Ifeanyi Lekwuwa is the president-general of Nsirimo Amaise Development Union (NAIDU). He speaks on recent developments, achievements and challenges facing his people and offers solution for the need to be united for the common good of all.
Excerpts:
What is the motivation behind the Nsirimo Amaise Development Union Day celebration on December 30th, 2024?
The celebration, constitutionally is done every two years and it offers all sons, daughters, in-laws, friends and well wishers the privilege of coming together to identify with our community and it is celebrated with a project launching for the development of our community. And from inception, it is the duty of NAIDU executive to organise it and get the blessings of the Royal fathers of the three Autonomous communities. We also use the occasion to showcase our illustrious sons who have excelled in their chosen careers and who have done something good to the community. It could be our friends or in-laws.
And the highlights of the occasion will look like what?
Well, the highlights of the occasion will be that awards will be giving to our sons who have excelled in their chosen careers. As a matter of fact, in the whole of Nsirimo Amaise, as I speak to you today, we have four professors and the four of them are going to be honoured with award of excellence. Also, our sons who are dead like professor Uchenna, Professor Ekeke, His Royal Majesty late M. I. Akpaka and His Highness, late Eze Okwuonu will all be honoured posthumously. Aside that, it is pertinent to note that as I speak to you, Nsirimo Amaise does not have a city Hall because sometime in 2013 the then government started the idea of the project but unfortunately until now nothing has been done from where they stopped. So, this present government has decided to do a N200 million second phase launching. And of course, we will have our traditional dance by each village, our women will also present their dance as well.
Can you provide an overview of your stewardship since you assumed office?
I think one of the things that brings out the best from any leader is passion for service because it drives you to action and as a matter of fact, I can say without fear or favour that I am a proud son of Nsirimo Amaise. I love that community with passion and I want it to be the best. I want the name of that community to be heard in virtually every part of Nigeria and many parts of the world. And when I took up the mantle of leadership as the president- general of NAIDU, I look at what will hinder progress in that community and I observed that one of them is the volume of misunderstandings and crisis we have in the three Autonomous communities and based on that, I set up a reconciliation and peace committee and the members of the committee went to work with all their hearts. The committee did not find the task easy at first because there was a lot of ups and downs in the course of doing their jobs. Therefore, I will say we really did not achieve the much-expected results but you know it is not over until it is over. We are still forging ahead working hard to see how we can resolve all the crisis that we have, and even as at today we are still doing that. And the people of Nsirimo Amaise knows that my government is passionate about peace and reconciliation and we strongly believe that there will be no meaningful development in any community if there is no peace so that is very cardinal to our government.
And another thing we were able to achieve was to have successfully paid all the vigilant groups for a full one year and all the security personnel received their salaries. But the greatest achievement this present government recorded was that one of our sons in the person of Chinedu Enwereuzo became the Chairman of Umuahia South Local government for the first time in the past 25 years in the history of Abia State.
Finally, what is your message to Nsirimo Amaise as the celebration comes up on the 30th December?
My message to Nsirimo people is that wherever they are they should come home on December 30th, 2024 to be part of the new area of Nsirimo that is emerging gradually because there will be no wedding, no burial or event that will take place in Nsirimo Amaise that day. And as they come, they should invite their friends, professional colleagues and business associates to that occasion. There are a lot of activities we have lined up that will keep our sons and daughters busy and enjoy the spirit of being together.
