Abia State Chapter of Young Leaders Association of Nigeria, a youth body that has taken up the challenge and responsibility to re-orient the mind of the youth through consultation, forum and positive activities, embarked on a fact finding mission with Nigerian leaders to take issues that concerns the youths to them and also to create a level playing ground whereby the older leaders will carry the younger ones along in the project of Nigeria which is a collective investment of all.
Time has gone when the youths are used to play the role of political thugery and thereafter made the extreme corner subjects in the policies of the government that affect their future directly or indirectly.
YLAN Abia Chapter and the rest of the youths of Nigeria are saying enough is enough. The youths are no longer leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today because if you don’t use your pencil to draw the right destiny on your plain paper of opportunity, maggots will prey on them.
Led by Comrade Engr. Emma Uche Adimoha, the destination was camp Neya, the magnificent home of Former Abia State Governor. His Excellency, Chief Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu (MON). The group was well received and the leader of the entourage made a formal introduction of the group to his Excellency and thanked him for inviting YLAN for a heart to heart talk that will chart a way forward for the youths who are ever ready to help in moving Nigeria forward. To water the ground, His Excellency requested for opening prayer which was said by Comrade Chioma Blessing Joshua.
Chief OUK was elated as he expressed his delight to have such number of youths who have decided to rise up to the occasion and take their destiny in their hands. He encouraged them to keep towing that path because it is the right path to thread upon. In his words:
“I decided to invite you because I was in your group when one of you made an inciting and unverified accusations. I replied and later decided that the best way to iron out issues like this is to have a face to face interactive session where we must discuss like friends. It is clear that a lot of you have been wrongly informed as a result of too much falsehood and it will not do you any good if people like us don’t rise up to set the record straight. You said I used Abia State money to build my house, and then I say my house was commissioned on 28th May in 1999 while I was sworn in as Abia State Governor on 29th May of 1999, so you see that that information is wrong”
He further gave a lot of first hand information in the account of his 8years in office, talked about Nigeria and gave room to answer 10 pressing questions by the youths.
ON BIAFRA QUESTION
“Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu told me a lot about Biafra while he was alive. If I play it to you now, you will forget everything about Biafra. Don’t let anybody deceive you on this because Biafra will never come.
“We should not be asking to be loved, rather to be respected in Nigeria and be given equal opportunity and level playing ground like any other person. That is what we need not Biafra. I lost everything I had in Nigeria because I speak for the people, SLOK and many of my investments were forced out of Nigeria. So all we need is equity and Rule of law.
“Remember I was the first to visit Nnamdi Kanu in prison to the extent of taking pictures with him in the prison there, I also told Nnamdi Kanu that he would be released before may ends, I told his father too, I would not want to talk further on his release, neither would I wish to take any credit for it, but we need to take precautions like the Jews we are, that is why they are the most respect people on earth today.
“The 4 world powers of France, USA, Russia and Britain don’t want to hear about Biafra. Besides, there is no Referendum in Nigeria constitution which is the more reason why Biafra is impossible”.
“Except the National Assembly decide to amend our constitution to add Referendum, the question of Biafra is a mirage. I will tell you what Ojukwu told me. All we need is Political Power, Economic Power and Education to take our rightful place in Nigeria, not Biafra. That is why people like me are in APC, that is why you youths should be more pragmatic and live up to your calling. Stop dying for nothing in the name of Biafra. Take your destiny in your hands and command the respect of others”.
To bring the meeting to a close, Comrade Engr. Emma Uche Adimoha thanked his Excellency on behalf of YLAN while Comrade Comfort Nkechi Olo said the closing prayer.
Thereafter, Chief OUK insisted that he must take private picture with the over 50 members at the meeting before they were served with launch.
Amos Kalu, reporting from the Venue.
No comments:
Post a Comment