Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has charged the State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to take proactive steps in preserving and promoting Igbo culture, particularly among the younger generation.
The Governor gave the charge when the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Umuahia.
Governor Otti represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, emphasized the importance of making the Igbo language a priority in schools, noting that his administration has made it a compulsory subject in both Primary and Secondary schools across the State.
He warned that a people who lose touch with their cultural identity risk extinction and lamented that many Igbo youths have strayed from the traditional values of hard work and integrity, instead embracing fraudulent activities in pursuit of quick wealth.
“It is good that one of your cardinal policies is to propagate Igbo culture. His Excellency, being a visionary leader, has recognized the need to reintroduce the Igbo language in our various schools because a people who abandon their culture and traditions will soon become extinct.
“Our people must know who we are, what we have gone through, and how we have arrived where we are today”, he stated.
The Governor urged Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo to develop a clear roadmap for its activities and establish strong youth wings in schools to foster cultural awareness and leadership development.
He also called for a stronger bridge between the older and younger generations, to ensure that the Igbo heritage remains a guiding principle for future generations.
We have a history behind what we do, and culture is central to any form of development. The Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo of today must begin to address this critical challenge.
“We are a people who value hard work. We are industrious, creative, and intelligent. We do not beg for survival that is not our culture. This present Ohanaeze must sit down and envision the kind of Igbo society we want to build“, the Governor stated.
In their contribution, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Budget and Planning, Sir Eric Egwuibe, and the Special Adviser on Trade, Commerce and Industry, Chief Nwaka Innem, commended Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Abia Chapter for its commitment to cultural preservation.
They emphasized that government support would be contingent upon transparency, accountability, and strategic planning in the organization’s operations.
Earlier, the President of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Abia State Chapter, Dr. Chukwuemeka Okwuonu, praised Governor Otti’s developmental strides and his commitment to the advancement of the State.
He lauded the Governor’s decision to prioritize the Igbo language in schools, noting that it aligns with Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s mission to promote Igbo culture and heritage.
Dr. Okwuonu outlined the organization’s plans to mobilize town unions and traditional institutions across Local Government Areas to strengthen Igbo unity and cultural preservation.
He appealed for government support in acquiring and furnishing a permanent secretariat and providing an official vehicle for the group.
In her vote of thanks, the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Woman Leader, Deaconess Ijeoma Clara Okere, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception and pledged the group’s support for his administration’s vision of a “New Abia”.
