Honour for Anambra Deputy Governor

The people had gathered at Obu Umunri in Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State to honour one of their own, the Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke.
It was the communal grand reception for Dr. Okeke who is a native of the town, as well as the commissioning of the multi-million naira Obu Umunri project by Governor Willie Obiano.
On the D-day, the people of Enugwu-Ukwu shutdown their businesses and trouped out en masse to honour their son in an event that turned out to be colourful.

Sir Abana, a community leader and member of the ceremonial committee, said that the event showed the usual spirit of Enugwu-Ukwu town in honouring and encouraging their sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour.
He said that the community was particularly thankful to God for elevating their son to the rank of a deputy governor, hence the need to “welcome him home in grand style.”
Abana, an erstwhile managing director/chief executive officer of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and currently the public relations officer of Paul University, Awka, disclosed that such gesture has continued to promote peace, unity and love enjoyed in the entire community.
“How else do we express our heartfelt gratitude to God for elevating our son whom we have nurtured from the cradle if not a grand occasion like this; telling the world what the Lord has done for us? We are particularly happy and we, in our usual spirit of encouraging our sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour; who have carved niches for themselves in the annals of history; our children who have left their footprints in the sands of time, to organize a communal grand reception for him. This, as one of those good tools and strategies we use, has seen Enugwu-Ukwu soaring rapidly in greatness. Again, this event is also for the commissioning of Obu Umunri by His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano which was built through communal effort,” he said.
Speaking Governor Obiano praised the people for honouring their son who doubles as his deputy in the governance of Anambra State, noting that their action had revealed the existence of mutual love in their town.
He also praised the people for bracing all odds to erect the multi-million naira Obu Umunri project through communal effort.
Hear him: “I am particularly happy that this beautiful edifice was built through communal effort. While some others are waiting for the government to do virtually everything for them, you’re busy doing it by yourselves. It is ours now to complement your efforts and we will take it from where you have stopped. In the next two days, we will start asphalting this place so that there would be no dust here. This is what we like. You have to initiate it, and then the government will come to your aid.
“It is not only this; the Nkwo road you have been pleading for over the years would be flagged off before the end of the week. I’m building three general hospitals that I want to leave my signature on. It will have the modern facilities so that instead of the people to be going to India for medical treatment, they can come to Enugwu-Ukwu or Onitsha. We have already started the one at Onitsha about a month and half ago and it will be completed in the next three months from now. We will fix state-of-the-art facilities there. Also, the one at Onitsha will have landing park where air ambulance that will ferry sick people can land. Once we are done with that, we will start the one for Enugwu-Ukwu and we will start it before December. This one will not have landing park because of lack of space but we will put state-of-the-art facilities there so that those illnesses that cause people to embark on medical trip to India would be done here in Anambra State. All we seek from you is your support.”
Also speaking, the deputy governor thanked his kinsmen for honouring him in such a colourful event, promising to ensure that their own share of the democracy dividends do not slip by.
He also pledged his unadulterated loyalty to the monarch and the entire people of Enugwu-Ukwu who he said made him.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank you. I have never dreamt or expected that I’d be the deputy governor of Anambra State. You made it possible. I thank you for that singular act. I thank our monarch, the Eze Enugwu-Ukwu na Igwe Umunri, HRM Igwe Sir Ralph Obumneme Ekpeh. He is a good man. I’m very grateful to our dynamic, amiable governor. He is a man who sticks to his words, and you can see his last one year in office was glorious. I thank him for the trust he reposed in me and he will continue to enjoy my absolute loyalty,” he said.
He assured his kinsmen that his party would use lawful means to get back their victory at the just concluded National Assembly election which he claimed was rigged by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
His words: “I assure you that Dozie Nwankwo (Onye Ndozi) is going to the House of Representatives. The PDP had played out their script but we will count the miles after this race. Court case takes 180 days. I’m assuring you that the man you willingly gave your mandate will go to the House of Representatives which you have sent him to serve you. The same thing applies to our National Chairman, Chief Sir Victor Umeh.
Also the deputy governor’s mother, Lady Dorothy Okeke, in a chat with Oriental News said: “I am particularly glad for this rare honour bestowed on my son today. The good thing is that it is happening in our time. I’m alive. My husband is equally alive. I have never thought or dreamed that my son will be elevated up to this level as the deputy governor of this state. I hope you know I’m the first mother to have deputy governor as son in the entire community. Any other person coming will be second. So, I’m particularly happy and I seriously thank God for that. Once God crowns you a king, nothing can stop it.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the monarch of the community, Igwe Ekpe extolled the governor for writing the community in his good books in the area of infrastructural development.
He reminded him that the community gave him one of its bests, as deputy assuring him of Okeke’s absolute loyalty.
Hear him: “Your Excellency, the second aspect of this ceremony is the communal reception of our son Dr Nkem Okeke who is your deputy in the governance of the state. We gave one of our bests in education, discipline, humility, sincerity, candour and uprightness to you in the person of Dr Nkem Okeke. Dr Nkem’s Christian upbringing and family background have helped to sharpen him for honest and diligent service. We are proud of him and assure you that he will be of positive, tremendous assistance to you in your dreams and efforts to give this state the character in every facet that will transcend others.”
The monarch enjoined Okeke to “regard Governor Obiano as a senior brother and give him all the support he needs in the fine job he has started in Anambra State. With my indepth knowledge of you, I assure our purposeful and result-oriented governor, that you will not disappoint him.
“Your Excellency, this amphitheatre was built within record time of 12 months by the communal effort of my people. This solo-effort is a replication of Enugwu-Ukwu developmental zeal that saw my people built the General Hospital in 1962 and donated it to the government of Eastern Nigeria. We have felt bad that the hospital has suffered a lot of decay in the hands of successive administrations since after the war before you came on board. My people are happy and thank you for deciding to upgrade it to a specialist hospital. Again, several representations in writing and visits to the past administration, scorned our request in this regard to link us to the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway. It is the only town from Awka to Onitsha that is not so linked. Instead more linkages were made for other communities suggesting a determined dislike for this town, to the extent that one of us in a fury told the governor to his face that ‘he is not our God.’ True, he is not our God. It is now loud in the ear and visible to the eyes that Governor Willie Obiano is doing it.”
Other highlights of the event included the commissioning of the Obu Umunri by the governor; presentation of a royal seat and stool to Obiano; presentation of gift to his wife, presentation of a plaque and royal stool to Dr Okeke by the community; cultural dance presentations by different cultural groups, masquerades such as Ijele, Ugo, among others.expdonaloaded blog
Dignitaries who attended the occasion included Governor Obiano and his wife; the chief host and monarch of Enugwu-Ukwu, HRM Igwe Ralph Obumneme Ekpeh and his wife; Sir Ikechukwu Abana; the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Mrs.) Chinwe Nwebili who was represented by the member representing Njikoka 1 Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Val Ayika; Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Akabuike; Secretary to the State Government, Mr Oseloka Obaze; the President-General of Enugwu-Ukwu, Barr. Mike Nkwocha.
Others are the Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Awka, Rt. Rev. (Dr) Alex Ibezim; the traditional rulers of Okpuno and Ezinato communities; Actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu; Ferdinand Dozie Nwankwo; chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area, Chief (Hon.) Emeka Onuorah, among others.