The Esere Umunna, Mazi Ifeanyi Asikaogu has urged the Ohaneze leadership to take ohanaeze to the grass-root if the leadership expect it to achieve meaningful goals. Mazi Ifeanyi made this known in an open letter sent to the Ohanaeze head, Ambassador George Obiozor.
Mazi Ifeanyi noted that cultural festivals of the Igbos need to be revived to sensitize the people to the need to participate more in politics. According to Esere Umunna, the Igbo has the numbers and it is time to utilize the numbers through registering to vote come 2023. For many years upon the formation of Ohanaeze, it is a fact that so many of our people have not embraced nor joined in the building of a prosperous Ohanaeze Ndigbom, moreso the people living in the rural area of our southeastern states. Many people see Ohanaeze as a product of the elite, by the elite and for the elite. I stand not to be one of such. It is my opinion we take Ohanaeze down to the grass root. For no one plants from up and expect it to bear fruit. For you, do not plant from the top. You build and plant from the ground. If we must achieve the results of why Ohanaeze was formed by our founding fathers, we must return to the people. That is if we must achieve the goals and the dreams of the founding fathers.
ON IGBO DAY We need to look into some of the cultural celebrations of Ohaneze. eg. Sept. 29th Igbo day: Igbo day must be revived in the whole of the seven (7) States of the Igbo nation. From our finding, we discovered that the Igbo day Sept. 29th has only been observed more by those in diaspora, making Igbo stronger, more united and better informed in the diaspora than in their homeland. So, it should be made mandatory for every Igbo born, to the extent where all the major markets of the Igbo’s are closed for business just to observe that day as Igbo day. As in Delta, Kano, Lagos State etc. Can’t that happen here in our South Eastern States? Yes, it can. It can only be when our leaders decide to bring it from the national body down to the ward level.
Sir, let us rebrand Ohanaeze, Organize lectures, showcase our culture and tradition, football matches if need be. Let us go grass root. Let us go to the people. Also read: 2023: Nigeria needs an enlightened President regardless of ethnicity — Prof. Ndibe Your Excellency, go round the seven (7) states of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Nation. Organize town hall summit as you may call it. Inviting all the stakeholder, traditional rulers and their President Generals, the Governors and all the political appointees in each state where the summit is to take place. Educate them on the need for the formation of Ohanaeze in every ward/community.
Let them go and conduct an election for the leadership of Ohanaeze in their various communities/wards. Thereafter, the elected ward/community exco shall come together and elect among them the LGA executive who shall supervise the affairs of the Ohanaeze’s LGA and shall be inaugurated by representatives of Ohanaeze from the state, appointed by the national body. The work of LGA and community/wards: is to sensitize and mobilize people in their domain for the actualization of the Igbo agenda.
ON VOTER APATHY: People should go out to register for PVC and the need to vote. With this, we can achieve a lot. Every tree u see standing were all planted on the ground. So let us do the planting today and see how many fruits we shall be harvesting in 2023. We can’t just be talking Igbo for president 2023 without doing the needful. No politician wants to take a risk by putting his money and life where there is no voting power. Igbo Nwere Mmadu. YES, we have people. We have the numbers. Let us utilized what we have. As I speak here today majority of our Igbo’s don’t believe in this 2023 project for Igbo president. I do believe. But let’s start the fixing today. With God on our side, the victory will be ours.
Conclusion, my advice to Ohanaeze is that let us be and remain neutral and not to be seen in alignments with any political party. As you can see you have your children in all the political parties. While in the two major political parties today, Ohanaeze has her children occupying major seats and other positions. eg. in the 5 states of south-east” it is a 2.2.1. State. i.e. PDP 2. APC 2. APGA 1. Excluding Ministers and big players in all the political parties. So let us work with the parties to ensure that the major political parties, (The PDP, The APC and APGA) field an Igbo candidate as their flag bearer; for equity, fair play and justice. With this, I assure you that Ohanaeze could be achieving 90% of its mandate. If Ohanaeze maintains no inducements of any political party” during, before and after political parties primaries.
Igbos and indeed Nigerians at large will be better off after the 2023 election. I for sure, know that it is time for an Igbo President. For I know that an Igbo president in 2023 is a better Nigeria, An Igbo president in 2023 is a wound healed Nigeria, and an Igbo president in 2023 will be a productive Nigeria. So let us do the work and stop the complaint. Thanks and God bless you. Mazi Ifeanyi .C. Asikaogu, (Esere Umuna) Tel: +234 (0)8083409347 Email: asikaoguifeanyi@gmail.com
Source: Vanguard News Nigeria
