Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on Ndigbo to invest their resources and entrepreneurial skills in Igboland to ensure accelerated development of the South East and South South of Nigeria.The Governor made the call Yesterday at the auditorium of the University of Lagos while delivering his remarks as the Special Guest of Honour at this year’s Eni Njoku lecture organized by Igbo Students Union of the University in conjunction with Ndigbo in Lagos.
Governor Okezie urged Ndigbo to apply their globally acknowledged spirit of entrepreneurship at home. According to him, rather than the Igbos waiting for some external investors, Igbo Investors can change the picture of Igboland just as they have change the faces of other World cities.
In a brief chat with newsmen after the event, the Governor who is also the Chairman of South East Governors forum committee on economic development highlighted the relationship between unemployment and crimes like kidnapping, baby factory as well as social vices like teenage pregnancy. According to him, some unemployed youths resort to crimes mostly because of absence of jobs to match their skills and that in turn scare Igbo investors from looking towards home. He assured Ndigbo living in Lagos and the Diaspora that the current Governors of the South East are working round the clock to provide adequate security and called on Igbo business men and women to support the efforts of the Governors at job creation through investing at home. “When you invest at home, you help us to take more people off the streets and prisons thereby further guaranteeing security of lives and property”.
However, The President General of Ndigbo Lagos, Prof Anya O. Anya, in his address as the lead lecturer for this year’s Eni Njoku lecture series called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his enormous goodwill in the north and across the country to ensure that the report of the last National Conference is implemented. He stated that if implemented, the report of the last National Conference will smoothen the rough edges of our federation as well as accelerate national development.
Speaking on “the challenge of national development and national integration in the age of change and transformation” Prof Anya stated that the twin challenges of national integration and economic development can be surmounted if the current leadership in Nigeria summon the courage to implement the report of the last national conference as submitted to the Government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
This year’s Eni Njoku lecture attracted dignitaries from all walks of life including Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Prof Anya O. Anya, Prof Ibidapo Obe, Prof Mojekwu Nnamdi, Chief Nkechi Obi of Technoil, HRM Eze Kalu Kalu Ogbu (IV), Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Dr Onyia, Chief Jackson Agbai, Dr O. J. Mbonu and many others.
Prof Eni Njoku, a renowned biological scientist, was the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos. He also served as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. He was born at Ebem (1917) in Ohafia LGA of Abia State. His son, Dr Eni Njoku jnr as well as daughter Mrs O. Mbonu were also present at the event.
Eni Njoku studied botany at the University of Manchester in England. He graduated with a first class honours degree in 1947 and obtained his M.A. degree the following year. In 1954, he obtained his doctorate from the University of London.
