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“PARTIALITY MUST END”: Prophet Odumeje Wades Into Cement War, Accuses Dangote of Orchestrating Ibeto Shut Down Due To Anti-Igbo Sentiment
ONITSHA, NIGERIA — The controversial spiritual leader of the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Chukwuemeka Cyrinus Ohanaemere, popularly known as Odumeje, has waded into Nigeria’s corporate cement sector with explosive claims. He alleges that the systemic marginalization and closure of Ibeto Cement were orchestrated to favor Aliko Dangote’s business empire out of deep-seated ethnic bias against the Igbo people.
In a fiery sermon that has rapidly gone viral across regional online platforms on Thursday, July 9, 2026, the Onitsha-based cleric challenged the federal government’s economic policies. He argued that true national unity cannot exist while indigenous multi-billion naira conglomerates from the Southeast are allegedly suppressed by state-backed monopolies.
“It Was Because of Hatred for the Igbos”
Odumeje, known for his unconventional style and direct commentary on national issues, did not hold back. He linked the long-running operational struggles of Cletus Ibeto’s cement empire directly to institutional favoritism.
“If we’re talking about One Nigeria, then we need to start addressing critical issues,” Odumeje declared to his congregation. “Why was Ibeto Cement shut down? It was because of Dangote Cement and hatred for the Igbos. This kind of partiality must end. Ibeto Cement must return in Nigeria.”
The cleric argued that the virtual monopoly enjoyed by major players has heavily penalized the average Nigerian consumer. He noted that market competition from regional operators like Ibeto is essential to crashing the skyrocketing prices of building materials nationwide.
Call for Southeast Boycott and Celebration of Ojukwu
Shifting his focus to regional solidarity and economic self-determination, the vocal prophet issued a direct mandate to consumers across the five southeastern states. He urged them to weaponize their purchasing power to protest the perceived corporate imbalance.
“The Southeast must stop using and buying Dangote Cement,” the cleric urged.
| Prophet Odumeje’s Core Declarations | Policy and Regional Demands |
| Market Restoration | Demands the immediate federal clearance and full revival of Ibeto Cement. |
| Economic Sanction | Calls on southeastern builders and suppliers to completely boycott Dangote products. |
| Cultural Heritage | Demands that the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, be officially celebrated nationwide at least once a year. |
| Systemic Critique | Labels the regulatory bottlenecks facing indigenous eastern factories as deliberate economic sabotage. |
Beyond the commercial dispute, Odumeje added a strong cultural demand. He called on both regional and federal authorities to accord proper historical honor to the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, by declaring an annual national memorial day in his honor.
The Background of the Cement Feud
The bitter corporate war between Dangote Cement and Ibeto Cement dates back nearly two decades, characterized by fierce legal battles over bulk cement import quotas, tariff waivers, and domestic manufacturing licenses.
While the Dangote Group has consistently maintained that its market dominance is the result of massive local manufacturing investments rather than political favoritism, eastern solidarity groups have long echoed Odumeje’s sentiments. They view regulatory actions against Ibeto—including historical port closures and recent state-level disputes over moribund regional assets like NIGERCEM in Ebonyi State—as a coordinated attempt to stifle industrialization in the Southeast.
As Odumeje’s aggressive sermon continues to spark heated debates across socio-political circles, neither the Dangote Group nor federal trade regulators have issued a formal response to the allegations of ethnic partiality.
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