By Ozioma Teddy Ukwuoma
I recall sometime, about 20 years or so ago , when Chief Hope Uzodimma ( he had not even become even a Senator at this time ) brought in dignitaries from all over Nigeria, including the Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim into Owerri, Imo State, for the lunch of what he themed Southeast Development Initiative ( SEDI ) .
With my youth, I only saw it as an attempt to broker his way into winning future elections .
Today, however, Hope Uzodinma has won several elections into the Senate and two elections for the office of the Governor of Imo state . But he is not relenting, not slowing down. He is still working, still planning, appearing even more keen on his pursuits . Why ?
So I took a closer look at his agenda . Not out of love or admiration, but with a learner’s curiosity , and the truth is dawning on me .
The Igbos cannot achieve their potentials if they keep fighting the other regions of Nigeria in the manner we are presently doing . Igbos should work for and demand fair treatment from corporate Nigeria, Igbos should dump the secessionist and ‘me against the world’ posturing and build bridges with other ethnicities, igbos should align with other regions strategically and pursue development of our region . The hate and fight in our heart is not what we need to excell as a people.
If Hope Uzodinma succeeds in integrating Ndigbo into the Nigerian project, his life’s work would have been done .
With these, I join all Ndigbo of good conscience to call on President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to please reward the untiring efforts of Hope Uzodinma by granting projects, appointments, and approvals that will clearly show Ndigbo that we will gain far better as partners in a progressive Nigeria and nothing as adversaries. Hope Uzodinma realised this more than two decades ago .
Now I know .
