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| Prince Engr. Artur Eze inaugurates Ibagwa Community Devpt Centre, named after him |
By Madu Ezenoha, ENUGU
Despite the current security and socio-economic challenges facing her, Nigeria will overcome all if the political elites are able to bury their ethnic and religious cleavages and work in harmony towards finding common solutions to the problems.
Nigerian billionaire and renowned philanthropist, Engr Arthur Eze and Col. Abdulazeez Yar’Adua (rtd), younger brother to Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua made the assertion in Enugu yesterday in their separate remarks during the birthday celebration of the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Nike kingdom, HRM Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu.
Eze, who is also the chairman of Oranto oil and Triax Airline stated that ordinary Nigerians love themselves and are ready to coexist without any problem, but are being divided by the political elites for their selfish interest.
He insisted that the various challenges facing the nation, including the rising insecurity, were the creation of the Nigerian elites, and called on Ndigbo to love their Northern counterparts and work with them to achieve their desires in the country.
“Forget these politicians creating problems everywhere; the North made me what I am today… we (Igbo) must be with the North, without the North we won’t have peace,” he said.
Eze, who donated the sum of N100 million for socio-economic development of Ibagwa kingdom, said Igwe Ugwu was one of the people that worked with him for several years and demonstrated trust and reliability as a servant.
On his part, Abdulazeez Yar’Adua, who is a traditional title holder in the community (Akajiugo 1 of Ibagwa), said the title had widened his horizon, “and given me hope that we can work for one Nigeria, move away from those things dividing us”.
Yar’Adua counseled Nigerians to avoid the experience of Rwanda but to keep talking to themselves, stressing that the Nigerian elites should realize that Nigeria can solve her problems with greater understanding of one another in cultural exchanges such as the one being demonstrated by Igwe Ugwu.
HRM Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu had earlier stated that he served Arthur Eze for 18 years and he learnt from him philanthropy and detribalized dispositions, noting that Arthur Eze exposed him to prominent Nigerians from every part of the country.
“We are suffering today in the country because we lost our history, hence tribal war and hatred everywhere… I’m using my palace to do my little to unite Nigerians through cultural integration,” he said.
Similarly, other guests and title holders at the occasion, including Alh. Jafaru Bello Dambazau (Ebubedike 1 of Ibagwa), Shamsudeen Abubakar Maikasuwa (Ozor Akonobi), and a Ghanaian, His Eminence Prof. Barthsy Ojor Enebiene (JP), extolled the virtues of the traditional ruler of Ibagwa, HRM Ugwu, describing him as a digital transformer and detribalized global citizen that should be emulated by other African traditional leaders.
They stated that every culture advocates peaceful coexistence and that through cultural exchange, Nigeria can resolve her differences and build bonds of friendship among its diverse citizens.
Highlight of the occasion was the inauguration of Prince Engr. Arthur Eze (OFR) Community Development Centre, Ibagwa Nike, Enugu, a community resource centre for youth empowerment and training of youths.
