The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • Group urges youths to collect their PVCs

    A youth group, #YouthDecide2019, has appealed to youths nation-wide to ensure that they use the remaining weeks before the general elections to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).

    National Coordinator of #YouthDecide2019, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, made the appeal while speaking with reporters in Enugu.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently said over 51 per cent of the total 84.2 million registered voters fall into the active youth age bracket of between 20 and 40 years.

    The commission also said over 15 million of the PVCs were still uncollected nation-wide.

    Okenwa called for reduction in millions of uncollected PVCs in various offices of the INEC nation-wide.

    He urged Nigerian youths to be part of the current political process and ensure election of those who would better their living conditions.

    He said no youth should sit on the fence to watch; and thereafter complain about ineptitude and bad governance.

    “This is our opportunity to make the impact we desire since currently youths out-number any other strata of the society participating in the election even in our neighbourhoods and communities.

    “This time, we must demand youth-oriented leaders, who have spelt out viable youth programmes that will shape our future for the better.

    “There is still time from now to the last week to the election for youths to collect our PVCs and make the difference in our lives and national socio-political polity,’’ he said.

    The co-coordinator also urged youths to get ready to vote and stay close to protect their votes on the election day.

    “Youths should also join various youthful electronic election platforms to get enlightened on how best to get clear commitment and agreement from youth-oriented candidates of any elective position.

    “They will also learn from others and other experienced people in these electronic platforms the act of result-oriented political engagement; so that we have accountable leaders at each level of governance in the country,’’ he added.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on May 31, 2018, signed the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law, to further pave the way for Nigerian youths to be actively involved in the nation’s political leadership.

  • Bee keepers seek govt’s assistance

    The Enugu Bee Keepers’ Association (EBKA) has urged the Federal and Enugu State governments to assist the association with funds and modern equipment to produce large quantity of honey for export.

    The President of the association, Igwe Uchenna Anikwe, made the appeal while speaking with reporters in Enugu.

    Igwe Anikwe is the Traditional Ruler of Diogbe Community in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    Nutrition experts have, over time, recommended the use of honey instead of sugar or sweeteners for daily meal.

    Honey has also been prescribed by modern and traditional medical practitioners for cure of some diseases such as cough, sore throat, burns and vision problem, among others.

    Anikwe said the 3,000 members of EBKA needed interest-free or soft loans to acquire more bee hives to produce enough quantity for the quantum of honey needed internationally.

    “Our members, who are mostly youths, need to be engaged in more local and foreign training, where they will acquire modern techniques and processes that will help to enhance the quality and quantity of honey for export,’’ he said.

    He said there was a need to create more sensitisation on beekeeping in the state and the Southeast for more people to take to bee farming as a means of livelihood.

    Igwe Anikwe noted that with more productive beekeepers or farmers coming into the business, the large quantity for export would be met.

    “From September 25 to 29, last year when EBI-Expo Africa 2018 was organised in Abuja, among 36 countries in Africa and 36 states in the country, including the FCT, Enugu State emerged the overall best.

    “The state, through EBKA, was awarded ‘Best Exhibitor/Producer Organisation’.

    “That singular Expo placed Enugu State in the global map of honey producers.

    “EBKA, as an association, is calling on government at the state and federal levels to help us sustain and surpass the present tempo of honey production,’’ he said.

    A 75 cl bottle of pure honey, especially the popular ‘Nsukka Grade -1’, is sold for between N2, 000 and N2, 500 in markets within Enugu metropolis.

  • 71-year-old widow, ex-governor battle over property

    A 71-year-old widow and a lecturer at Abia State University Uturu, Mrs. Katherine Chinyere Onwughara, has urged a former governor of the state to desist from making moves to forcefully acquire her property.

    The property was built for her and her children by her late husband, Chief Doris Onwughara over 30 years ago.

    Onwughara, who spoke through her daughter Shalom, said the building is located at Umuagu Ibeku. The house named after her is known as Kate’s Whitehouse. It is beside a five- storey building known as Cika Hilton Hotels.

    She explained that the two buildings were built on two different lands with two different Certificate of Occupancy (CofO), adding that the former governor through one of his companies has been trying to forcefully take over the two buildings.

    The widow said trouble started when the former governor claimed that he had acquired Cika Hilton Hotels through an auction by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) after her husband’s death.

    Onwughara said: “After a legal battle that lasted for many years, my family decided to let go of the hotel. However not satisfied with that, the former governor and his agents started making moves to forcefully acquire my private building which was never part of the auction.

    “I woke up one day and saw a notice pasted on my property claiming that NDIC is trying to recover Cika Hilton Hotels and a second property at Ugwu Nchara in Umuahia.

    ”I want to state that Kate’s White House does not have the same certificate of occupancy with Cika Hilton Hotels, and I have a letter that I got when we were in Court from the lands registry stating that the two properties were not the same.

    “My house is not situated in Ugwunchara as they claimed rather it is situated in Umuagu Ibeku, so there is a lot of difference between Ugwunchara and Umuagu Ibeku.

    “I had also gotten an injunction from Justice Sunday Imo that no police and company or their agents should go to that property because Kate’s White House is not Cika Hilton Hotel. I have an evidence of that; the police were aware of it because it was a popular case.”

    Onwuhara alleged that some agents of the former governor and his company had resumed moves to eject her forcefully from her residence on November 14, last year, while she was not in the house.

    She said: “I was not at home on the said date but my neighbors noticed that some men jumped the fence into my compound, they called and told me not to come back because they thought the people were kidnappers.

    “But I later found out an acclaimed Court bailiff came with them without the knowledge of the nearest police station around and they vandalised my properties, threw things out and stole money.

    ”I have gone round all the police stations in Umuahia asking if there was a court order against the property, but they said there was none. I know personally that when a bailiff wants to execute a court order he/she must make a report at the Police station.

    “Again on   December 31, 2018, over 15 policemen came and asked me to come for questioning for one petition against me. I obeyed and went to the police station with a petition… that I opened a sealed property. The truth is that I never saw any court order sealing the property.

    “It was when I was at the police station that some people called and informed me that they were removing my roof, but the police kept me from morning till the evening.

    “When I informed them that they were removing my roof, they said that their hands were tied and they can’t do anything until they finished removing the roof, they also broke down the dividing fence between my house and the hotel. They equally removed my gate and sealed the entrance with blocks.”

    However, the matter took another turn when the Abia State Police command arraigned the widow before a Magistrates’ Court on a four-count charge of felony and malicious damage, unlawful destruction and damage of one padlock, behaving in a manner likely to cause breach of peace and forceful entry into a land known as Kate White House land.

    The charge said the land, “which is in actual and peaceable possession of one Chukwuemeka Adiele (m) and obstructing and resisting one John Onuoha (m) of the High Court of Justice, Umuahia from executing court order punishable under sections 516, 451, 145 of the criminal lcode3 cap 80, and the criminal lcode3 cap 81, volume 3, Laws of Abia State of Nigeria (2005)”.

    According to the suit no. U/04C/2019, the accused, along with others now at large had on the 13th of November, 2018 at Umuagu Ibeku Umuahia in the Umuahia North Magisterial District, conspired to commit the felony by destroying the padlock placed upon the property by court bailiff, illegally entering into the property and obstructing the court bailiff from doing his duties.

    The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against her.

    Her counsel, Adizua C Okoroafor, prayed for her bail based on the fact that the defendant is a senior citizen by age, has health challenges, is a senior member of the bar and a lecturer at ABSU, assuming her to be innocent until proved guilty.

    Opposing the bail, the police prosecuting counsel, Igwe Isaac of the State Criminal Investigation Department, said his position was based on the rate at which people disobeyed court orders and called for accelerated hearing.

    The Presiding Magistrate, U. U. Egwu, granted her bail on self-recognition, with two sureties in the sum of N1 million each, and the matter was adjourned till February 6, 2019.

    All efforts to speak with the former governor or any officer of his company proved abortive as calls placed through his phone and text messages were not returned.

  • Fire victims beg Ikpeazu for assistance

    Traders of F-line, Asa Nnentu Motor Spare Parts Market, whose shops were gutted by a midnight fire, are urging the state and federal government to assist them financially.

    They are also appealing for assistance from the National State Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

    The Nation learnt that the traders lost goods worth over N400 million to the inferno.

    It was gathered that efforts to draw the attention of the men of the Abia State Fire Service to the ugly situation proved abortive. Some traders and some sympathisers rushed  to the market during the incident and stopped the fire from spreading into other nearby shops in the area.

    Some of the affected victims, who spoke to our reporter, said that life has become unbearable for them.

    They are worried about how to settle their  loans.

    They are also afraid that the education of their children will be in jeopardy if they fail to pay their school fees. Some of them said their landlords were already on their necks demanding their house rents.

    A trader, Comrade Ajaegbu Morrison, who is also the Secretary of Patrons of Asa Nnentu Motor Spare Parts Market, described the incident as devastating.

    He appealed to the authorities to come to their assistance.

    Ajaegbu said: “I sell Japanese body spare parts and some suspensions. That is what I specialised on. I was about to pray to go to bed when my phone rang. I checked my phone to see who was calling and it was one of my neighbors that was calling.

    “My neighbor told me that he learnt that our market was on fire and that it was mainly on F-Line where my shop is located. After some minutes, I got another call from a neighbor too, telling me that my shop was among the shops that were razed down by the inferno.

    “It was at that time that I decided to come and see things for myself and by the time I arrived, it was flame and dust that engulfed the whole area.

    “About twelve shops were affected by the inferno. We don’t use electricity here and so, we can’t say that it was caused by power surge. We don’t have any petrol in our shops. So, there is no way it could be fuel or electricity.

    “However, when we came back in the morning, we noticed that there was fire in the borrow pit at the back of our shops where the contractors rehabilitating the Aba-Enugu-Port Harcourt road comes to excavate red mud from. How it got to my shops and my neighbours, I can’t really tell.

    “We are appealing to the federal, state and Ugwunagbo local government authorities to come to our aide.

    “Since the fire incident occurred, we are doing practically nothing. We have been sitting here, praying to God to send helpers to our way.

    “We have reached out to the local government chairman and have been making efforts to reach the state government. They are yet to come and we are not giving up yet. We will continue to make efforts to see that even the lawmakers representing us; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Hon. Uzoma Abonta and well-meaning Abians to come to our aid.

    “We lost over N400m. One of the car engines that got burnt here is over N1million. If you calculate the buildings and the motor spare parts in the shops, it will even be more than that. That is why we are calling on the state governor to come to our aide.

    “We are not happy that such a thing happened to us. It is not our plans to disturb him, but in this case, we are only appealing to the governor and other well-meaning Abians and Nigerians to come to our aide. It is too much on us to bear.

    “The federal government through NEMA (National Emergency Management Agency) should please come to our rescue. We have our house rents and children’s school fees to pay this January and yet, fire engulfed where we had hoped to raise money from. The impact of this on us is huge.”

    Another victim, Chukwudi Alexander Anucha, a native of Isiala Ngwa South, while fighting hard to hold back tears, corroborated Morrison’s account of the inferno.

    According to him, when he got to the scene, all his goods had been engulfed.

    Read also: Ikpeazu urges INEC, security agencies to ensure free, fair, credible elections

    “Before the fire incident, I went to the bank to withdraw all the money that I have to buy and stock goods in my shop.

    “There is an engine that I bought for over a million. Some people have already indicated interest in buying the engine. They were supposed to come and pay for the engine in the morning of the unfortunate inferno.

    “There are other engines that people have a substantial amount of money which they were planning to finish payment this January.

    “We are now surviving through the assistance of some friends and relatives. We are asking for the assistance of government. There is absolutely nothing that was saved from our shops. We are pained by the loss and hope that the appropriate authorities, including our dear Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, will come to our aid. We can barely afford a square meal for our family, but with their assistance, we are confident that we are going to come out of this stronger.”

  • More roads, bridges for Ebonyi communities

    Ebonyi  State Governor Dave Umahi is opening up more communities with roads and bridges.

    He said his achievements were enough to give him a second term. He spoke on a recent tour to various communities and local government areas of the state.

    Accompanied by engineers and some top government officials, the governor’s visit heralded the commencement of the construction of roads and three bridges. He also inspected the construction of a new flyover.

    The people chanted various songs in praise of the governor.

    In Afikpo North Local Government Area, he directed that the construction of Egbeberi bridge in Amuro community, which is of immense economic benefit to Afikpo people, should commence without delay.

    The communities of Ebia Unuhu in Abakaliki Local Government Area and Abaoffia village, Nkaleke Echara autonomous community of Ebonyi Local Government Area also expressed joy and satisfaction over Ebonyi State government’s decision to redesign and reconstruct the Akpara and Ebya bridges in their respective communities.

    The Akpara bridge, which links the community with neighbouring communities in the state, had been abandoned by previous administrations and it has over the years, led to loss of lives and property.

    Also the Akpara bridge in Ebyia Unuhu in Abakaliki Local Government Area, which was on the verge of collapse after decades of abandonment, received the attention of the governor.

    Also, during a tour of Ebyia river in Abofia, Ebonyi Local Government Area, the governor, who observed for himself the dilapidated bridge, stated that work would commence second week in January on the new Abofia bridge.

    The governor, who noted that the bridge is a link to different villages in the council and beyond, declared that construction work would be completed in record time.

    He promised that supervision of the work would be thorough to ensure quality and timely completion of the project.

    The Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, Mrs Chinyere Nwaogbaga, appreciated the governor for his giant strides in the state, particularly in Ebonyi Local Government Area and promised that the council would help in facilitating the completion of the project.

    She assured the governor that the local government would give him 100 per cent votes in the election.

    The bridge also links the state capital to Ogbaga, the headquarters of Echi-Aba Development Centre.

    At Onicha LGA, the governor inspected the ongoing construction of a brand new flyover in Abaomege community. Abaomege flyover is the fifth flyover in Ebonyi State.

    Already, there is the Dr Offia Nwali flyover situated at Presco Junction, the Spera-in-Deo flyover standing side by side the President Muhammadu Buhari Glass Tunnel and the flyover opposite Margaret Umahi International Market, Abakaliki.

    The flyover in the ever-hectic Abaomege junction is projected to reduce traffic congestion.

    The Union Bank Roundabout, Nkalagu and Ezzangbo junctions will also get flyover bridges.

    “This is aimed at ensuring thorough road connectivity and safety of the lives of commuters and passersby,” the governor said.

    Those in the entourage of the governor include Speaker Francis Nwifuru and Commissioner for Works and Transport Fidelis Nweze Kings.

  • Imo community holds town hall meeting

    The Special Committee for the Actualisation of “the Oguta dream”  has held a meeting  to reposition the area in Imo State  politics.

    It held at the Oguta Civic Center. The event with the theme Oguta, The Way Forward in a New Dispensation  was convened by Mrs Yuvonne Afuluenu Kogolo and Frank Unyimadu

    Speaking at the gathering, Unyimadu said the meeting was to raise the political consciousness of the people towards a progressive and united  Oguta.

    He said when the Oguta people migrated from ancient Benin Kingdom, they settled at a place called Obodo Akpuruekwe.

    “It was the last settlement before the promise land called Ugwunta. At this place in 1461, they exhibited communal unity by sailing together with  King Agadagba behind and it was also love that made members of the age grade to share drink in one glass cup among others,” he said.

    On the issue of Oguta’s participation in Imo State government, Unyimadu said the community was incorporated into the Imo State executive power  during the Ukpabi Asika regime in the East Central State.

    “This era was a period of opulence and splendour for Oguta. It was the time the late Professor Flora Nwakuche, Late Justice Henry Okwuosa and Late Reverend Father Ifeanyi Anozia were appointed as members of a 10-man Executive Council of the defunct East Central State within six years,” he said.

    He added that after that the community was ignored.

    He said: “Mbakwe used executive power against Oguta by announcing in 1983 the creation of Oha Oma Local Government Area with headquarters at Kalabari beach, including Enuigbo Abatu, Enuigbo Umuosu as parts of the local government area. This was stopped by a peaceful protest at the Government House, Owerri led by Ogbuagu Gogo Nwakuche. That plot was saved by a military take-over on December 24, 1983.”

    He also added that subsequent civilian administrations, such as Evans Enwerem, Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim and Rochas Okoroacha have never appointed any Oguta person into key positions.

    “Udenwa during the time of rule suspended indefinitely an elected local government chairman (an Oguta Indigene) for no just cause. He also set up a kangaroo Judicial Commission of Enquiry headed by Justices Maranzu that made damaging recommendations to the government against Oguta as well as set up ISOPADEC on the recommendation of National Assembly without recognising the volume of oil and gas credited to Oguta community and no meaningful development came to Oguta through ISOPADEC during his regime,” he said.

    The chairman of the occasion, Professor Ike Azogu, encouraged sons and daughters of Oguta to rise for Oguta politically and economically.

    The special guest of honour and gubernatorial deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Imo State, Alphonsus Gerald Irona, spoke about plans to solve the six-year electricity blackout and insecurity in Oguta. Irona assured the people that he would serve with integrity and honour if elected.

    Other Oguta personalities at the event include Eze Igwe of Oguta and Eze Chinedu Nzeribe.

  • UNN don gives inaugural lecture on oral drug delivery

    A professor of Pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Kenneth Ofokansi, has said more potent oral drugs have been invented in the last three decades.

    Ofokansi these advanced drugs were made in forms, such as tablets, capsules, sachets, suspensions, emulsions and solutions. He added that they were superior to the conventional oral dosage forms.

    Presenting the 140th inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria titled “Breaking the Barriers to Effective Peroral Drug Delivery”, inside the Princess Alexandra auditorium, Nsukka,  the university don, who is the chairman of the Senate ceremonials committee of UNN, ssaid in the last four and half decades,  peroral drug delivery has undergone unprecedented changes.

    “This transition has been mainly driven by the increased understanding of pharmaceutical and biological constraints at the molecular / atomic level, increased generation of drug candidates and emergence of several advanced technologies.”

    Ofokansi said this area made significant technological advances, not only in drug delivery aspects but also in fabrication technologies, adding that it was  anticipated that trends would bring the much-awaited revolution in the delivery of therapeutic agents, particularly biotechnology-based molecules.

    He added that the purpose of any drug delivery system was to enhance or facilitate the action of therapeutic compounds, stressing that it should now be apparent that conventional drug delivery systems were associated with a number of limitations which can reduce drug efficacy.

    He also enjoined other well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians to call on governments to fund  specialised reference laboratories in  universities.

    He paid glowing tribute to his late father, Chief Gabriel Ozoekwe Ofokansi, for laying a solid foundation for him and his mother, Mrs. Cecilia Mbanugo Ofokansi. He thanked his mother’s brother, Christopher Ogbonnia Anijah, who trained him and his brother, Dr. Uchenna Ofokansi. He also praised his wife, Nneoma, for her love, prayers and understanding.

    While appreciating the vice chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, for believing in him, Prof. Ofokansi also praised the managing director of Miral Pharm Ltd, Lagos, Mr. Onyeka Micah Onyeibor, Ejike Ugwoke, Dozie Ikegbuna, Francis Edozie, Nnamdi Okoye, Chibuike Onwusoba and Chukwuma Ugezu for their support.

    The vice chancellor, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, re-affirmed the commitment of management to continue to invest in research and expressed joy that UNN was now ranked as the best university in Nigeria.

    The traditional ruler of Nando, Anambra State, Igwe Chinedu Nwakonuche and members of Umuriam clan of Agbudu village, Nando and members of the university community were among guests who graced the historic occasion.

  • Indian doctors on free paediatric heart surgery in Enugu

    A team of Indian doctors are at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu on a free paediatric heart surgery mission.

    The doctors are sponsorsed by the Catholic Church Spiritual Self Awareness Initiative.

    It is expected that 22 children would benefit from the free open heart surgeries which lasts for eleven days on two surgeries per day.

    The founder and chief executive of the Spiritual Self Awareness Initiative, Rev Fr. Charles Ogada, told reporters that the initiative was the first one by his organisation and would be on two times every  year.

    He said the surgeries are 100 percent free for the affected children disclosing that there were over 50 of such cases in the cue.

    Ogada assured that those who could not benefit in this first stanza would be taken care of in the next visit of the doctors.

    Leader of the five Indian doctors, Dr. Shush Katewa, who said he had performed close to 5000 paediatric cardiac surgeries in the last ten years, said one of every 100 children born has a heart defect. Most of them, he said, occur in developing countries.

    He said: “Most of these children die because they are not diagnosed. The incidence, however, is not prevalence in the developing countries. It is just one percent as in the developed world. The fact is that the number of children born in developing countries is higher than those born in the developed countries. This is where the issue of population control comes in. For example in Nigeria with a large population, about 67,000 children are born yearly with heart defects and less than 5 percent of that number is diagnosed.

    “Most of the defects are congenital and attributable to when the mother is older. If the mother is older, the chances are that the child will be born with a heart disease,” he stressed.

    “I have performed 5000 thousand paediatric cardiac surgery in the last ten years. I have performed these operations in India, Australia, Fiji, Cambodia and now Nigeria. This is my 12th year of medical mission.

    I feel that sense of satisfaction that I contribute to the paediatric surgery and there is also this opportunity in sharing knowledge with others from other countries.

    “There are lots of challenges.  One out of every 100 children born has a heart defect. Most of them occur in developing countries. Most of these children die because they are not diagnosed.”

    He added:  “The only way to solve the problem of occurrence is through population control as China did not more than one child for every couple. It worked for them. Nigeria should learn the lessons of China and India in population control. Most of the defects are congenital and attributable to when the mother is older. If the mother is older, the chances are that the child will be born with a heart disease. The cell coming from father is regenerated every 21 days. But in a woman the cells which contribute to the baby is death birth. So the cell being contributed by the woman is older and the child gets older. 25 to 35 is the ideal age of child bearing.

    “We have 11 operating days. Every day we have 2 to operate. We are expecting to achieve 20 or 21 patients. We hope to do more but considering the constraints in infrastructure it may be less.”

  • Ikpeazu urges INEC, security agencies to ensure free, fair, credible elections

    As part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that Abia State achieves free, fair and credible elections, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has urged on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to provide a level playing ground for all political parties.

    Ikpeazu spoke at the 2019 Abia Town Hall Summit with the theme “Nmepe na  nchekwa ime obodo anyi”  organised by the Association of Abia State Town Union in Partnership with Hope Givers Initiatives at Abia Hotel Umuahia, the state capital. He said the time had come for Ndi Igbo to reflect and take a common stand on their welfare.

    Ikpeazu, represented by his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, described the gathering as very timely.

    Chukwu said such gathering would help provide the opportunity for the sensitisation of the people of the Southeast on the need to present a united front and to also present candidates who would ensure their pride of place in political and economic matters was not lost.

    He promised that the state government would sustain the partnership it has established with town unions.

    The former governor of Anambra State, and PDP Vice President flag bearer, Mr Peter Obi and the Chairman on the occasion, Chief Acho Nwakanma, advised Ndi Igbo to vote in a credible government with their interest at heart.

    They said  the summit was an eye opener for the Igbo to make good use of their votes.

    Also speaking, the State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Joseph Iloh represented by Mr Chigozie Godfrey, urged the unions to sensitise their people on the need to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which he described as the only weapon to elect leaders of their choice.

    Highpoint of the summit was the presentation of distinguished awards on Ikpeazu,  Chukwu, former deputy governor, Chief Acho Nwakanma, Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Sir Christopher Enweremadu. There was a goodwill message from the president general, Association of Abia Town Unions, Sir George Mgborukwe.

  • Anambra teenager writes community’s history

    History was made in Ayamelum community in Anambra State when a 19- year-old writer, Michael Chineme Ike, produced a 542-page book on the history of his area.

    Ike said he embarked on the project to give insights into the story of his community at the same time produce a book that would become an asset to generations to come.

    He revealed that he commenced writing the book titled “Ayamelum Clan” in 2014 at the age of 15.

    Recounting the difficulties he encountered while working on the project, Ike recalled how his late father, Chief Ike, and some other aged persons in the area, assisted him with stories and histories that motivated him to write.

    He said: “Even till the very last moment, I had no sponsor to assist me cope with the financial burden of finishing the work.

    “Besides, many people looked down on me; and no one believed that at my age, I could produce such work.

    “But God being on my side, I did not give up on the project.”

    Speaking during the launching of the book at the Ayamelum Local Government Area headquarters, Anaku, the book reviewer, Sir Udoji Amedu, gave insight into the 60 chapters; starting with the origin of the people of the community.

    He explained the meaning and origin of the name “Ayamelum”, major occupations of the people and the differences among them.

    Amedu also highlighted the challenges and major achievements of the people of the area in the modern era, among other issues concerning the community.

    Underscoring the place of history in the life of a people, book reviewer expressed confidence that the young author’s work would serve as an asset for the people of the area.

    Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Igbakwu community, HRH Prof. Onuora Nwuneli, was full of appreciation to the young author for the success story, describing it as a rare feat.

    He recalled how monarchs in the council area, in 2016, met to discuss the idea of changing the name of the local government “to a more progressive name”.

    Nwuneli, a former commissioner in the State, who wrote the forward of the book, however regretted their inability to do so, saying, “there was no history book that gave deep insight into the etymology of the local government.”

    “Since then, traditional rulers from this area have been looking for a scholar that will write the history of the local government area, unknown to us that our little son had started the project since 2014”, he added.

    The spiritual father of the day, Rev. Fr. Prof. Ben Okwu Eboh, recalled how the young author frequented his office since the day he started the project.

    He promised to do his best to ensure that the book received the necessary patronage and support it deserved.

    Many dignitaries graced the occasion including Chief Paul Odenigbo (Former SSG, Anambra State); Justice P. A. C Obidigwe (Former Chief Judge, Anambra State); Hon. Uche Okafor (Member of the State House of Assembly); Hon. Benjamin Onyeabo (Chairman, Ayamelum Local Government); Hon. Paul Obiora (Former Chairman, Ayamelum Local Government) and many other prominent persons from the area.