Category: News

…says educational excellence entrenched by Ugwuanyi aided the feat 

Debbie Egbo & Chetanne Chinelo, Enugu

In line with the resolve of his administration to identify with, and promote the spirit of excellence, the Executive Chairman of Nkanu West Local Council Area, Hon Uchenna Ejim, has honored and awarded an exceptional student, Ekwochi, Somtochukwu Chidiebere, for her outstanding performance in the recently concluded West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, with the sum of one million naira.

Ekwochi who hails from Ndiagu, Umueze-Awkunanaw, Nkanu West LG, emerged with nine alphas (9As) in the 2022 WASSCE.

Speaking at the award ceremony which took place at the headquarters of Nkanu West Local Government on Friday, September 16, 2022, Ejim who was visibly joyful, appreciated the efforts of the student and described her as a beacon of hope and light in a society plagued with insecurity and hardship.

In his words, “Today, we celebrate excellence, proper parental upbringing, hard work that pays-the excellence that Nkanu West is known for, the excellence that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has entrenched in Enugu state for the past 7 years.

“Today, we celebrate Somtochukwu Ekwochi for making us proud. I’m certain that when she encounters any difficulty, with our prayers and guide, she will overcome and the sky will be her limit”.

The Secretary of the local council, Hon Offor Nnajiofor Hyacinth, in his remarks, referred to Nkanu West as the land of heroes, heroes in human development. He stated that Nkanu West had produced a lot of heroes with world records in academic pursuits. He wished Ekwochi well, noting that “as you’re growing and making additional inputs, you’ll keep flying higher”.

Hon Steve Oruruo, the Special Adviser to Enugu Governor on Information, who is also from the council, commended Ekwochi’s efforts.

“Somtochukwu resonates with excellence and shall become the standard-bearer of what a young person should be. On this day it is with joy, respect for human dignity, honor extraordinary brilliance that we receive her in our midst.

“There is no hindrance, stumbling block, stereotype, shackles and chains that cannot be broken provided we are focused and committed to seriousness in our endeavors. The standard has been set, but it is also a trial for you; having achieved academic success from primary school, the main trial has just started, show us you can do more and we shall be proud of you.”

Corroborating the position of the council chairman, Ejim, Oruruo said “I will speak from the heart. What we have come to do is in consonance with the deliberate attempt by the state government to reposition education”.

Oruro also issued a scholarship gift of 100,000 naira cheque to Somtochukwu Ekwochi.

The Supervisor for Education in the council, Chief Sylvester Nkwonta, expressed his delight and joy for such exceptional performance, encouraging her not to relent.

The father of the student, Barr. Sunday Ekwochi expressed his gratitude to the chairman and attributed his daughter’s success to God’s grace and hard work. He described her as a star from birth, listing her numerous success and academic achievements from kindergarten to the completion of high school.

“Having recognized the talent that God has given her, I saw it as a responsibility to support and encourage her so that she doesn’t get derailed. One thing is to have the talent another thing is to know that it requires hard work to bring it to success.

“There’s no success without sweat, even if you have been gifted. When you work hard and pray hard you’ll get to where you want to get to”.

Presenting the award of one million naira scholarship fund to the student, the chairman stated that the honor should encourage other students to do well, promising to continue to make deliberate efforts at honoring outstanding students and improve learning standards in Nkanu West. He also disclosed that there’s a “Back to School” program which helps provide books, writing and learning materials for students.

Hon Chukwuma Ani, Cheif Whip of Nkanu West legislative council, also supported the student with a financial gift and encouraged her to attain more successes.

Somtochukwu Ekwochi, in her vote of thanks, expressed happiness and gratitude to God. She appreciated the chairman and everyone who gave other monetary gifts and promised to be a royal and radiant ambassador of the local government, Enugu state and Nigeria as a whole.

Those who witnessed the event were Hon Chijioke Oscar Ngene, the Deputy Chairman of the council, Hon Solomon Onah, the Executive Chairman of Udenu, his Nkanu East and Igboeze North counterparts, Hon Sydney Edeh and Hon Samson Itodo, Hon Nnamdi Nwafor, Prof Ekwochi and Mr. Sam Udekwe, Enugu NUJ Chairman.

Others were Osita Ekwochi, Nwatu Veronica Nnaemeka Ani, Chukwuma Ani, Monday Ngene, Ray Nnamani, Okoli John, and other local council legislators.

Students from Ozalla High School, Government College, Agbani, Community Secondary School, Attakwu and Technical College, Akpugo, were also in attenndance.

Ekwochi Somtochukwu Chidiebere attended Deeper Life High School, Mowe campus. Recently, she gained admissions to study Law at Babcock University and Afe Babalola University.

An Open Letter to Dr. Eric Oluedo
(Stop More Autonomous Communities!)

M. O. ENE

Greetings, my brother Eric!

That lightning never strikes in one place twice is proven again to be what it is: a myth. Congratulations on your membership of “the committee for the creation of autonomous communities” in Enugu State. You have been here before, both as a state commissioner and as chairman of committee on Visit Every Community (VEC) from Governor Sullivan Chime to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

I flew in from USA to make a presentation to your committee in 2009. The Diaspora Office could not get me an appointment. Commissioner Emecca Ani visited me at a hotel near Parklane and took me to the Coal City Centenary event at Ofu Obi Africa Centre. I was shocked by the karmic connection. It was destiny because the centenary celebration was my 2005 idea, which Chime inherited from Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. It was botched badly on a podium of parochial, personal, and pre-2011 political permutations, but that’s another story for another day.

Over lunch, I told Emecca my mission. We drove back to my hotel. We walked to a new detached wing of the hotel “to see someone.” We met you! We talked. I presented my proposal on town government. It had been presented to Chime in 2007, which scrapped development centers and triggered VEC initiative. I later presented an updated version to Ugwuanyi in 2015.

Our local government and traditional councils have failed to uplift our communities. Ugwuanyi split LGAs into development areas. They never got off the ground. The government now wants to split traditional councils into more dysfunctional “autonomous communities.” Meanwhile, government is yet to deliver on the ₦10 million allocated to existing communities through your headship of VEC Directorate! This is a depiction of absurdity in approach to grassroots growth.

Autonomous communities cause continued deterioration of our republican democracy. The chieftaincy conflicts worsen socioeconomic decline, discernible depopulation, land disputes, and rampant herdsmen vandalism. A radical reversal may trigger anger in ‘(s)takeholders,’ and it may be deemed a deviation from your committee’s apparent mandate, but we cannot continue to pamper policies that thwart the growth of grassroots communities.

With your years of experiences in grassroots policies and politics, consider an addendum to the final report or a constructive minority report. Recommend a reversal to original town formats. No two towns are of equal population and prospects. The central concept of community is cultural cohesion, common causes, and communal concerns. Traditional rulers should morph into custodians of culture and state salaried customary judges with their council elders as jury. Peg compulsory retirement at maximum healthy 80 years. Even Catholic pontiffs retire, and we may get two papal emeriti—if Papa Francesco joins Papst Benedikt XVI.

It is absurd that half-an-electoral-ward communities are split into two or more autonomous councils just to install for-life kings of villagers who mostly reside in urban centers. Some wards have five traditional rulers and angling for more highnesses, many of whom live in cities—if not overseas. These chiefs rake in more money monthly from government than entire communities get in a year! As Ndiigbo, the joke is on us.

Chime tried to push town governments but failed with VEC initiatives: “A” for attempt; “F” for follow-up. Ugwuanyi moved the needle by paying presidents-general (PGs). We need enabling laws to create these functional organs of government with community policing and departments for provision of basic amenities and maintenance of common facilities—not more autonomous communities. The government can launch pilot programs this December in communities still embroiled in Igwe-succession struggles.

We complain about our leaders, yet those they appoint to help hardly speak naked truth to power. When the show is over, and they want to be executives or legislators, they rediscover their voices. The disruptive strategy will endure and may define Gburugburu era. Try it, sir. Good luck.

Everything else is embellishment.

© MOE, 9.15.22
@aladimma

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