EZURUEZU MBAISE IN BRIEF
In 1996, Mbaise personalities from all over the country met and conferred on how to face the existential challenges facing the Mbaise Nation at that point in time.
At that time, there was a perceived plan to drastically reduce the number of Mbaise people in various positions in Imo State Civil Service.
At that time, Mbaise had about five persons at the top echelons of the Imo State Civil Service and this was perceived as the dominance of the Civil Service by Nde Mbaise.
Due to certain historical and environmental factors, Mbaise had focused on acquiring education as a means of advancement and this somehow over time made Mbaise people with their focus on education to seem to have dominated the Civil Service of Imo State.
Those were in the days when nobody was interested in their places of origin.
The attempt to purge Nde Mbaise also extended to Progress Bank in 1996.
When HE Governor Sam Mbakwe established the bank many Mbaise citizens had joined the bank.
However, in 1996, Thirteeen senior persons were slated for sack.
This threat made Mbaise people from all walks of life visited the then Military Governor Aneke with a view to know what went wrong.
That visit brought to an end the sacking of Mbaise sons and daughters from Imo State Civil Service and the state owned Progress Bank.
Another galvanising incident was when Nde Mbaise came together and requested Prof. Fabian Osuji to contest for Governor of Imo State.
All of Mbaise’s sons and daughters rallied round and raised funds to support the project.
These experiences necessitated the need to have an umbrella under which Mbaise can gather and speak with one voice.
Ezuruezu Mbaise was established to meet that need. Several meetings of Nde Eze and prominent Mbaise sons and daughters were held at the Palace of HRH Eze Mbalewe to work out the structure of Ezuruezu Mbaise.
Eventually, Chief I. D. Nwoga was elected the first President General with Prof. C.C. Nwachukwu as Vice President.
When Chief I.D. Nwoga was appointed Minister, Prof C.C. Nwachukwu served out the rest of the term. Barrister Bon Nwakamma SAN was elected the Second President General followed by Dr. Okey Aguwa. Barr. Cyril Anyanwu served as the fourth President General before the incumbent Sir. Joe Anosike was elected in August 2024.
MISSION AND VISION
ARIRI ERI MBA
The Constitution states the aims and objectives of Ezuruezu Mbaise. Article 3F clearly states that the association shall be the Central Association of Mbaise whose position on any matter shall be the official position of Mbaise.
Ezuruezu is like a MYSTERY( Udughudughu), an Iceberg per se whose activities are 10% visible.
Ezuruezu has a juristic personality. Membership of Ezuruezu Mbaise is compulsory and automatic for all citizens of Mbaise.
Women from Mbaise who are married outside of Mbaise retain their membership and graduate into the Okpu Mbaise category, while wives of Mbaise men who are from outside Mbaise have automatic membership once they are married to an Mbaise man.
All organizations and associations of Mbaise people enjoy membership as affiliate bodies.
Ezuruezu Mbaise is the apex and umbrella socio-cultural association of Nde Mbaise.
The structure of Ezuruezu Mbaise rests on five strong pillars namely;
1) THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
2) THE GOVERNING COUNCIL,
3) THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
4) THE BODY OF RECOGNIZED TRADITIONAL RULERS WHO ACT AS PATRONS AND
5) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The working synergy of these organs ensures that Ezuruezu Mbaise functions as the Umbrella and Apex Socio-Cultural Organization in Mbaise with special mandate and authority, shared with no other organization of the people of Mbaise or any individual no matter how highly placed to speak for the people of Mbaise on any local, state or national issues affecting Mbaise.
This special mandate has been guarded jealously by successive Presidents-General of Ezuruezu Mbaise.