Abia State governor, Alex Otti has called on Ndigbo at home and in the Diaspora to build institutions for the future generations now, saying their history alone cannot serve the purpose.
Otti stated this as special guest of honour at the public presentation of a book entitled, “Ohanaeze at 50: The Burden of Memory, The Politics of Relevance – A Critical Biographical Reflection of an Igbo Institution”.
Chief press secretary to the governor, Ukoha Njoku, in a statement made available to newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital, said Otti stated this at the launch of a book authored by Agbaeze Onuma in Lagos
The statement explained that in his address entitled “Ohanaeze at 50: A Book That Holds Up The Mirror”, Otti described the 602-page book as more than a chronicle of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
”Such institutions should understand the aspirations of young people, embrace technology and innovation, engage the global Igbo diaspora, and translate cultural identity into economic, intellectual and political power.”
It further said that according to the governor, a 50th anniversary should not be for celebration alone, but for sober reflection on an institution’s journey, relevance and future.
”An institution cannot live indefinitely on the strength of its history. Heritage gives an organization legitimacy, but relevance must be earned continuously,”
The governor said the book forces Ndigbo to confront critical questions: What has Ohanaeze become? What should it be? And what must it do to remain relevant?
Speaking, the book reviewer, Okey Anueyiagu, linked the themes of the book to the governor’s political journey, describing it as a story of resilience and service.
He recalled how Otti survived an assassination attempt by about an hour during his first governorship bid, and the tense night they waited for a court judgment till 2 a.m.
In his remarks, the author, said the book was written to be read and engaged with, not to sit as a coffee-table decoration, commending the governor for his achivements in less than four years.
He said Otti’s performance has shown that transition from private sector to public service can produce positive change, and expressed optimism that the state would surpass others.
The foreword of the book about the Alex Igbo sociocultural group was written by elderstateman and renouned economist, Uma Oke Eleazu, OON, who was present at the event.
In his opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion, U. K. Eke, former group managing director of FBN Holdings Plc, urged that the ideas in the book be translated into practical action.
He said the book makes a compelling case for a review of governance frameworks needed for regional transformation, and expressed confidence that Otti, alongside other South-East governors, would take the lead.
Ends
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