President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other prominent Nigerians will on Wednesday join Governor Alex Otti and the family of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, to commemorate the 60th memorial anniversary of the late military leader in Umuahia.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the Abia State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu said the memorial, scheduled for July 29, would feature a wreath-laying ceremony at Aguiyi Ironsi’s tomb at the Aguiyi-Ironsi Conference Centre, followed by a reception at the International Conference Centre with tributes, goodwill messages and speeches.
According to the commissioner, President Tinubu will attend as Special Guest of Honour, while former President Obasanjo will serve as Guest of Honour.
He said the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, will be the Royal Father of the Day, with Governor Otti as Chief Host.
Prince Kanu also announced that Abia would host a South-East Regional Security Summit on Thursday July 30, bringing together governors of the five South-East states and key security stakeholders to discuss collaborative strategies for strengthening regional security.
He said the summit, themed “Collaborative Approaches to Strengthening Security and Regional Stability,” will feature Senate President Godswill Akpabio as Special Guest of Honour and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (retd.), as Guest Speaker.
The commissioner further disclosed that Governor Otti would on July 31 hand over the newly constructed Nigerian Air Force Administrative Complex in Umuahia to the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Air Staff adding that other senior military officers would be in attendance.
