Orlu Zone (Imo West) comprising of 12 Local Government Areas, turns a beautiful bride as its apex socio-cultural union, Orluzurumee (OZM) with Chief Emeka Diwe (Ezebube) as its President-General hosted its Owerri Zone counterparts, Olu Owerri, led by Chief Martin Opara, on Saturday, at All Saints Anglican Church Hall, Amaifeke, Orlu LGA, where the august visitors were advised to put their house in order as per the high number of their gubernatorial aspirants for Imo State 2019 guber election.
Addressing the audience, Diwe stated: ”Orluzurumee, being a socio-cultural organization, may be political but NOT partisan in championing the generic interests of all Orlu indigenes across every divide, OZM cannot be subsumed or collapsed into any particular political party or interest.
“We must enlighten our people by means of town hall meetings on the instrumentality of the ballot to addressing their basic needs. But most importantly, we must educate them to make credibility an article of faith and unyielding yardstick in choosing leaders… Only candidates of credible reputation and unalloyed integrity will attract the attention and support of Orluzurumee when the come comes to become”, the astute administrator who doubles as the President -General of all the Presidents of the South East Town Unions (ASETU) averred.
Responding, the President – General of Olu Owerri, Chief Opara, expressed his groups views thus: “We have come from Owerri Zone to seek brotherly reunion. We have come for us to unite and reach out to a similar group of like mind in Okigwe Zone to create discussion platform to guide our actions and relationship in the years to come.
“As a socio-cultural organization, we shall be guided at ail times by our aims and objective which center on unity of purpose, transparency and discipline. This is the mandate of our team and it has guided our actions and inactions since our emergence”, Chief Opara submitted.
During the interactive session, those who spoke among the Olu Owerri stakeholders included Chief Fidel Onyeleke who appreciated the historic joint meeting for its solidarity and appealed for justice, equity and fair play as it concern Imo gubernatorial representation for all the three zones of the state.
Whereas, Prof. Francis Dike (BoT Chairman of OZM), High Chief Uche Ejike (Dimkpa Asaa) and Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma, responded on behalf of Orluzurumee even as the latter counsels that Owerri Zone should watch the high turn-over of their guber candidates: “I appreciated the fact that Owerri has been developed more than Orlu. It was done by Orlu man and it will be Owerri man that will develop Orlu. We believe in equity, what we are now saying is that you go and put your house in order. We are ready to support you get equity as far as Imo political leadership is concerned. We’re ever ready and willing but you have about 20 people contesting for Imo governorship. How can that favour you?”, Uzorma queried.
Apart from the personalities earlier mentioned, others in attendance (from OZM) were: Chief, Hon. Felix Ifezuo, Elder Chukwukere Chinyere, High Chief Akhvu, Nze Simbo, Comrade Michael Uzoma, Comr. Precious Nwadike, Chief Alpha Nnoaham, Cmr. Chidi Mmeremikwu, Sir Jim Ayanugo, Mrs. Patience Elele, Mrs. Rosemorn Nzeribe and Mrs. Esther Cammy. (From Olu Owerri): Dr. C. I. Obiukwu, Dr. Charles Ugwoegbulem, Barr. Nwogu, Samuel Nwokocha, Chief Nick Uwaigwe, Eddie Anyanwu, Deacon Ihegbo, Chief Gerald Emekam, Lady Doris Emeagha, Mrs. Uche Ogbonna, Mrs. Uzoaku Joy Maurice and many other dignitaries from both zones.
Before drawing the curtains over the landmark meeting, the two socio-cultural organizations issued a joint-communiqué that predicated on solidarity, reawakened brotherliness, equity and good governance.
It would be recalled that prior to the 2015 governorship election, Orlu Zone played the most beautiful bride as both Owerri and Okigwe Zones wooed her with lorry-load of heads of cow, baskets of kolanuts and cash at meetings held at former governor Achike Udenwa Amaifeke country-home and at the Senator Hope Uzodima’s place. Yet, such meetings for the adoption of “Imo Charter of Equity,” failed to stop Owelle Rochas Okorocha from winning to complete his second tenure, which gives Orlu Zone an unprecedented 16 years of unbroken reign at “Douglas House” Owerri even as it has renamed the Imo seat of power to “Peoples House” and now menacingly poised to extend the political leadership dominance on the plank of an Ugwumba Uche Nwosu’s ticket.
