By Jennifer John
Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has advocated for the reinvigoration of the dogged spirit of the Igbo man that made them to rapidly transform from being hawkers and “Obioma” tailors at Lagos and other major Nigerian cities after the civil war to become captains of commerce and industries within a very short period of time.
Uzodimma advised against the spirit of timidity, self defeat, violence and crave for easy money. He said the Igbos are currently at a crossroads, saying the book is aimed at galvanizing the Igbos to rethink and reflect on the current challenge and find the right compass to navigate out of it.
The governor made it clear that despite the challenges that have bedevilled the Igbos in Nigeria since after the civil war, they are still better off in a united Nigeria, listing the areas Igbos have a comparative advantage over other tribes in Nigeria to include; Technology, commerce and trade, real estate, education, among others.
“What I simply set out to achieve with this book is to make our youths to appreciate opportunities before them and embrace such, instead of bemoaning the marginalization of Ndigbo and resorting to violence, which is self defeatist. They should come up with pragmatic ways of conquering their fears, because I just discovered that most of our young men and women are currently leaving in fear”.
In his address, Chairman of the occasion, General Azubuike Ihejirika eulogized governor Hope Uzodimma for his ingenuity in carving out time from his very tight schedule to document his reflections on the Igbo question.
He said the book is a must read for all Nigerians who are patriotic and wants Nigeria to forge ahead as one united and indivisible country where equal rights of the citizens are guaranteed, adding that he shares the thought of the author, being that he as well understands the political landscape of the country.
After making a chapter by chapter analysis of the book to the audience, the book reviewer, Prof. Bennett Chioma Nwanguma, said the author succeeded in putting across his thought and long held position on burning issues of; marginalization, restructuring, presidency of Igbo extraction and unity of Nigeria.
“It is worthy of note that these views have been consistent and unambiguous and have been passionately put forward across chapters of the book. This will endear the book to anyone who needs to understand the; historical, socio economic and political events that have conspired to place the Igbos where they find themselves in the project Nigeria”.
Speaking, Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba said the book was the product of the consistent passion of Governor Uzodimma for the well-being of the Igbo race, which he said started long before he became the governor of Imo State.
