For several years, Ikwuano local government area has produced dynamic chairmen who have truly worked patriotically to position it as one of the leading LGAs in the country. From the era of late Barrister KC Ugboaja down to the time of Chief Steve Mpamugo, each of them has impacted positively in the transformation of the LGA. We will eternally remain grateful to those illustrious sons and daughters.
The competence of each past chairman and their honest zeal to make Ikwuano great has never been in doubt. Each chairman did his/her best given the limited resources at their disposal.
However, in this era of digital statecraft, statesmen are thinking of how to generate fund internally to provide better life for their people. It’s worthy to note that instead of waiting at the end of every month for allocation, Ikwuano has many options to raise enough fund to profitably run itself and better the lot of her people. If we look inward, there are several areas where internally generated revenue (IGR) can be obtained to make the monthly allocation seem like pocket money.
Each clan has resources that can be harnessed and brought to the table.
This is where Prince Innocent Eleogu comes in to make a huge difference. While other aspirants are banking on monthly allocations, the Prince is coming up with a different and dynamic approach to governance. Loaded with corporate governance experience , International exposure and experience, He is poised to harness the abundant human and material resources in Ikwuano to bring about epic transformations that will make each Ikwuano man/woman the utmost beneficiary. He wants to use what we have to better our lot.
A man who has been very successful in private sector and as an astute technocrat, he is poised to bring in his administrative ingenuity and ready to replicate his successes at Ikwuano level. Unlike typical politicians, he is very humble, articulate, meticulous and insightful in his style of corporate governance.
*Transparency*. Openness is hallmark of a good leader. The Prince is always transparent in all he does.
*Boldness* Beneath his calm and gentle disposition, lies a bold and courageous heart which is very assertive whenever it comes to matters that will be of benefit to his people. This is a trait he has carried along over the years and for which many have known him.
*Public trust and accountability*
During COVID-19 era, where there was a state of emergency in the world, the Prince got himself into the midst of sacrificial service to save his people from dangers associated with the pandemic. In concert with his pals and fellow compatriots, he mobilized the haves to contribute certain percentage of their resources to save and carter for the have-nots. Apart from making food and medical supplies available to the people of Ariam/Usaka, as the chairman of the committee set up by Ariam/Usaka for this purpose, he made sure that every kobo and dollars contributed by sons and daughters of Ariam/Usaka were judiciously used for its intended purpose and proper/undisputed account rendered at the end of the exercise.
*Social Organizer* During the Ariam Usaka Conference of 2019, as the organizing Committee Chairman, he came up with lots of innovations and drew a program that led to a huge success of the event. This program had the Deputy Governor at the time, Hon. Oko Chukwu in attendance, notable government functionaries and captains of industry. It was a renaissance program for Ariam/Usaka because that was a program that politically, socially, culturally and economically awakened Ariam/Usaka from her years of limbo.
Talking about handling public trust, the Prince is top-notch on it. He fully understands how to galvanize the people to achieve their collective goals, and he does it in such a way that the people are happy doing it.
*Charity deviod of discrimination*. While some philanthropists concentrate at their own communities and villages, Prince Innocent Eleogu carries out his charity works without any regard to borders. He benevolently extends his acts of kindness to all and ensures it touches all and sundry, no matter how small.
Philanthropic disposition
1. Unlike the emergency and election time philanthropists we are seeing everywhere today, as far back as 15 years ago, the Prince has been in forefront of supporting the people in many indices. Numerous communities can attest to boreholes he single-handedly and quietly built for them without demanding for any counterpart funding from the beneficiary communities.
2. Granting of full scholarships* This is another window through which the Prince touches lives and transforms destinies of many people. He awards scholarships up to university level for bright but indigent students across board. This philanthropic gesture has been silently on-going for several years before he officially launched it last year, after which he extended it to all the four clans in Ikwuano.
3. Free textbooks and educational materials*
In addition to this, almost every school in Ikwuano has received his free educational materials which are shared under the auspices of his *Prince Innocent Eleogu Care Foundation*.
4. PAYMENT OF Medical Bills* The Prince has single-handedly paid off medical bills for indigent patients at various hospitals, not only in Abia state, but in other parts of Nigeria. This has restored hope and life to many that were at the threshold of despondency and death. He is a man of amazing love for humanity.
5. Jobs/Contracts and Apprenticeship programs for Ikwuano indigenes* Over the years, the Prince has given jobs and contracts to Ikwuano indigenes across board. His company, Logus Group, has employed several sons and daughters of Ikwuano. In addition to this, he is copiously replicating the famous Anambra apprenticeship scheme where he picks school leavers and train them in his line of business, after which he settles and empowers them to stand on their own and help train others. A visit to his company will attest to numerous young men who are at different stages of the training.
6. Ikwuano first Mantra
Furthermore, the Prince is someone who prioritizes patronage of his kits and kin in award of contracts. Contracts for most of his projects across Nigeria are awarded to Ikwuano artisans, except in a situation where there’s no competent hand for a particular specialized job. He ensures that Ikwuano wealth revolves around and within it.
7. *Strategic Connections*. Prince Innocent Eleogu is a man with high networth connections. Once a leader of Nigerian trade mission to SouthKorea, he has worked his way into the inner circle of top government functionaries within and outside Nigeria. With his long reach to people that matter, he knows how to utilize same to get whatever is due to his people. For example, during the internecine conflict between some Ikwuano communities and Akwa lbom state, he worked in synergy with other sons of the land, and used his contact to get the National Boundary Commission to move down to Ariam/Usaka in search of solution. He always uses his vast contacts for the betterment of the lot of his people. Unlike others that use theirs for personal gains.
8. *Youths and Talents Development*. The annual Prince Innocent Eleogu football competition solely sponsored by the Prince for youths in Azunchai and Ariam Usaka community has been on for the past 4 years. The focus of this competition is to discover budding sporting talents among the youths and groom them for future championships. Over the years this event has attracted a great number of sporting and government personalities within and outside the state. It’s another of the Prince’s humble way of giving back to the society.
*Ikwuano resources for Ikwuano people*. The Prince is being a man of dignity. He will be answerable to the people of Ikwuano and will use Ikwuano resources to develop Ikwuano. The era of using Ikwuano resources to develop and commission projects at other LGAs will come to a halt. We have so much to do here.
Umunna, this is a little window into the heart of the Prince. If he can do so much with his little personal resources, what he can do when given an opportunity is better left to our imagination.
