By Jennifer John
Governor Hope Uzodimma has expressed confidence in the ability of the people to broker peace in the Orlu zone.
Uzodimma who was elated at the summit, said there was nothing that can not be solved through dialogue as he appreciated the coming together of Orlu zone to fashion the way forward.
The Governor said that the people of Orlu zone have the capacity to meet any challenge, describing them as; intelligent, resourceful, enterprising, people who know their rights and can not be intimidated.
According to him, the summit was a reunion long overdue, and would afford them opportunity to chart the way forward for Orlu, Imo and Nigeria. He however opined that there was peace in Orlu.
The governor said “Don’t be deceived by anything, there is peace in Orlu, there is unity in Orlu. The only thing is that Orlu is under attack. My job, your job is to find out who is responsible for attacking Orlu. There is peace, Orlu is deliberately under attack by both internal and externally forces.
The good thing is that we have a government that an Orlu son, Hope Uzodimma is at the head.”
The governor affirmed that at the risk of sounding immodest, with his years and experience in politics, he cannot be intimidated, as he pointed out that the difference between him and other politicians is that he wanted to be remembered for good things he did for the people not be remembered for people that died. He added that he didn’t want to be associated with murder and shedding of blood.
He said Orlu is under attack by those who lost out in politics, who had opportunity to serve the people and did not, but served themselves.
The Governor said from 1999, Orlu zone had been given opportunities to serve which were under utilized at the first instance, then another one which was abused by a man he described as having criminal appetite who wanted to own the whole state for himself, insisting that God brought him to correct all the anomalies.
“We must acknowledge the fact that if we don’t solve the problems in this place by ourselves no other person will do it for us”.
The convener of the summit, His Royal Highness, Eze Dr. Cletus Ilomuanya, who is the Chairman, Imo State council of elders, in his address noted, “The theme of this summer which is peace and development in Orlu zone, is all embracing because without peace their can be no development. We must therefore search for peace and find it at all costs.
The summit featured goodwill messages from notable sons from the Orlu zone and lectures delivered by Professors MOE Iwuala and Francis Eze, both from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, who presented papers titled ” Orlu people and challenges of peace ” and ‘Orlu zone: and the quest for technological and industrial development’ respectively.
