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The newly elected President of Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, has assured that the group under his leadership would lead the way in articulating Igbo problems to be at the vanguard to proffer solutions to them.
Awuzie who is the former president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) also vowed that the group would continue to work with the apex-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in ensuring the Igbo are treated right in Nigeria.
“We had a vision to articulate Igbo problems in order to be at the vanguard to proffer solutions and be the intellectual powerhouse of Ohanaeze and also to work with other Igbo organisations that are patriotic towards resolving some of our problems, walking together as a family.
“We will do research and feed Ohanaeze with them. When we want to speak, we will also speak but we must not create discordant tunes coming from the Igbo nation. We must find a way of bringing the leaders and every person to speak with one voice and the people will respect us.”
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Awuzie challenged the formula for the distribution of national resources, insisting that it was one of the injustices against the Igbo nation and one which Igbo must speak up against.
“Igbo are challenged in several places. Is it in government? Is it in the establishment? Is it from even the five states we have? The challenges are enormous. If you look at it, the five states of the South East have 47 members of the House of Reps. The old Kano State which includes the present Kano and Jigawa has a total of 34.
“This is a challenge because it affects how we distribute the national resources. It also affects employment because we are talking about federal character. So there are a lot of things that are involved. The whole of Kano and Sokoto emirates control two-thirds of local governments in Nigeria. When you put all these together you will see that even the so-called 13 per cent derivation given down here is nothing in terms of what happens. Look at the allocation. I am saying that we have to talk and we have to write. We have to create pressure groups. And if our people support what we are saying, you have to put pressure on. That is how to change things in government. We are not going to fight but we shall use intellectual wealth,” he said.
Also elected into the executive were Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, national vice president, Chief Abia Onyike, national secretary, Ike Nwandu, deputy national secretary, Max Ozoaka, national legal adviser, Mba Chukwuebuka, national membership secretary, Dr. Onyi Gbujie, national financial secretary, Chukwuemaka Obinwugo, national publicity secretary, Arinze Nwosu, national treasurer, Zulu Ofoelue, organising secretary and Nneka Chimezie, welfare secretary.
