NEWS HEADLINE


Tuesday, July 9, 2002


Nnewi Community in the USA enjoined to embrace Civil Service in Nigeria


  By Alfred Obiora Uzokwe
Harrisburg, PA, USA


he Director of Communications in the Federal Ministry of information, Mrs. Kate Okoye, has called on Nnewi citizens in the United States, to join Nigeria's Civil Service, after acquiring academic knowledge in the Diaspora. She said that this was a good way to directly contribute their quota towards the development of a better Nnewi and Nigeria in general. Mrs. Okoye was addressing members of the Nnewi community, during the 2nd day of the 7th Annual National Convention of Nnewi people in the USA - NUSA. She also stated that Nigerians in the Diaspora, often fail to teach their children how to speak their native dialect; such oversight, she added, would make the children foreigners in their native country. She therefore admonished Nigerians to ensure that they create enabling environment for their children to learn how to speak their native dialect. The convention, which was held at the Holiday Inn, College Park, Maryland, on the 5th and 6th of July, attracted many citizens of Nnewi from all over the United Sates and beyond.

Earlier on, the monarch of Nnewi, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III, enjoined members of NUSA, to continually repatriate to Nnewi, the education and experience they have acquired from the United States. He said that this would help in the building of a virile and progressive town. He chronicled the history of his ascendancy to the throne of Igwe, and stated that the baton of leadership was usually passed from one Igwe to the other peacefully. This, he said, accounts for the relative peace Nnewi enjoys in the area of monarchical activities.

He cataloged several key infrastructure projects that were lately completed in Nnewi, and stated that such projects relied heavily on individual contributions; he therefore called on all sons and daughters of Nnewi, to continue to contribute their quota, towards such developmental projects. The projects include the new teaching hospital, the telephone exchange, water projects and several private industries.

He told the attendees, amidst intermittent shouts of Igwe-e, to remember that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and so they must endeavor to attend church on Sundays and surrender themselves to the almighty. He added that he has made church attendance one of the cardinal activities of his life and that is why he is sometimes, in Nnewi, referred to as "the Igwe that goes church"

Addressing the gathering later, the gubernatorial aspirant in Anambra State, Engr. Ajulu Uzodike, deplored the fact that as the year 2003 approaches, the politics of money as a determinant of who gets elected to public office has again commenced in full force. He said that this development has continued to bedevil Nigeria, and so admonished the attendees to deplore that type of politics, especially in Anambra State.

He stated that he decided to run for the governorship of Anambra State, to help stem the tide of non-payment of teachers' salaries and infrastructure decay. He announced that "even judges, have now gone on strike in Anambra State" and this does not bode well for a State that is blessed with intellectuals and business moguls of all caliber. He lamented the current situation of things in the state and said that if corrective actions were not taken, Anambra State would very soon grind to a complete halt. He promised that if elected, he would bring his wealth of experience as a Harvard-trained business administrator, who has established and run many successful businesses, to bear in the amelioration of the situation.

The grand finale of the convention was a gala reception held in the evening of the same day. It was richly attended by dignitaries from all over the United States and Nigeria. They include the Igwe of Nnewi, Chief Kenneth Orizu III, Nigeria's ambassador to the United States, Dr. Jubril Aminu, Mrs. Kate Okoye, Rev./Dr. Oramasionwu, Engr. Ajulu Uzodike, Okey Chidolue- a senatorial aspirant.

In his opening remarks during the gala, the chairman of Nnewi Community Organization of Washington Metro Area(NCOWA) , Mr. Ike Moghalu, welcomed all and commended the NUSA for the bold steps taken in the renovation of basic infrastructures in Nnewi. Earlier, the President of NUSA, Dr. Mike Obiora, held that the association has concentrated its efforts in the renovation of dilapidated infrastructures in secondary schools in Nnewi and that so far, 2.5 million naira had been spent in that regard.