There is No Igbo Kingdom in Ningo-Prampram - Traditional Council
Ningo-Prampram - 8 July, 2025 - A controversy over claims of a planned "Igbo Kingdom" in Ghana’s Ningo-Prampram constituency has been firmly dismissed by local authorities, with the Ningo Traditional Council and the area’s Member of Parliament, Samuel Nartey George, asserting that no such project exists.
The uproar stems from a viral video in which a self-styled Igbo leader, Eze Dr. Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, claimed to have acquired 50 acres of land in Old Ningo to establish an Igbo village, prompting widespread public backlash and calls for government intervention to protect Ghanaian sovereignty.
The dispute began when Ihenetu, who describes himself as the "Eze Ndigbo of Ghana," announced in a video circulating on social media that he had secured 50 acres along the Aflao road in Old Ningo, within the Ningo-Prampram constituency in Ghana’s Greater Accra Region.
He outlined plans for an ambitious Igbo cultural village, which he claimed would be the first of its kind globally, featuring a royal palace, a 2000-seater town hall, a 100-room guest house, Igbo-themed schools, markets, and streets named after prominent Igbo figures like Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The announcement sparked immediate outrage among some Ghanaians, who viewed the project as an attempt to establish a foreign enclave on Ghanaian soil, raising concerns about cultural imposition and land rights.
In a swift response, the Ningo Traditional Council, led by paramount chief Nene Osraogbo Djangmah XII, convened on 8 July 2025 to address the claims.
In a statement shared via social media, the Council categorically denied any land acquisition for an Igbo kingdom, emphasizing that “Ningo is Ningo and would remain as such to be handed over to our children and their children.”
The Council called on law enforcement to act decisively against individuals making such claims, signaling a strong rejection of any unauthorized land deals. MP Sam George echoed this stance, posting on X that “no ‘King’ has any kingdom or land in the Ningo-Prampram Constituency” and urging the public to disregard the claims. He stressed the hospitality of the Ningo people but warned that it “cannot be taken for granted.”
The controversy has reignited tensions over land ownership and cultural identity in Ghana, where the Ningo-Prampram constituency has a history of disputes over administrative control. Historically, Ningo and Prampram, the two main towns in the constituency, have competed for dominance, with Ningo leaders previously protesting the 2012 designation of Prampram as the district capital, as reported by Modern Ghana.
The current issue has drawn parallels to past grievances, with some residents fearing that external actors could exploit local divisions.
A pressure group, APEX Citizens of Ghana, petitioned the National House of Chiefs on 27 June 2025, alleging that Ihenetu’s claims were part of a broader pattern of unauthorized activities, including an annual Yam Festival that attracts Igbo diaspora.
The group questioned Ihenetu’s legitimacy, noting that his title is not recognized in Ghana’s official register of chiefs.
