At 75, Chief Sunday Udeh has spent most of his adult life mediating peace, resolving disputes, and building bridges between the Igbo community and their Yoruba hosts in Lagos. To many, he is more than just the President of the Igbo-Speaking Community in Lagos State,he is a symbol of inter-ethnic friendship and quiet diplomacy.
Today, that same man lies behind bars, battling hypertension and fading health, as his people cry out for mercy.
This week, the leadership of the Igbo-Speaking Community made an emotional appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging him to intervene and facilitate Chief Udeh’s release from detention. The group’s plea, conveyed in a heartfelt statement, called on the governor to exercise “his fatherly compassion” to prevent what they described as a “looming tragedy.”
Chief Udeh’s ordeal began months ago after he was implicated in the imbroglio as issuing a certificate as Obi of Lagos to the Chief Chibuike Azubike which sparked misunderstanding and spiraled into controversy. However, the recognition of Chief Chibuike Azubuike was as the Obi of Alimosho,a local community head of the Igbos meant to coordinate Igbo affairs within the Alimosho Local Government Area. What was intended as a cultural honorific soon became the centre of a storm, misinterpreted in some quarters as an attempt to install an “Obi of Lagos.”
That misinterpretation led to arrests, public outrage, and legal action. Chief Azubuike and others were detained, and before long, Chief Udeh,known for promoting lawful coexistence,was drawn into the case referred to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Since then, the respected community leader has remained in custody. His lawyers have repeatedly sought bail on health grounds, but the applications have yet to succeed. The next hearing is fixed for November 17, 2025, at the Lagos State High Court.
For his people, each passing day in detention feels heavier. “Chief Udeh is a man of peace, not a man of conflict,” one community elder told this reporter in a trembling voice. “He has always reminded us that Lagos is home for everyone who abides by its laws. That’s the irony of what is happening now.”
The community’s statement to Governor Sanwo-Olu was as emotional as it was respectful. It acknowledged the governor’s “commitment to justice, peace, and inclusiveness,” describing him as a leader with “a compassionate heart and listening ears.”
They appealed for his intervention, emphasizing that the continued detention of their leader could have “grave consequences” for both his health and the morale of the Igbo population in the state.
“Our plea is not for defiance of the law,” the statement read, “but for the tempering of justice with mercy. Chief Udeh has spent his life promoting harmony between Ndigbo and their Yoruba brothers and sisters. We only ask that he not be allowed to suffer unjustly.”
The Igbo-Speaking Community, which has been duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission since 1997, prides itself on fostering unity and respect for local laws. Over the years, the association has served as a bridge for dialogue and peaceful engagement between the Igbo population and Lagos State authorities.
Now, that same community finds itself seeking the compassion of the state it has helped nurture in peace.
As Lagos continues to project its image as a city of justice, equity, and inclusiveness, the fate of Chief Sunday Udeh stands as a test of that legacy. Will mercy prevail over misunderstanding?
For the Igbo-Speaking Community, that is the question they now leave before the heart and conscience of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
