HRH Eze Oliver Ohanweh, O I Gburugburu with HRM Benjamin Keagborekuz 11, Dein of Agbor and Secretary, Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council during the occasion. Pix by Everest Ezihe, Owerri
From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Following the recent formation and inauguration of Southern Traditional Rulers Council in Owerri, Imo State capital by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, HRH Eze Dr. Oliver Ohanweh has described Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State as the pillar of Southern region unification.
Eze Ohanweh who’s the Chairman, Okigwe Elders Global Forum as well as the traditional ruler of Isiama ancient kingdom in Isiala Mbano local government area of Imo State disclosed this on Friday while addressing news men in his Wisdom Palace kingdom, Ihim
The reverred traditional ruler noted the inauguration programme as the antidote, needed to cure the nation’s age long disease of disunity among the people of Southern Nigeria region.
” This inauguration is the key needed to institute unity of purpose and progress among the Southerners and history will always remember Governor Hope Uzodimma as the pillar for the re-unification of Southern region.
“Since amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorate on January 1st 1914, by Sir Fredrick Lord Lugard to be a nation called Nigeria by her British Journalist girl friend, Miss Flora Shaw. No day has been like this, in terms of coming together of eminent leaders of the region, it’s a sign that the region and the nation is on the verge of greatness again, under unity of purpose and brotherly love and understanding”.
Ohanweh recalled with nostalgia that the Northern region have their own traditional rulers council and they have been united in every course of pursing their overall interest.
“It’s certain that the inauguration will engineer the needed unity and understanding, expected from the populace of the region and it would snowball into improved socioeconomic and political activities.
He further assured that inauguration would also eliminate the suspicious differences among leaders of the region and institute harmonious relationship among all the interest groups in the region, which are the West, South South and South East geopolitical regions comprising 17 out of the 36 States of the federation.
According to him,”the region is made up of people of high protein and energy and there’s every reason for them to stay together so as to have the expected results of progress, growth, development and transformation and to strongly stand against marginalization.
“It’s a credit to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that his region is united and working for unity of purpose, hence charity begins at home and we must give Tinubu’s administration all the maximum support and cooperation it needs.
Ohanweh further expressed optimism, that the 17 Southern governors in Nigeria will henceforth be speaking in one voice and all these credits goes to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State.
The famous Royal Father observed that the traditional rulers are the spiritual oracles of every society including Nigeria as a nation, saying that this neither politics nor religion, but tradition which is supreme to every socioeconomic and political activities.
Ohanweh also noted that,”It’s of religious truth that the creation of the entire universe started by tradition, thus why it’s equally important for traditional rulers to be reverred as after God Almighty, they are the next spiritual leader of all principalities and powers.
“This is more reason the traditional rulers are expected to help those who are in politics and those who understands the enormous powers of the traditional institution”.
Ohanwe who further gave kudos to Governor Uzodimma for the maiden historical hosting of the Southern traditional rulers and inauguration of their leadership.
He also described the Governor as, “a patriotic creative great thinker, who in every lest opportunity registers his name with golden pen, moreso Uzodimma is a pacesetter and one man, always committed to human and institutional advancements.
“In all fairness, the establishment of Southern Traditional Rulers Council, was Governor Uzodimma’s idea and initiative, We’re only 4 first class traditional rulers who were with him when he muted the idea for the establishment of the Council, we taught it was a joke but today, it’s a laudable reality.
” Uzodimma has been so disenchanted on the disunity among the Southerners including the lack of visibility of their traditional rulers in the national affairs while the Northern elites and traditional rulers are firmly united and highly visible in national sociopolitical caucus.
” The Governor has again broken the jinx of Southern disunity and lack of visibility in national and global issues.
“Similarly, as a strategic administrator, Uzodimma has tactically managed every situation in Imo State including oppositions and insecurities.
“My association with Governor Uzodimma is because he’s intellectually creative like me as a genius. Ironically, he doesn’t make noise about his positive initiatives and achievements.
Ohanweh popularly known as Gburugburu of Igboland observed that Uzodimma has laid a gold mine and golden egg of unity within the Southern region, it’s left for his other brother governors within the region to help him sustain the tempo by encouraging the sustenance of the initiative.
“It’s now historical that Governor Hope Uzodimma is the man who reactivated the amalgamation of Southern Nigeria”.
He patriotically canvassed on the need for the 17 Southern States to be united even after creation of an additional State in the region as the national assembly is contemplating.
“It’s important the Southern States understand themselves and work in unison, work for the progress of the entire region. See each other as brothers keeper and forget political, ethnicity, cultural leaning and differences and be focused as brothers with focal points of understanding and unity of purpose, hence with this mindset the region will always achieve whatever they want in the polity called Nigeria.
He insisted that,It’s disheartening that as of today the region has been messed up with cultural and religious divisions even as one brothers under one faith and tradition. Governor Uzodimma has sent the pace for us to be united in all facets of human endaevours.
The reverred traditional ruler further threw his weight behind the Shared Prosperity administration and 3R mantra Governor for visionary and purposeful leadership.
