The non-profit, non-partisan Foundation GoBIGNigeria, has urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo to join hands in driving its upcoming campaign tagged Initiative for Justice and Equity (IJE), this was contained in a congratulatory message to Professor George Obiozor on his recent election as President General of the apex socio-political organization of the Igbo.
In a statement released on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 by the group, the Global Coordinator of Go-BIGNigeria, Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji, said “it is a powerful message to the world that a man of Professor Obiozor’s stature and intellect would accept to serve Ohanaeze in this capacity and at this time in our history.” According to Ugorji, “like Chief Nnia Nwodo before him, Professor Obiozor as the President General of Ohanaeze, will command respect for the Igbo anywhere in the world at any time.”
A seasoned and highly respected diplomat, teacher and international statesman, Obiozor was a Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. He has served in some of the most important diplomatic outposts of Nigeria, including as Ambassador to the United States of America, and Israel. According to Ugorji, Obiozor, an indigene of Imo State, was one of the earliest endorsers of the emergence of Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as President Buhari’s Chief of Staff in 2019.
Dr. Ugorji also congratulated Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State “for hosting a credible and commendable election exercise in the heartland of the Igbo.” Uzodinma, whose state the office of President General of Ohanaeze was zoned for the current term, played host to Igbo leaders from around the world, including Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and so many others.
GoBIGNigeria is an international pressure group established in 2018 to make the case for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. The BIG in GoBIGNigeria stood for the Buhari International Group. After the reelection of President Buhari in 2019, the group registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a Foundation, with the BIG now meaning a commitment to bold, big ideas for nation building.
In the group’s congratulatory message, Dr. Ugorji urged the new leader of Ohanaeze to consider adopting GoBIGNigeria’s upcoming campaign of Initiative for Justice and Equity (IJE). “IJE is a non-partisan and trans-ethnic campaign to inspire Nigerians to heal the lingering amputation of the soul of our country, which the 1967-1970 war brought, by ensuring justice and equity in the choice of Nigeria’s next President in 2023,” Ugorji said. Among the reasons the group advanced in support of a second term for President Buhari was that a second term would just about guarantee that an incumbent would not be running for President in 2023, Ugorji said. That outcome, he said, would shorten the timeline needed to arrive at justice and equity in the choice of Nigeria’s next President.
