By Chesa Chesa
Some traditional rulers from Anambra State on Thursday met with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
The monarchs had been suspended a day earlier from the State’s traditional council for one year for the visit to Abuja, which the State Governor, Willie Obiano, described as unauthorised.
Although they had hoped to meet with the President, the traditional rulers, led by one of Anambra’s billionaire industrialist, Prince Arthur Eze, were received by Gambari, who thanked them for coming, adding that the gesture would encourage the President to do even more for the region and the country as a whole.
“As it is generally said in most parts of the country, when you thank somebody for what he has done, he is encouraged, and does more. This is an incentive for the President to do more for the country, and also for the South East,” Professor Gambari said.
The monarchs expressed appreciation to Buhari for his commitment to development of the country in general, and the South East in particular.
They listed the landmark projects embarked upon by President Buhari in their region to include “the Second Niger Bridge, that had been presented as an impossible task by previous administrations, but now becoming a reality under your keen watch,” the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, among others.
“The people of the South East are, indeed, grateful, as we have never had it so good, and on their behalf, we say daalu (thank you),” the royal fathers declared.
Also lauding the President for appointing Igbo sons and daughters into key positions in government, they said as custodians of the heritage of the people, they felt it was incumbent on them to “come and express our appreciation on behalf of the entire people of the area, and to urge Your Excellency to do more for the zone.”
The monarchs included Eze Dr. Nkeli Nzekwe, Igwe Chuba Mbakwe, Igwe Chijioke Nwankwo, Igwe Anthony Onwekwelu, and Igwe Chukwuma Bobo Orji, according to a presidency statement issued after the meeting.
