..Nation is sick,bleeding he added
From Ijeoma John, Nnewi
The former chairman of Police Service Commission,Chief Simon N.Okeke (Ochendo) has frowned on the state of the nation, where people scramble for what to eat, even in Anambra state where they have billionaires; Kaduna, and then in the Federal Capital, Abuja.
While addressing some Newsmen in his residence at Amichi, in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Okeke said “Nigeria is blessed with enormous resources especially this season of harvesting, yet they don’t have enough to eat”.
He pointed out that President Tinubu’s administration need to rejig its methodology of governance.
Okeke admitted that things have gone wrong before the emergence of Tinubu’s administration adding that it could have been better but because of removal of subsidy which made things difficult for survival.
Speaking on National currency, he cited in 1982, Naira was stronger than dollar but today according to him it was nothing to be proud of at all.
Speaking On the position of the South East zone in the country, Okeke said South East continued to be weeping baby because according to him it appeared that they were not part of the country.
“One would have thought that there would be a better accommodation of Southeast in governance of Nigeria, but today it wasn’t so,” he said.
Okeke traced 1960, when Nigeria gained her independence. He said the country was a tripod, (North, West, and East) which he enumerated as Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba.
He disclosed that Southeast zone were treated with complete denial.
“Tripod in Nigeria then was made of three legs, which were North, West, and East, but the third leg, which was East, has been broken. The Tripod has one broken leg. Therefore, it can not stand very well.
“If other zones are treated the way Southeast zone is being treated,I believe they won’t take it.I praise my people for accepting it in good faith without making noise or causing havoc,” he added.
He remarked that “where there is no justice, there is no peace adding that until all the zones are treated equally and until Southeast is giving its due share in the country, the country will continue to wobble”.
Okeke enjoined all the Southeast Governors to move together as one people forget about their parties for the advancement and progress of Southeast.
“If all the 5 Governors of Southeast zone move together as one brothers which they are, and go to the president of Nigeria and say this is what they want especially in Nnamdi Kanu’s case, I believe he will listen to them but if they are divided, nobody will listen to them” he stressed.
For macro projects in Southeast, Ochendo advised stakeholders to assemble fund together for much bigger projects that would take care of the zone adequately in terms of employment.
Speaking on Ohaneze Ndigbo’s President General election, he said according to the constitution,”it is rotational among the 7 states that made the Ohaneze Ndigbo, stating that it is the turn of Rivers State to produce the next PG”.
Okeke said “he would only support one who speaks the mind of the Igbos, fights and dies for Igbos”.
He commended Governor Soludo’s efforts so far to make Anambra State the best State, but urged him to pay more attention in security of lives and property.
Okeke advised him to equip police with adequate implement to fight bad people in the State.
“Information is very vital, but you have to pay for it. There is need to give strong support like vehicles, strong gadgets to security operators to secure the State”he advised
He expressed his grief on the demise of Sen Ifeanyi Ubah. He said it was very shattering to the people of Anambra South Senatorial District and also to him that hosted him in Abuja by an association called Anambra State Public Officers Forum three days before he left to London and the sad news came.
He prayed that God would give his family and entire people of Anambra South the fortitude to bear the loss.
HYACINTH OSITADINMA NNABUDE
December 31, 2024 at 9:44 pmChief S. N. Okeke have said it all. “Nigeria ” is bleeding. Nigerians are stamping and dying for food at the harvest period. The wide marginalisation of the Igbos has broken the two legs of the Tripod in which the Country stands, and condition of our nation will continue to worsen until Igbos are treated as Nigeria.