Renowned activist and lawyer, Dim Uche Okwukwu, has emerged as the president -general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide at the organisation’s ongoing convention in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
The General Assembly of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, according to a statement by the returning officer, Dr. Achi Achi, copy of which was made available to newsmen, said the new President General, Okwukwu, was returned unopposed at the the convention, which began on Thursday and is expected to end on Friday.
The returning officer said Okwukwu was elected by the progressive movement in Igboland, expressing appreciation to the national delegates who stormed Port Harcourt for the exercise.
He said the new leader had pledged to defend the interest of all the Igbo and uphold the tenets of the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
Okwukwu, in his acceptance speech, thanked the delegates, saying that he humbly accepts the enormous responsibility imposed on him to lead the Igbo race “at this moment in our history.”
The newly elected president -general
said his top priorities includ engaging the federal government on the unconditional release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and the restructuring of Nigeria.
Besides, he promised to “unite fractured nerves and bring the Igbo together as one indivisible family,” saying that he was fully aware of the unprecedented trust reposed in him.
This was just as he pledged to defend the Igbo nation by living up to their high expectations, adding that the Igbo nation has gone through unprecedented travails and assured that he would waste no time in engaging the federal and state governments, Igbo businessmen, politicians, youths, and the intelligentsia, in addressing the problems facing the Igbo nation.
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He said he would meet President Tinubu to work for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and other political prisoners, and ensure the de-criminalization of political exiles to enable them return home to join the process of reconstruction.
“We shall encourage the federal and state governments to engage all agitators to address grievances so as to bring a just closure to issues,” Okwukwu said.
“I will work for the creation of the Anioma State as an equalization state for the Igbo, and for additional Aba, Adada, Etiti, Orlu or other states in case the balance is further disrupted.
“I will work hand in hand with critical Igbo stakeholders to advance the unity of the Igbo nation, and ensure that Igbo communities in Benue, and Edo States are fully incorporated into the Ohanaeze family, modernize the Igbo Language as one of the major languages of global commerce, culture, science and technology,” he said.
