An elder statesman and Chairman Ohanaeze Ndigbo Council of Elders, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has made a passionate appeal to the people of Anambra state to allow the November 6, Governorship election to hold peacefully.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who made the appeal in his capacity as the Chairman Council of Elders Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said if the Saturday, November 6 election is disrupted, the people of Anambra State and indeed Ndigbo would be the losers.
He said that the success of the election was very vital and crucial to the people of Anambra State and Ndigbo in general.
Chief Iwuanyanwu observed that Anambra State is a cradle of development and achievement in education, politics, industry, commerce and religion, pointing out that Onitsha was the first port of call in 1857 when the white missionaries came to Igboland.
He also said that Anambra had produced such great men like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who blazed the trail of Nigeria Independence, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu who was his boss, the former Vice President of Nigeria Dr Alex Ekwueme, the first African elected Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaokwu, the great Nigerian PhD holder in Mathematics, Professor Chike Obi; First Nigerian Vice-Chancellor of a Nigerian University, Professor Kenneth Dike, the first indigenous vehicle manufacturing company – Innoson owned by Chief Innocent Maduka, as well as the first Nigerian Saint, Blessed Michael Iweme Tansi among others.
He added that all those heroes left legacies that showcased Ndigbo and Anambra people as great people and appealed that the present generation should not destroy the legacies they left behind.
Chief Iwuanyanwu said that in terms of Industry and economy “Anambra is a leading state”.
He appealed to the youths in Anambra not to shed blood of innocent citizens who would turn out to vote, pointing out that those who might lose their lives if there were any disturbances “are our brothers and sisters.”
“We all owe it a duty to our forebears and posterity to avoid any action that could cause bloodshed in Anambra State or any part of Igboland or even in Nigeria”, the Ndigbo leader admonished.
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who noted that the youths were agitated, especially those in Anambra State, appealed to them to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign for the election to hold in the interest of Ndigbo and Anambra State.
He said that he was with the cooperation of the governments and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, “working on the industrialisation programme for South-East to transform Igboland into an economy that would create jobs for our youths and produce goods and services to improve our Gross Domestic Product and advance our contribution toward Gross National Product.”
He urged all in Anambra to allow the election to hold on November 6, “to show the world that this generation of Igbo and youths are determined to preserve the legacies of their forebears and indeed surpass those records.”
Credit: Nigerian Tribune