Lack of leadership ideals of Zik, Okpala caused disunity, insecurity in S’East, says group

Persistent security challenges, as well as disunity among successive political leaders, representatives and elite in the South East, have been blamed on the failure to emulate the impactful leadership ideals of Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and former Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpala.

The President General of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural and moral re-armament organisation, Ndi Igbo Royal Heritage Worldwide (NIROH), Dr. Paul Okoye, who made this known, in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday, also said the go-getter political strength of the former Imo State Governor, Sam Mbakwe, is worthy of emulation.

Okoye, who spoke ahead of tomorrow’s 2022 Igbo Unity Celebration, tagged: ‘Unification of The Igbo Nation,’ stressed that the negative attributes holding Ndigbo down can be reversed if Igbo people could discard the toga of self-importance, greed and envy.

The NIROH boss said the celebration is to reinvent the ideals and political leadership styles of Zik, Okpara and Mbakwe, among other leaders, whose eras signposted political progress and economic advancement without oil, and present them as models for the current generation of Ndigbo to emulate.

According to him, the coming Igbo unity conference would focus mainly on Zik’s legacies, showcasing and reviewing his political life and times, which could be adopted as a model, particularly, for leaders in South East.

Noting that it is so bad that the Igbo do not have a role model, unlike other tribes in the country, which have people they look up to as role models, and whose ideology they emulate. Okoye noted that this is the reason the group is targeting the younger generation to take them through moral rebirth and value reorientation for sustainable learning.

He noted that the event is aimed at bringing the Igbo nation together as a people; to reawaken, in them, the consciousness of brotherhood, love and unity, which they were known for before the 1967 – 1970 civil war.
Okoye revealed that the poor showing in political leadership and lack of tact, as well as coordination among states in the former Eastern region is fueled by self-importance, greed and envy.

The NIROH chieftain regretted that Ndigbo, despite being successful, with achievements and investments all over the world, do not have anything to boast of in their own homeland, which makes Igbo land appear desolate.

He explained that the event will also help re-invent and highlight some of the values for which Igbo people were known for, including industry, respect and positive alliance.