The people of Greater Ugwuaji Awkunanaw Community in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State have extolled Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s leadership style that liberated the community from “political exclusion”.
They gathered in their numbers on Thursday in Enugu to celebrate Gov. Ugwuanyi for breaking the jinx in creating an enabling environment for the emergence of a democratically elected Chairman of the council from the community for the first time.
According to them, the governor has liberated them from politics of suppression, subjugation, denials and exclusion over the years.
The Ugwuaji people, led by the Chairman of Enugu South LGA, Mr Chimezie Nkwuo, mobilised their various masquerades, religious and traditional leaders to Community Primary School, Eke-Ugwuaji Awkunanaw, to express gratitude to Ugwuanyi.
They expressed joy over Ugwuanyi’s efforts, describing him as a leader endowed with conscience and filled with milk of human kindness.
The people also offered special prayers for God to preserve and protect Gov. Ugwuanyi and grant his heart’s desires, including his bid to represent Enugu North Senatorial District at the National Assembly in 2023.
The community declared unanimous support for Ugwuanyi’s preferred successor in 2023, who is the PDP governorship candidate, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, his running mate, Ifeanyi Ossai, and other candidates of the party in the state.
On behalf of the community, Mr Okechukwu Ede, said “the manifestation of your resolve to end the politics of suppression, subjugation, denials and exclusion, which have been prevalent in our polity, is commendable and will go down in annals of the state”.
Ede disclosed that it was under the governor’s leadership that “the Greater Ugwuaji for the first time was given a Commissioner in your cabinet in the person of Aloy Ogbodo”.
“In spite of the enormous responsibilities on your shoulder, you displayed a strong will by not neglecting to address some of these aspects of man inhumanity to man.
“You addressed this alongside the huge developmental projects and infrastructure development in the state.
“Sir, you are a leader endowed with good conscience, and filled with milk of human kindness.”
In his speech, Nkwuo said Gov. Ugwuanyi had a permanent place in the heart of every Ugwuaji person, stressing that “as long as life is concerned, we will forever remain grateful for your great gesture”.
The Council Chairman said: “You have done noble. You have done what seemed impossible. That is why we have gathered today, to rejoice and praise God because of somebody like you.”
Offering prayers for Gov. Ugwuanyi on behalf of the community, the General Overseer of Redemption Church of Nigeria, Rev. Chimaobi Aninwene, beseeched God to continue to preserve, protect and bless the governor abundantly.
He said that the governor “opened a door of greatness for the community for the first time in the history of Ugwuaji”.
On his part, the traditional ruler of Obeagu Ugwuaji Awkunanaw, Ikenga Nyia, spoke in the same vein and urged other political leaders to emulate the exemplary leadership qualities of Ugwuanyi.
Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi thanked the people of Greater Ugwuaji Awkunanaw Community for their prayers, solidarity, support, and their expression of gratitude, which he said, belonged to God.
The governor thanked the people for accepting to vote for Dr Mbah, his running mate, Barr. Ossai and other candidates of the party in the state, urging them to cast their votes for the logo of umbrella on the ballot paper.
The climax of the event was the conferment of a Chieftaincy title of “Ogugua one”, which means a consoler of Ugwuaji on Gov.Ugwuanyi.
