The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Imo State Governor

  • You’re a failed Senator, Okorocha replies Umeh

    …says ex-APGA Chair seeking cheap popularity

     

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Tuesday lampooned the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Senator representing Anambra Central, Chief Victor Umeh for failing as a Legislator who could not find his feet in the Senate.

    The Imo governor noted that Umeh’s recent attack against him is a ploy to get cheap popularity, which he said has eluded him since he was admitted into the Senate.

    According to Okorocha in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, “Chief Umeh has turned himself into an interesting Spectator in a Senate he should be a key player or participant. And he has come to realize that being a Party Chairman is a different ball game when compared with being a Senator”.

    Read Also:Okorocha: I’ve no quarrels with Southeast APC leaders, ministers

    The statement continued that, “Nigerians have seen that Chief Victor Umeh has not been able to find his feet in the Senate since he was elected into that upper Chamber of the National Assembly. He has been staggering, thinking about which leg to put forward first.

    “And for this reason, he has not been getting the kind of media attention he was enjoying free of any charge when he held sway as the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA)”.

    It noted further that, “having been starved of media Publicity as a result of his abysmal outing in the Senate, Umeh felt that the only way he could get the needed attention from the media was by attacking Governor Rochas Okorocha and unwarranted too, leveraging on the impeachment moves against the Deputy Governor of the State, Prince Eze Madumere by the State House of Assembly.

    “In his recent attack against the Imo governor, he concluded by alluding that “God would impeach Governor Okorocha”. And you begin to wonder where Chief Umeh was coming from especially when one remembers that he has never been heard on the floor of the Senate even for a day, either for his constituents or for Anambra people or for the Nigerian people”.

    The statement further stressed that, “as a Party Chairman like that of APGA, he was getting media patronage for certain reasons or on certain issues, but in the Senate, one must be eloquent and articulate on issues to be heard. You need some qualities to prepare motions or bills or contribute meaningfully to debates, unlike his kind of Party Chairmanship.

    “He has continued to talk about how he made Rochas Okorocha governor in Imo in 2011 when he could not do that before 2011 and could not also do that after Rochas had left APGA. And he could not do that in any other State in the South-East even Enugu that is closer to him. And in his Senatorial Zone, PDP had produced the Senators until he came up recently.

    “Chief Umeh should justify his trip to the Senate. Attacking Rochas Okorocha won’t be an acceptable justification for his inaction. His zone is being ravaged by erosion. He can begin with a motion on that. And nothing stops him from engaging a Consultant since one does not give what he does not have. Finally, we want to ask Chief Umeh to face his Challenges in the Senate and leave Rochas Okorocha alone”.

  • Oshiomhole fails to resume as new APC chairman

    The new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole failed to resume at the national secretariat of the party on Monday as promised by him during his inauguration on Sunday evening.

    However, a few of the National Working Committee members elected alongside Oshiomhole reported to the secretariat briefly apparently to inspect their offices.

    One of those who reported to the national secretariat at about mid-day was the newly elected National Organising Secretary, Barrister Emma Ibediro who came to the secretariat with his supporters and went straight to the office of the Organising Secretary where they prayed before taking pictures in the office with the supporters.

    Ibediro who was sponsored for the position of National Organising Secretary by Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha defeated the former occupant of the office, Senator Osita Izunaso in a keenly contested battle that saw tempers rise during the convention.

    Read Also:Oshiomhole’s resumption shifted as staff waits anxiously

    The newly elected National Youth Leader, Abubakar Shuaib also reported to the secretariat and stayed briefly before leaving.

    The Nation gathered that the resumption of Comrade Oshiomhole was shifted at the request of the former National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, who pleaded that he needed a little more time to tidy up his hand over notes.

    Comrade Oshiomhole had promised to resume at the national secretariat as early as 8.00am on Monday, but it was gathered that he may now resume on Tuesday.

    A source within the party told The Nation that “Oshiomhole is anxious to resume. But the hand over note is not ready yet. The former chairman pleaded that he be given till the end of today to finalise the hand over note. So, Oshiomhole will not be coming to the Secretariat today again. He will be here tomorrow when the hand over would be done”.

    When The Nation visited the APC national secretariat, staff were seen in high expectations awaiting the arrival of Comrade Oshiomhole, with many of them hanging around the secretariat in groups discussing the outcome of the convention.

    Those of them whose principals were not re-elected were seen clearing their desk in readiness for the arrival of the new occupants of the offices.

    Anxious journalists who reported to the secretariat in anticipation of Comrade Oshiomhole’s resumption left disappointed after waiting for several hours without any concrete information as to when the new national chairman was reporting to the secretariat.
    Campaign posters that littered the Secretariat before the election has disappeared, while congratulatory banners have taken over.

    It was however gathered that Comrade Oshiomhole held a closed door meeting with some APC governors at his residence in readiness for the task ahead.

    Comrade Oshiomhole was elected unopposed as the new national chairman of the APC at its national convention at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Saturday and Sunday.

  • Okorocha denies plan to join APGA

    Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, Tuesday dismissed as malicious and unfounded, reports that he is decamping from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    The social media has been awash with reports of the governor returning to APGA, a party he dumped in 2012, following the outcome of the APC Congresses.

    But the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, read that,  “aside the concocted story of Governor Rochas Okorocha leaving All Progressives Congress (APC), for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) trending on the social media, we have also been inundated with calls from media practitioners trying to confirm the authenticity or otherwise of the source less tale.

    “Governor Okorocha is one of the principal founders of APC. And when he took the mainstream of APGA to join the merger that gave birth to APC, he was not under any pressure to do so. He even took that action at the risk of his second tenure”.

    Read Also: You have no reason to criticise me, Okorocha tells Anyanwu

    The statement added that, “he became the propeller of APC in Imo and the whole of South East, mobilizing people for the party in Imo, Ebony, Abia, Enugu and Anambra States. He was the rallying point. And he did that in the overall interest of the South-East and indeed, APC.

    “If Governor Okorocha did not take good percentage of APGA to APC, the party would not have had the kind of national spread it has till today. For that reason, they called him all sorts of derogatory names which Nigerians all know, including Alhaji in Government House, Okoro-Hausa, and Rochas Buhari.

    “When the APC came for campaign in 2015 in Imo and all the states in the South-East he was the point man. Today, APC has become the party to envy. Nobody is again talking about Rochas and Buhari going to use APC to Islamize the Igbo”.

    It continued that, “today too, the same people who called him names have begun to market falsehood against him including the fake story of his leaving APC for APGA. All these could show the level of frustration on the side of the ten-man Coalition. They are been hunted by their inglorious actions.

    “One may also wish to know that while the unfounded story of the governor leaving APC is yet to dry, they have also come up with another funny one that the governor is in coma. These people do not know God and of course they are afraid of both the present and the future.

    “They won’t be allowed to reap where they didn’t sow. Their deceit will expire in no distant time. And no Landlord leaves his house for unfaithful tenants. The name Rochas is the fibre of APC in Imo and the whole of South-East.

    “And anybody who says it is not true should tell Nigerians why it is only in Imo you have APC governor, 24 out of the 27 House of Assembly members, three House of Representative members and one Senator, in the whole of South-East. Time will tell what happens in APC in Imo and the whole of Southeast”.

  • APC congress: I won’t be distracted, says Okorocha

    Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Wednesday said that he will continue to tolerate members of the Coalition group and won’t be provoked by the actions and utterances of some of the members, especially Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, one of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.

    According to the Imo governor, the “disturbing and insulting activities” amidst the confusion surrounding the ward and Local Government congresses of the party, is meant to provoke him.

    But the governor has promised to continue to exercise high level of tolerance just as he said he has been tolerating since 2011 when he became governor.

    Governor Okorocha who disclosed in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said, “We have read report about the protest in Abuja by the personal rag-tag aides of the make-ups of the so-called Coalition, and they called them Imo Youths. We have also read another publication equally by a motley group answering Imo Stakeholders, talking about Vote of no Confidence. Those in the sick Coalition are also those who constitute the stakeholders”.

    He continued “Nigerians should ask these elements why all their activities take place in Abuja. They took the stolen materials for the Congresses to Hotels in Abuja and were filling them there, until the Police came and arrested four of their aides.

    “The reported protest by their aides in Abuja and all they have been doing are in Abuja. The truth is that they cannot come into Imo State and do such things. Imo people do not know what they are doing.

    “We should not also forget that in 2011, Chief Ifeanyi Araraume was the governorship Candidate of ACN, while Chief Ikedi Ohakim, the incumbent then, was the Candidate of PDP, but Rochas Okorocha took APGA’s ticket and defeated them. Araraume came fourth and lost in his Isiala Mbano local government”.

    Read Also:Appeals panel upholds Imo APC congress

    The statement continued that, ” we are talking about Rochas Okorocha who abandoned APGA said to be Igbo Party in 2014 and joined the merger that gave birth to APC at the risk of his second tenure, with all the Federal Ministers like Prof Viola Onwuliri, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives and all the Federal Apparatuses working for the PDP Candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha in 2015, yet Rochas Okorocha defeated them through the ballot box.

    “And the achievements of Owelle Okorocha in the State as governor have exceeded the achievements of all those who had governed the state since its creation in 1976, put together. So, in 2019 achievements will count a lot and noise making won’t count” Governor Okorocha stated.

    “The governor has also maintained that he would not be perturbed by the crisis in the party, just as he insist that he would “finish strong” and produce a successor.

    “For the sake of emphasis, I am going to finish very strong and by the grace of God and with the votes of Imo people, I will see to the election of a worthy successor of my choice. I have more than one thousand verifiable Projects to my credit. All these noise makers with some of them having multi-billion naira stores, courtesy of the money meant for their constituency projects when they were at the National Assembly, won’t fly in 2019.

    “Imo is calm. These folks make a lot of noise in Abuja and sneak into Imo to avoid the wrath of the people. By 2019, the picture will become clearer for Nigerians to appreciate the magnitude of the love of Imo people for Rochas, who has reduced the poverty level in the state from 57% in 2011 to 19% in 2017”

     

  • BBNaija: Okorocha hosts Miracle, Nina

    …Miracle gets land, cash

     

    Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Thursday announced a donation of N2 million and a plot of land for Mr. Miracle Igbokwe, winner of the 2018 edition of the BBNaija reality show.

    Another participant from the state, Miss Nina Chinonso, also got N2 million.

    The BBNaija participants were said to have promoted the free education programme of the state government during the reality show.

    The governor made the donations when Mr. Igbokwe and Nina visited him at the Government House Owerri.

    The governor saluted Miracle for making the state proud by emerging the winner of the show.

    He said, “We are gathered here to welcome our son who has made us proud. Miracle is our son who went to South Africa for the Big Brother Naija Show. He spoke well of his State and was a good ambassador of his State. For this, we thought, it is proper that we receive him”.

    The governor explained that “Usually, our State does not engage in receiving people for outings they have made, unless we consider such an outing that has positive bearing to the image of the State. One thing outstanding is that these two great participants, Miracle and Nina spoke highly of Imo State. They stood tall and proud of their State, in South Africa. This is the reason for the honour and to say welcome back home”.

    He advised Mr. Igbokwe to use the Fame to propagate the ideas he believes in and never allow it to enter his head, promising to collaborate with him in seeing to the establishment of a pilot School in Imo State”.

    Miracle Igbokwe in his speech thanked the governor for finding them worthy to be honoured, adding that it is uncommon among the leaders.

    His words “I am excited about our governor because of his educational strides, especially his free education in Imo State. This is a great gift to humanity”.

    He said he would see to the collaboration of the State government towards the establishment of the Pilot College in the State, to further open the state to the world, adding that his vision is to expand the aircraft simulation centre to a world class Aviation College.

  • 2019: Igbo will reject PDP’s VP offer -Nwosu

    …drums support for Buhari’s re-election

     

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant and Chief of Staff to the Imo State governor, Uche Nwosu has said that the Igbo will turn down the offer of Vice President by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019.

    Nwosu noted that supporting President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in 2019 is the best option for the Southeast, adding that the zone cannot afford to scuttle its chances because of a ‘Greek’ gift from the PDP.

    He assured that Ndigbo will benefit more if President Buhari is re-elected, instead of repeating the mistakes of 2015.

    According to him, “Vice Presidential slot in any party including the PDP is a complete waste because what a President can achieve in one day, a Vice President cannot achieve in eight years. The Igbo should not be distracted by any offer from opposition parties but should remain focused and support President Buhari”.

    The Chief of Staff, who was reacting to the President’s recent declaration to run for second term, described it as a good omen for the Igbo, adding it will quicken and brighten the chances of the Southeast to produce the next President as the only zone that has not produced a President yet.

    “If President Buhari is re-elected, it there means that we have only four years to wait but if any other person emerges as President from any other zone, what it means is that we will have to wait for another eight years. This is our best chance and the Igbo should grab it with both hands”, he maintained.

    According to Nwosu, “with the emergence of President Buhari for second term, the Igbo will only have to wait for four years before producing the next President, it will bring  the Igbo closer to the Presidency by 2023. So there is need for every Igbo man irrespective of political party affiliations should support Buhari’s re-election bid”.

    He continued that, “aside from the Igbo Presidency which the Buhari’s second term will secure for the Igbo, he has also done very well for the Southeast. Take the second Niger Bridge for instance, work is going on and you can see it, not the fluke that was done by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The only man that talked about the Port Harcourt-Enugu road, the Onitsha-Enugu road, is President Buhari.

    “Today we have a Cargo Airport in Owerri and President Buhari did it and today, Anambra state has been enlisted among the oil producing states, all these and many more are done by President Buhari, President Goodluck didn’t do it for us.

    “So when you look at the whole scenario you will find out that President Buhari has a lot to offer the Igbo. Remember that the South West played a very clever game and today they are better for it but we are crying, that is the more reason we should support Buhari to avoid another mistake.

    “And besides the anti-corruption war the man is fighting is yielding great results and you cannot start such war and abandon it half way. We need to give him time to complete all these numerous work he is doing in the country.  What President Buhari is doing, is laying a solid foundation for whichever President that will come after him to build on”.

    Commenting on his governorship ambition, Nwosu assured that the APC will come out of the primaries stronger, stating that, “if I emerge as the APC candidate, I will work with all other aspirants and it will be a win-win situation for everyone. We are not going to leave anyone behind because we will need all shades of opinion and wealth of experience to move the state forward”.

    Read Also: Kalu predicts Igbo presidency in 2023

  • Okorocha to Ohakim: show your achievements in office 

    Okorocha to Ohakim: show your achievements in office 

    Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, Thursday challenged his predecessor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim to publish his achievements in office.

    The Imo governor who was reacting to Ohakim’s claim that his administration owes Judges in the state 16 months salary, said that the former governor did not run an organized government and could not know that the salaries of Judges are not paid by the state government.

    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in a statement made available to journalists, stated that, “Chief Ikedi Ohakim was reported to have announced his desire to contest the 2019 governorship election in the state at a Press Conference.

    “While doing that, he never deemed it necessary to tell his guests one achievement  his administration recorded while he held sway as the governor of the state, from 2007 to 2011”.

    The statement continued that, “Ohakim also never told those in attendance what he would do this time if elected governor again in 2019 which perhaps he didn’t have the time or resources to do when he was governor.

    “He accused the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of owing Judges in the State 16months salary arrears and then threatened to go on protest naked if the salary arrears are not cleared by March.

    “When we read that report, we withheld our response with the feeling that the former governor must have been misquoted, and might do a refutal. He didn’t do that but rather maintained his position, occasioning this response.

    “We make hay to say this. If after being governor of the state for four years, the former governor didn’t know that the state government does not pay Judges’ Salary then something must have gone wrong somewhere and it is quite unfortunate.

    “The National Judicial Commission (NJC) pays Judges’ Salaries. If the NJC handles the salary of Judges, then, the former governor was either distributing falsehood or has become overwhelmed by Governor Okorocha’s achievements that he didn’t know what to say again against the governor and his administration than to resort to jokes”.

    It added further that “we are always painstaking when handling issues concerning prominent citizens of the state like Chief Ohakim who had also governed the State, otherwise we would have made certain calls. And in any case, he didn’t run an organized government and didn’t therefore know who was paying who.

    “Let Chief Ohakim publish his achievements for the four years he was governor, with their locations, or publish all the achievements of the PDP governments in the State from 1999 to 2011, or publish the achievements of all those who had governed the state from 1976 when the state was created to 2011 when Rochas came on board and let Rochas publish his own achievements. Let there be issues and not petty lies”.

    The governor’s aide also stated that “Chief Ohakim also ran for the governorship primary of his party in 2015 and came third, which means his party members still have reservations over his tenure as governor from 2007 to 2011.

    “If one good tenure deserves another, should Chief Ohakim’s abysmal tenure also deserve another? The answer is NO.

     “We want to appeal to the former governor to look for another issue to talk about and not the issue of Judges’ Salary because the State does not pay Judges’ Salary”.

  • Africa needs determined youths, says Osinbajo 

    Africa needs determined youths, says Osinbajo 

    Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has commended the Imo State governor, over the establishment of the Rochas Foundation College of Africa, which has offered scholarship to the first batch of 275 students from 55 African countries.

    Osinbajo said that Africa needs determined young people who understand that the future belongs to the bold and to the intelligent.

    He noted that it does not matter where one starts from, “but how committed and how determined one is”.

    The Vice President made the remark when he visited the Students of Rochas Foundation College of Africa in Owerri weekend.

    Adressing the students, the Vice President, said that shaking their hands and talking to them “is talking to the bright future of Africa”.

    His words “It is really a special pleasure to meet you personally and to be able to shake your hands as well. Shaking your hands and talking to you is talking to the bright future of Africa and am really excited. And the reason why it is so is because what Africa needs most is committed and determined young people who understand that the future belongs to the bold and to the brain”.

    He continued, “it doesn’t matter where one starts from, it doesn’t matter at all where you start from. It is how committed you are, how determined you are and how hardworking you are, that will ultimately make the difference; all of those that you see anywhere in the world especially in Africa, everyone that you see has a story. Many have stories that are similar to yours”.

    He added further that, “So, there is no disadvantage. As a matter of fact, you have become very privileged because there are millions of children in Africa and other parts of the world that have not had the opportunity of education. Every one of us who is seated here, who has gone to School, represents a tiny percentage of Africans, a small percentage including yourself. That you are in the School, you represent a very special privileged class and that puts a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders.

    “You cannot afford not to do well. You cannot afford not to work hard. You cannot afford to blow the opportunity. This opportunity is a great one. Every opportunity to go to School is a great opportunity and all of us who are seated here are beneficiaries of an opportunity to go to School. I want to say that I am very excited for you and I also almost feel envious of you because the future is so bright and you are going to have such a great future.

    “And when I look at all of you, and I see that you are from different parts of Africa and that you are already working together, you are doing what it is that we have been trying to achieve all these many years. So in the next few years when I meet you guys, you will be the Presidents, Vice Presidents, Prime Ministers, Engineers, great Technologists, great businessmen and women, great legislators all over Africa and when that opportunity comes you must not forget me”.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha in his speech, told the Vice President that, “some of them have been here about one month or two months and many of them are still coming. But what has shocked me about this whole thing here is the relationship that exists among them, not even the story of poverty because you can see the young girl who introduced the Students said meet my brother, meet my Sister”.

    He also remarked that,  “this is the Africa that we are talking about and those people here are the future Presidents, future governors. There is a serious competition in the class among nations which country will beat the other. The first one to three positions in the class would go to America for holidays. We have been doing this for the past seventeen years. But this is the first time we are having the Rochas Foundation College of Africa, but there are other Schools we have with over fifteen thousand students and located in different parts of this country.

    “This is an attempt to bring the whole African nations under one roof. That is why we signed the MoU here with President Jacob Zuma and the understanding with President Kuffo Addo and many nations are coming. We are hoping that this might be the final tree that would provide shed for all African nations and with somebody like you who is so passionate about things like this, I know with your support we shall go far”.

    Read Also: Obasanjo bags AFRIMMA’s Leadership Award

     

  • Work to resume on Owerri-Aba, Owerri-PH roads

    Work to resume on Owerri-Aba, Owerri-PH roads

    …as Fashola orders contractors back to site 

     

    Respite is in sight for commuters that ply the Owerri/Aba and Owerri/Port Harcourt roads, both trunk A roads, as the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has directed the contractors handling the roads to return to site immediately. 

    This was disclosed to journalists by the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, after he hosted the Minister, Tuesday at the Government House.

     The Governor hinted that the contractors have been given a marching order to ensure that the roads are completed without further delay. 

    According to the Imo Governor, “the Honourable Minister for Works, Housing & Power is in Imo State for a short meeting. I have made my concern known to him as regards the neglect in the State, especially with regard to the Aba-Owerri road and Port-Harcourt-Owerri road. And currently, it appears to me that the Minister has done a lot on his part to ensure the completion of those roads”.

    He continued that, “the Minister has also informed me that he has called the contractors concerned to see me immediately with a view to completing the Aba – Owerri road project and Owerri – Port-Harcourt Road projects. We also talked about the issues of power in the State. He has indicated the interest of his Ministry to ensure a stable power supply. We have also discussed about the Federal Housing project which he promised that the issue of land will soon be resolved”.

    The Minister, while briefing Journalists at the end of the meeting with the Governor, said “I have to commend the Governor Okorocha in his effort to lift the quality of life in Imo State and the lofty achievements and programmes he has embarked upon in his Rescue Mission government. We came in for our monthly Power meeting. Some of the issues we discussed were the expansion and distribution network of some of our communities like Nebo, New Heaven, Onitsha, Aba, among others on the power quality and service experience”.

    The Minister remarked further that, “we have grown the generation capacity from 2,696 MW in 2015 to 7,000 MW in September this year. Transmission has also improved from 5,000 – 6,900. We now have a new problem and that is our production capacity has exceeded the distribution company’s wholesale power. So, power currently put on the grid is 4,600MW, Compare that with what we had 3years ago, we have essentially doubled it, but we can do more”.

    According to him “These monthly meetings help us to do local diagnosis to what’s happening in this local Disco. To what is happening in this local communities. Some of these things I have spoken here, I have also addressed the community issues across the country, communities that host power stations without power. We are solving them one after the other”.

    He also informed that, “the governor has also brought my attention to Egbema Power Plant and its challenges. We inform your Excellency that we make progress month by month. We expect that your power experience should be better and how to extend services to places like Nnewi, Ihiala and Okija which are parts of the Enugu distribution franchise. We can’t discuss power in these areas without the inter-state geo-metric power issue. And how to solve it”.

  • Buhari, Obasanjo, Akufo-Addo laud Okorocha’s education initiative 

    Buhari, Obasanjo, Akufo-Addo laud Okorocha’s education initiative 

    …says Africa needs education to bridge development gap

     

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari, his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Addo and former President Olusegun Obasanjo Saturday commended the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha for his free education programme for African children.

    The Imo Governor under the Rochas Foundation College Africa awarded scholarship to five children each from fifty five African countries.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the College in Owerri, the Imo State capital,  the African leaders agreed that access to quality education is the fastest way to change the fortune of the African continent.

    They urged African states to make education accessible to every African child “irrespective of their backgrounds”.

    Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, said that African leaders are pushing for greater African integration, which he said the Imo governor has taken the lead “through his Rochas Foundation College which has given opportunity to quality and free education to children from across Africa”.

    He noted that the greatest gift Governor Rochas Okorocha has given to humanity is the charity he has displayed through his Foundation and identifying with the less-privileged in Nigeria and Africa through education.

    According to the President, “I salute your vision. What create the world of visionaries are people who are able to dream big and make a change. This is what we see in Governor Okorocha. Your free education across Africa will help to push for a greater African integration. So I expect the products of the Foundation to be agents of Unity and wealth Creation”.

    Obasanjo on his part,   lauded governor Okorocha for his contributions to the development of education in Nigeria and the African continent.

    He stressed further that the “the extent we take education is the extent we take development”.

    The former President disclosed  that he is marveled by the Imo governor’s free education initiative which he said had offered opportunity to the under privileged and poor children to rise above poverty and relegation.

    He maintained that “the beginning of development for any country is education”.

    The former President, who is also the Chairman of the Board of the College, described Governor Okorocha as “the most resourceful and focused man of his generation”, who has continued to surprise him with his visions.

    He charged the graduating students of the Foundation College to be “job creators and not job seekers”.

    “I have come to share in the Rochas Okorocha vision on how to build African leaders of tomorrow so that they will grow up with African perspective, orientation and understanding, culture and integration because by the time we have Students in this School for five years, we will be having at least 25 Students from all African Countries. This will be the leaders of tomorrow, they will know themselves across Africa and when you talk about anything about Africa, they will understand and they will be the torch bearers and light of Africa”, he observed.

    To the new students, he said “you are very lucky boys and girls. You have a wonderful opportunity here, opportunity of hope away from home, opportunity of mothers and fathers that you might have lost, opportunity of friends you might not have gotten and opportunity of greater future. My advice to you is to take advantage of every opportunity that this School will give you”.

    He Continued “As the Chairman of the Board, I have agreed with Rochas that we will have five children from each African country every year and six from Nigeria, one from each of the Six geo-Political zones of Nigeria to balance the Political sensitivity of Nigeria”.

    Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, in his speech, stated that the access to quality education is the fastest way to change the fortune of the African continent.

    He insisted that education is a right that every African child should exercise, adding that “education is the equalizer of opportunities”.

    Akufo-Addo, noted that quality education can be made available “if we make the right decisions as African leaders”.

    He disclosed that the reason for his close association with Rochas is because he shares in his passion for development through education and his drive for a common vision of making education accessible to every child irrespective of family or place, adding that “Rochas has fulfilled the Scripture as in Matthew 25:40″.

    He explained that “education can change the fortunes of Africa. It is the equalizer of opportunities. We must all buy into the vision of a United Africa and the best way is through education”.

    The Governor in his brief speech stressed that,   “my dream is to unite and empower Africa through education. The only language we understand in Africa is the language of poverty and this is what bond me and these Children. I strongly believe that out of these poverty situation in Africa, the great leaders of tomorrow will emerge. I just started what I do not know how to complete but God will Continue to direct me”.

    To the graduands, he stated “I pray you keep the Candle on when am gone. I tasted poverty and had sworn to fight the scourge with resources available to him. We have taken five Children from each of the African Countries, who are mostly orphans or less-privileged in addition to the over fifteen thousand Children already in the Rochas Foundation Colleges across the nation”.

    Also at the event which also marked the 10th Graduation ceremony of the Rocahs Foundation College,  were former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the governors of Oyo State,  Chief Abiola Ajimobi, Kebbi State, Usman Saidi Dankingu, Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello and Akwa Ibom State, Chief Emmanuel Udom.

    Others were the Ambassadors of Liberia, Sierralone, Guinea, Congo, Southern Sudan, Ethiopia and Zambia, as well as traditional rulers from across the country.