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By Madu Obi
The apex Igbo socio- cultural appropriation, Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide, has bestowed the honour of "Hero of Igbo" on the late first civilian governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife. He was the first Igbo to be so honoured.
At the state burial ceremony organized by the Anambra State government for the late Ezeife at the International Convention Center, Awka, the President General of Ohaneze, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu said Ezeife deserved the honour because of his numerous contributions and the love he had for the Igbo nation.
"Ohaneze has recognized the contributions of Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife to the development of Igbo nation and therefore decided to bestow on him the 'Hero of Igbo land'.
"He was in the mould of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dr. Michael Okpara, Mbazulike Amechi.
"Ohaneze Ndigbo has also resolved that henceforth, any Igbo who serves the Igbo nation well will also be honoured with the title of 'Hero of Igbo land'", the Ohaneze PG said.
According to Iwuanyanwu, once such people pass on, their burial will be the responsibility of the entire Igbo people.
He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for remaining steadfast on issues concerning the Igbo nation, recalling the support he gave during the burial of the late Chief Mbazulike Amechi, which he, Iwuanyanwu chaired, Professor Ben Nwabueze which was chaired by the formerSecretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and now Dr. Ezeife whose burial committee was chaired by the former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.
Former governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2024 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, in his tribute said Ezeife preached justice for everyone.
"Threat to justice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere. Ezeife preached justice, equity and fair play for all. He was somebody who worked tirelessly for a fair Nigeria and we believe that God who called him will grant all of us the fortitude to bear the irrepressible loss," Obi said.
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo said it was Ezeife that laid the foundation subsequent governors of the state built on and promised to continue in that regard.
He described Ezeife as someone who built bridges of friendship across Nigeria, noting that it was therefore not surprising that everybody spoke well of him.
Soludo said: "The tributes said it all. The testimonies across Nigeria shows who Ezeife was. All the socio -political and cultural groups paid their tributes, signifying that Okwadike was a true Nigerian and he thought us the principle that we should all think Nigeria.
"It was during the tenure of Ezeife that a National Youth Service Corps member from Osun State who served in Anambra State was retained in the state civil service, and today, that former NYSC member is a permanent secretary in the state."
"He laid the foundation for the rule of law in the new Anambra State, having been its first elected governor. He established the mantra of “Think Home Philosophy” to mobilize our people to develop their state.
He lived on the principle that we should build a better society.
"When Anambra hosted the summit on the position of Igbo on the restructuring of Nigeria, Okwadike was fully part of the event."
He was not just Okwadike ndi Igbo, but Okwadike Nigeria. He exhibited a bundle of patriotism, equity and justice.
"His election as governor was one that nobody asked the church he attended, or where he worshipped, but they chose him based on who he was."
He said the state government organized the state burial in accordance with the provisions of the Anambra State Burial Law because Ezeife would wish that it should be organized in accordance with the law.
Soludo said that as the governor, he is working on the foundation laid by Okwadike to sustain those principles he fought for, lived for and died for, assuring that we will improve on Ezeife's legacies and never to let them die.
"As the governor, I assure our people that the infrastructure Ezeife wanted to live behind but was cut short by the short period of his administration, will be put in place."
The former governor will be buried in his hometown, Igboukwu in Aguata local government area of the state on Saturday.
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