciousness in our members. Beyond that, earlier one of our welfare directors introduced the welfare package. Many people from that part of the world, apart from their native community organisations, have no organisation that connects them to the political structure of this country. Eastern Union now becomes a vehicle for them. And beyond that, you cannot be a member of an organisation without having a take-home. There should be some areas they will cover for you. So, that welfare package is meant to support our people in their areas of need. Those who have social pressure, social celebrations, we are always standing for them.
Why is Eastern Union not as popular and well-known like other socio-political and socio-cultural organisations?
I became the Coordinator of the Lagos chapter about three months ago. Yes, September to November, that is three months ago. So, if between September and now, we are able to organise the first meeting, the first end-of-year get-together for our members, that means they will still hear us. And after that, we are going to have a convention of all Southern, all Easterners sometime next year. It is probably going to come in the first quarter or early second quarter next year. By then, those who have not heard about us, will do so. Those who have only heard about us now, many more people would have heard about us before then. We have never had a media consultant in the EU in Lagos until I became the coordinator. We are involving the media now because we want to make the Eastern Union a known organisation so that those who really need to be here will be here. And those who need to know about us will know about us. Come to think of it, most people you see here are new members who joined the Lagos chapter because we said we have a get-together. So, everybody needs that sense of association, sense of belonging. And Eastern Union is one of the safest places they can belong because we value them. We will not disrespect anybody.
What is the strength of the union in Lagos and across the country?
Across the country, I don’t have the authority to speak on that. Only the National Secretariat can do so. But for Lagos, presently, we have nearly 300 members. It was just above 200 when I came in. Now it is about 300. For me to make this organisation what it’s supposed to be, I give you in the next six months, you will be hearing about us easily and you will be hearing about us because we are here to make an impact.
Talking about Lagos, what extent has Eastern Union made its presence felt by the state government, local councils, and royal institutions in the state?
We have met his Royal Majesty Oba Adedayo Shyllon Sogbulu, The Alagbado of Agbado Kingdom, and we have told him about the Eastern Union. He is very glad. We told him, we are not just asking you to come and be a member, you are going to be a patron. And we will give him investiture as a patron on the day he will have an event. So, we will come and be part of his event. That is one of the people who already stand with us. He is a very enlightened man. Part of the programs we have, we started today, is to make sure that we know each other so that people have trust and confidence in us, that we are real people, we are not just virtual people they see online. Now that is one. All the plans we have made for Eastern Union are those that will announce us and create that impact you are talking about. That is why I say between now and the next six months, you will have heard what we are doing.
Does that mean that Eastern Union in Lagos has plans to meet with the state government?
Yes, we have a plan to meet with the government because we have a project we want to do with the government. Now let me tell you, like in Lagos State there is this tendency for tension between indigenes of Lagos, let us say Yorubas and Igbos. There is a tension. Let me tell you, that tension was created by the political class. It was not there before. But, we have taken cues from them.
Is the Union conversant with the happening between indigenes and non-indigenes in Lagos?
You know, you are talking about the Trade Fair demolition and a lot of things that are happening. Anybody who claims to be ignorant of these developments is living in self-denial. That is the truth. We are very much aware of the tension. We are very much aware of some of the people who have become victims of government policies. We are also very much aware that there are so many people who want to speak, but they do not know how to do so. For instance, last year or two years ago, when structures were demolished at Alaba International Market, we interfaced with the market union and we told them: ‘Many of you are afraid to speak individually because they can run you out of town. But, when we speak as an organisation, nobody will run us out of town”. And that is exactly what we want to stand in for. So, we want to create a platform, an opportunity for those who cannot speak for themselves to be heard and their interests received and respected.
What is your take and the union’s take on the recent altercation between Igbo traders and Lagos State government?
We are law-abiding citizens. Personally, I am a Real Estate Consultant and I tell people, when you want to purchase property, do a proper search. One of the things you need to search for is to check the government’s master plan. Beyond now, what are the plans 10 years to come, 20 years to come? If you do not take cognisance of that, you may fall victim. That is on one side. On the second side of it, we are also trying to create an atmosphere. You see, if Lagos State government is sure that Igbos will support everything they do politically, their aggression will reduce. Their resistance of our interest will reduce. And that is what we want to let them know. Say, look, stop fighting, stop quarreling. We have come to represent the popular, in fact, the majority of Easterners here. And in that representation, let us talk across the table. Let us dialogue. We want this, you want that. We give you the one you want from us and we expect to get the one.
How do you see the level of participation of non-indigenous in the political system of this state?
There is something between love and trust. I may love you without trusting you. For me, I love Yoruba so much. For more than 20 years, I have been here, they have been very good friends of mine. But, this is now on an individual level. But, when it comes to a corporate level, the bigger level, it is a different thing. Can I tell you something funny? We have Akwa Ibom people here. We have Edo people here. We have River State people here. One Akwa Ibom woman called me last week. She said, “Oga please, I want to join your association. I said, ‘What have you been waiting for?’ She said I can no longer claim I’m not from the East. Because they treat me exactly the same way they treat you’. They even call her omo-Igbo. They believe all of us all are the same thing. So, it now gave her the new consciousness that “If all of us are treated the same way, and these so-called Igbos love us, they want to be with us, why would I reject them? Still be a victim of segregation. I can benefit everything the Igbos have to benefit, and also have my voice represented.”
To What extent is the Eastern Union helping to mobilise non-indigenes for political participation in the 2027 politics?
If we cannot get the people to participate, then our relevance is not there. As a civil society organisation, we have to make people not only interested in the politics of the country, but also to make them come out and participate. So, it is easier for everybody when they are participating, so that the voice we want to project will now become louder for everybody to hear.
What is your take on the trial and sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to life imprisonment?
Nnamdi Kanu’s trial and conviction are politically motivated. His life imprisonment is therefore political. I also believe it is a situation that can be resolved politically. Do you know why I said so? If you look at the judicial process that took him to prison, right from his extradition from Kenya to this moment, do you agree with me that everything is political? This is the first time I have heard that somebody was sentenced to life imprisonment for just saying something, without substance, without any evidence. But, we know there is a political undertone to it. And I can tell you, when the time comes, the Eastern Union will make their position known about that.
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