‘It’s Shameful That In 2026 There Is No Embassy In South East’ — Odumeje Slams Igbo Elites

Nigerian clergyman, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Odumeje, has criticised political and business elites in the South East, accusing them of making noise without doing enough to address what he described as the region’s developmental challenges.

Speaking in his church in a video circulating on social media, Odumeje expressed concern over the absence of a foreign embassy in the South East, claiming that residents are forced to travel to Lagos or Abuja whenever they need to process visas.

“It’s so shameful that in 2026, there is no embassy in the South East. Before anyone can get a visa, he or she must travel to Abuja or Lagos,” he said.

Odumeje argued that the Federal Government’s call for national unity should be accompanied by fairness and equal development across the country.

He claimed that while other parts of Nigeria have access to facilities such as seaports and diplomatic missions, the South East continues to lack similar infrastructure.

“When we talk about one Nigeria, every major tribe should have at least one seaport and one international embassy. But in the South East, there is nothing. Our elites keep deceiving themselves,” he said.

The cleric also criticised the Federal Government over the planned repair of the Onitsha Head Bridge, alleging that the timing of the project was politically motivated ahead of the forthcoming elections.

“Federal Government has come to play politics with Onitsha Head Bridge. That is why, now that the election is close, they have come to repair it,” Odumeje said.

He further questioned the amount reportedly budgeted for the project and expressed concern that the repair work could take longer than expected.

Odumeje subsequently turned his criticism towards South East elites, accusing them of failing to adequately advocate for the region despite their influence and resources.

“All the elites in Igbo land are busy making noise,” he said, urging them to move beyond rhetoric and push for tangible development in the region.

His comments have reignited discussions around infrastructure, political representation, regional development and the distribution of federal institutions and economic opportunities across Nigeria.

Odumeje’s claims about the absence of embassies, seaports and the political motivation behind the bridge repairs were made during his address and were not independently established in the remarks.