…As Idimogu pays visit, promises partnership
Igboburuotu Social Club of Nigeria, an association founded on humanitarian and philanthropic considerations, after their monthly meeting on Saturday September 05, 2020, embarked upon an on-the-spot assessment of their 100 plots landed property at Iwonikoko-Ijododo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State to see the extent of work on their land, CYRIACUS NNAJI reports.
Igboburuotu Social Club of Nigeria is an association with passion for the Igbos to be united. As a philanthropic organization it also has a Department of Non-Governmental Organization that handles humanitarian affairs for members of the group and also non-members who may have one problem of the order raging from hunger, shade, police brutality, legal challenges, among others.
The association last year acquired 100 plots of land which were later sold to the members at a cheaper price. This verse virgin land is now being considered for an estate just for members of the group.
Speaking at the site, High Chief Chika Nwokedi, Okpoko 1 of Obodoukwu and the president of the club while giving God the glory for helping him to pilot the affairs of the group disclosed that out of the 20 plots he bought for himself, he has decided to touch some people’s lives by giving out 10 plots to 10 members of the association free of charge. He said “Whatever I do I do it for God. I come to this world with nothing I will go back with nothing,” Nwokedi stated.
He maintained that he have not allowed people around him to suffer as he gave out handsomely at the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic “During the pandemic I share money to people, some N10,000; some N20,000, while some N5,000 just to touch the lives of those that are less-privileged.”
On the issue of certificate of Occupancy (CoO) for the land Nwokedi said “The issue of CoO will be handled by individual land owners so that people would not think the executive wants to use it to make money. Some of them have already gotten family receipt so they can go ahead and do the CoO by themselves.”
On his plan to convert the land to an estate, he said “I am planning to make the land an estate, it costs money but if we have money we can convert it to an estate. Some members have, while some don’t have. In every association, some will be rich, some will be poor and those poor people when they don’t belong they will not be happy, so whatever I am doing I do it for the benefit of the poor and rich.”
He stated that the association loves sowing in the lives of people including security agencies “We sow in the lives of the police, customs, army, our association is original not fake.
Nwokedi also stated that the group assists people not considering their tribe “As far as you are a Nigeria, you have a case but you don’t have money, when you come to us we will assist you. Somebody was owed for six years and we assisted him to recover the money. He did not give us one Naira. We were the one who paid N100,000 to process the paper, he is not our member, our name is helping hand, some people form group to enrich themselves, but it is not the same with Igboburuotu.
“For four years now we have been share rice to people, you can see members bring money to build house for somebody who does not have house, we love to help people that don’t have. But you must not do something that is against the law, be you Igbo, Yoruba or Hause, we will take up the case and you will not put one Naira on it.
Meanwhile the Lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 02 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu, has eulogized the activities of Igboburuotu Social Club of Nigeria and pledged to partner with them.
He also urged the Igbos in Lagos State to make efforts to support the government of the day which is the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government of state.
Idimogu took the stand when visited to the association at their meeting at Ijegun in Alimosho Local Government of the state on Saturday.
Interacting with journalists, Idimogu stated the reason for his visit saying “They are my brothers and sisters and as an Igbo man I need to identify myself with my brothers and sisters in Lagos state. It is also to encourage them in whatever they are doing. They are doing very well in their businesses; no doubt, but I also want them to support the government of Lagos State. It is also to collaborate with them, if they have issues with Lagos State agencies, some of them may not know that I can also assist them.
“It is to encourage them, praise them in the little ones they are doing and encourage them to continue to support the government of the day for them to also have a stronger voice positively towards governance of Lagos State.”
Idimogu expressed his preparedness to also partner with other Igbo groups in Lagos “I am visiting all Igbo associations in Lagos State, most times I don’t know them yet, those I am yet to know once I get information I will go and meet them, and talk to them, encourage them and work with them.
“The purpose is Igbo interest. It is really important because we need to have a stronger voice wherever we are as a unique people from where we are coming from. If we scatter without having a common voice, it is not always good for us,” Idimogu said.
He harped on the need to protect the Igbo interest. “In anything we do we need to protect our interest, so the interest of every Igbo man is paramount to me, and at the same time the interest of the government of APC in Lagos State. So we must come together and work for both interests, in fact that is my motto, that is my focus and that is my goal.”
On the issue of Igbo in APC leadership tussle, he said that the problem was partly over “The problem has partly been solved. The party has waded into it, and the party has told me, Jude, you are a leader, Joe Igbokwe is a leader, work with your brother, and you know I normally call Joe Igbokwe my Senior Brother, so irrespective of anything I have to work with him. The idea is to galvanize Igbos together for the interest of the party, united we stand, divided we fall. Wherever I go I tell him for the interest of the Igbos and for the interest of the party. It is very key so we are together,” Idimogu stated.
On his part, the President of Igboburuotu, High Chief Chika Nwokedi, Okpoko 1 of Obodukwu said Idimogu has the interest of Ndigbo at heart, he said over time he has taken time to watch the activities of the lawmaker and has come to the conclusion that he is a genuine and illustrious son of Igbo.
“Idimogu fights for the interest of Ndigbo, he won election to represent Oshodi/Isolo under PDP, and came back and won it under APC, so it is no mean feat. There is something he is doing which is given him victory,” Nwokedi said.
