ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES
When His Excellency Professor George Obiozor exited this earthly realm about 18 months ago, I feared that the Igbo might find it difficult choosing a suitable replacement for the well renowned scholar, diplomat and negotiator per excellence. Beside his sterling erudition and solid connections within the highest places and palaces in this country, Professor Obiozor was also exceptionally talented and passionate about Igbo development and renaissance. His election at the time it happened was also timeous and providential, because it could have only taken a man of his acuity and temperament to navigate the very treacherous times the Igbos were into at the time of his election as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
Unfortunately, age related ailments impeded his performance and threatened to slow down the implementation of his vision for Alaigbo. However, even on his sickbed and while the doctors had given their unpleasant prognosis, Ugwumba as he was popularly called, continued to serve Alaigbo until he breathed his last. His greatest wish, I know would be for someone with the same passion, but measured zeal, to continue with his vision of cautiously revolutionising Igbo’s political, economic, social and cultural status.
Ugwumba’s final wish couldn’t have been better actualised than in the emergence of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Ahaejiagamba, as his immediate successor.
Patriotic, wise, progressive and one of the best investors in the development of both physical and human infrastructure across Alaigbo. No one can love Alaigbo more than Chief Iwuanyanwu and no one can fight for our survival, liberation and pride more than the Ikeduru born multimillionaire. I believe that there is abundant literature in different libraries and media that attest to his track records of development, Igbotistic nationalism and political sagacity. Having seen it all, he is also the best positioned to take up the baton at this critical time in Igbo political cum economic development.
Since his emergence as the President-General of the apex Igbo sociocultural association, the one time presidential aspirant and the maker of over a thousand millionaires and the mentor to an uncountable number of Igbo political, professional, and even religious leaders, has not rested on his oars in his bid to reposition the entire Igbo land for extensive and sustainable progress, peace and development.
It therefore beggars belief that a group of truant, apparently, ill-mannered mercantilists could make themselves available to be used in disparaging one of the few men alive who should be apotheosized, deservedly.
A man who took bullets for the Igbos during the civil war, a man who made his enormous wealth available for the promotion of pro-Igbo agenda and a man who stuck out his neck to ensure that the Igbos got what is due to them in the Nigerian scheme of things, and yet at over 80 years, has refused to get tired of his pro-Igbo struggles. Chief Iwuanyanwu has served Alaigbo so creditably that if he had turned down the appeal on him to become the PG of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, his legacies would still not be tainted, but he came out of political retirement, not minding all the inconveniences to his health and personal programs, just because it is a call to serve Motherland.
Apparently, the serpentine and the duplicitous Nwaezeigwe who survives on crumbs from politicians and subversive elements wouldn’t mind making himself available to those who are terrified about the profitable potentials of Ahaejiagamba’s intrepid and creative reformation and revival of the Igbo brotherhood and rejuvenation of our domestic economy and politics, to present a distraction. Fortunately, many Igbos cannot be swayed by a thousand Nwaezeigwes and their horrid scribbles. Igbos are wiser, and they are unrelenting in their solidarity with Chief Iwuanyanwu led Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
ALA IGBO IS THRIVING!
