Ideato Committee of Friends of Nigeria (ICFN) recently elected new executive to pilot the affairs of the club for the next three years. In the said election, Ide Chief (Sir) Ernest Eze won the chairmanship position with a promise to make welfare of members a top priority, CYRIACUS NNAJI Reports.
On hand to conduct the elections were three eminent personalities from the National body of ICFN, they were the Chairman Board of Trustees, Chief John Umejiego; Vice Chairman of the club, Ezinna Jude Muoneke and the National Publicity Secretary Hon. Onyebuchi Onyeje (Ochiwar).
After the election which was attested to be free and fair by members, Ide Chief (Sir) Ernest Eze (Orabugwueze) emerged president of the club having served the club as chairman in an interim capacity.
Other winners at the election include Ide Aloy Otiora, who became the Vice Chairman; Ide Chizoba Okoli was also elected Treasurer of the association, Financial Secretary is now Meshach Dim while Assistant Secretary is Ide Fabian Abasirim. Ide Chidi Godstime Ochomma was returned unopposed as PRO; while Director of Social is Ogbonna Mike.
Other successful candidates were Ide Oti Ikechukwu who was elected the Provost to be assisted by Mmadububa Chinonso. The Secretary is Ide Christian Udenko, while Ide Chukwuemeka Asiegbu became the Assistant Secretary.
In the end the new executive members were sworn in by the Legal Adviser of the branch Ide Mike Orjiakor (Dikeogbogu). Ide Barr Mike Orjiakor, the Lagos Branch Legal Adviser thanked the interim Executive and called on incoming administration to emulate the exemplary leadership of the former executive.
Chief Eze speaking on behalf of the new executives described their emergence as a call to service and promised to raise their game. He promised that the new exco will not betray the confidence the club has in them. “We are called to serve, by the special grace of God we will do well. If we had given 50% in our last executive, we will try and raise it to 80% from today.” He urged members of the club to go all out and drive for membership.
Ide Eze spoke further. “I am highly excited, the election went peacefully and successfully too, and I appeal to my colleagues in the new executive to join hand with me so that we can move ICFN and indeed Ideato forward.”
On his plan for the club, Ide Eze disclosed that his major plan is to commence drive for membership to bring all Ideato men (North and South) in Lagos to join ICF, “To come together as bothers, to initiate formidable agenda for the development of Ideato as a whole.”
He said Welfare of the members will also be of utmost importance to the new executive.
Eze harped on issue of security adding that herdsmen have penetrated their communities. He said that there is every need for the branch to suggest some security measures to the ICFN central body for onward communication to the government on how to secure Ideato nation.
He especially eulogized the role of Ide Anayo Iguegbe for his indefatigable and commendable pioneering efforts as a member of the 10-man committee that oversaw the formation and nurturing of the group to the present stage.
Chief John Otuodichukwumma Umejiego (Akanaemma in Umuchuma, Ugochukwutubere of Umuobom, Founder, Pioneer President and Chairman, Board of Trustee of the body was the man who headed the electoral empire that conducted the historic maiden election into ICFN Lagos Branch new executive.
Ashiakporodike na Obodoukwu, Commenting on the seamlessness of the election said that even though he has no degree in Election he has PhD in Common Sense. “I applied common sense to make sure that we conducted a free and fair election where the winners and losers would be happy of what transpired. I am happy that such a thing took place today, anybody that lost knows why he lost and those that won know why they won, so it is a thing of joy.”
On his role as BOT chairman to grow the association he said, “It is by the special grace of God, that we have kept the association going, right from inception, this association was formed in the year 1989, May 7, since then we have been growing from strength to strength because of the grace of God and understanding of one another as brothers.
On his expectation from the Lagos Branch Umejiego said “I expect that the club will grow from strength to strength, we expect to see that in no distant time, they will write to the national body for induction of new members which is a sign of growth, and then also we will be happy to see that they own a property here as club house, for themselves so that they will not be paying rent, they can easily help themselves by whatever they want to do they go to their hall, I want to see such a growth from these officers, let them ginger members, so that the progress of the club will be immeasurable.”
Chief (Nnaommadiebube) Muoneka Jude, Vice chairman, on his part said, “The most important thing in the election was the unity, you can see unity among the members, the election was held in unity, oneness and love so that they could get the leader of their choice. What I expect them to do now is to make sure they carry every member along, create awareness in Lagos so that they grow their membership, we are expecting a good number of people; we want them to do better as a branch.
Idegburugburu urged the group to go for membership drive, saying that Lagos is a big place and encouraged them to take the club to places like Oduade, Ladipo, Trade Fair, Alaba International Market and many other places where Ideato nation has presence in Lagos.
