The Ghanaian government has issued a firm caution to Nigerian national Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu over a resurfaced video in which he spoke of plans to establish an “Igbo Kingdom” within Ghana.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, in a statement on July 17, underscored that while Ghana remains committed to Pan-Africanism and warmly welcomes Africans, all guests must strictly adhere to national laws and refrain from divisive or unlawful acts.
Ihenetu was invited for a meeting, during which he clarified that the video was from 2013, expressed regret, and assured authorities that he had long abandoned the idea and never acquired land for such a purpose.
He also issued an apology to the president, government, traditional leaders, and people of Ghana.
The incident sparked public outrage, with concerns raised about potential threats to Ghana’s sovereignty and its chieftaincy system.
Ghanaian law prohibits foreigners from owning land outright and strictly limits traditional leadership to citizens under the Chieftaincy Act, 2008.
Although resolved, the episode briefly reignited historical tensions between Ghana and Nigeria, rooted in events such as the 1983 mass expulsion of Ghanaians from Nigeria and Ghana’s 1969 Aliens Compliance Order. It also comes amid ongoing trade disputes that have strained relations between the two countries in recent years.
