Abia State  Disability Commission Chairman , Dr. David Anyaele has promised Deaf Persons in the state of  governor  Alex Otti’s support and assistance, and underscored the  importance of the Deafs  among persons with disabilities ( PWD ).

‎He also  assured Deaf Persons and  other members of the  disability community  that the  Commission would continue to work with them to identify opportunities that could improve their livelihoods and enable them to contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.

‎Dr. Anyaele  who spoke  when the South East Deaf Women Association (SEOWA) and representatives of the Abia State Deaf Elders  visited him in his office in Umuahia, the state capital,  further assured them of governor Otti  administration’s  support to them   through empowerment, employment, education and other programmes  that are aimed at improving their welfare and livelihoods.

‎He stated  that the Disability  Commission would continue to work with them to identify opportunities that could improve their livelihoods and enable them to contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.

‎According  to Dr  Anyaele ,  the Abia state governor  Dr Alex Otti  is deliberate in his commitment to improving the quality of lives of persons with disabilities.

” This manifests in the  several Deaf women that had been recruited into the state government workforce, which evidenced that  qualified persons with disabilities would continue to be considered for available employment opportunities”.

‎The Commission Chairman reported  that  Deaf persons had benefited from government interventions for persons with disabilities, including support provided by the state governor’s wife ,  Priscilla  Otti, even as he  further promised  that his  Commission would continue to ensure that Deaf persons would be included in relevant government programmes.

‎Noting that  the State government  has a  special secondary school for Deaf students, which he said would be progressively improved, including the provision of hostel facilities for male and female students therein,  he disclosed that  his  Commission was interested in promoting greater awareness on  issues affecting Deaf persons.

‎Speaking  on Sign-language Interpretation,  Dr Anyaele said the Commission  that he leads, had planned  to recruit qualified Sign-language Interpreters to strengthen its services, and  urged  qualified persons in the state to make themselves available.

‎Leader of the visiting   SEOWA delegation , Mrs. Maria Chidimma Alufo-Ekpo, told Dr Anyaele that their visit was to among others ,  discuss the challenges affecting Deaf persons in Abia, particularly women and children, and to explore areas of collaboration with the Commission.

‎Alufo-Ekpo appealed for greater inclusion of Deaf women in government-supported livelihood programmes, particularly agriculture, small businesses and other areas of economic empowerment, stressing that  such opportunities would help improve their independence and wellbeing.

‎‎Mrs Alufo-Ekpo tasked Dr Anyaele  to  intervene in efforts towards  restoring  peace and unity within the Abia state  Deaf  community lamenting that the  divisions arising from  the internal disagreements if not addressed,   could undermine the progress and public image of Deaf persons in the state.

WRITTEN BY GORDI UDEAJAH.

Founder and Pro-Chancellor of Lux Mundi University, the first ever university in Umuahia Ibeku, the Abia State capital, Sir. Professor Barrister Gabriel O. C. Okenwa, KSS, OFR, has posited that the future of any community is largely determined by the quality, discipline, and productivity of its youth.

He said so in the Keynote address he presented at the 12th Bi-Annual Conference of the Ibeku Youth Association held at Umuajiji Isieke Ibeku in Umuahia North Council, in which he called upon the Youths to embrace Unity, Peace, Discipline and hard work in order to guarantee their success and development in life.

His address which was titled
“Harnessing Peace, Unity, Discipline and Productive Enterprise for sustainable Youth Development in Ibeku land”, was read on his behalf by Mr. Christopher Chinemeze Okenwa,.

The paper examined the critical role of unity, peace, hard work, ethical leadership, and economic engagement, particularly in agriculture, would play towards repositioning Ibeku youths for sustainable development.

While highlighting the responsibilities of community stakeholders in supporting youth programs, he strongly advised the youths against drug abuse describing drug abuse as a threat to personal, social, and economic progress in any community.

Professor Okenwa renewed call for a partnership between youths and stakeholders that should be anchored on respect, shared vision, and service-oriented leadership.

Pro-Chancellor Okenwa, who recalled that his Founded Lux Mundi University, located in Ibeku Umuahia ( within Abia state capital) , awarded scholarships to some indigenes of Abia State , particularly all the clans in Umuahia that included sons and daughters of Ibeku Clan.

National President of Ibeku Youth Association, Chief Chiedozie Martins Nwosu, during the conference, presented a scorecard of the Association, on behalf of the Executives, thanking all in attendance for their support and participation.

The well attended 12th Ibeku Youth Association bi-annual conference that had the revered Traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku Ancient Kingdom, High Chief Uche Akwukwuegbu, who is the Executive Chairman, Bawas Group of Companies, as Chairman.

While the former Abia state first Lady, Her Excellency, Chief Mercy Odochi Orji, the Osinulomaranma 1 of Ibeku, was the Special Guest of Honour, the Spiritual Father of the Conference, was the Archbishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Chibuzo Rapheal Opoko,

Other top dignitaries of Ibeku land that participated in the conference were notable traditional rulers, including His Imperial Majesty, Eze Samuel Iheonye Onuoha, the Ogurube 4 of Ibeku Ancient Kingdom, who was the Royal Father of the day.

Report By Gordi Udeajah

The Abia State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, the socio- cultural, non political association of Igbo people in Nigeria and in the diaspora has sought pardon for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ) Nazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is serving life imprisonment, following his conviction by the federal high court , Abuja, and pronounced him guilty of terrorism charges.

Before Kanu’s conviction, use of political solution, rather than prosecution to address his matter, was widely canvassed.

The Abia Ohanaeze spoke yesterday during an enlarged meeting of the leaders of the state 17 Councils in Umuahia, the state capital through its President Dr Chukwuemeka Okwuonu.

The Ohanaeze had before Kanu’s arrest and long detention from 2021, and during his long trial before his conviction on 20 th November 2025, canvassed , urged the federal government, led by the late former president Muhammadu Buhari , and his successor Bola Tinubu, to release Kanu unconditionally, recommending use of political option , rather than legal process to address the matter.

They had argued that hence some Nigerians that were reportedly accused of offenses heavier than the ones Kanu was charged and convicted, after his abduction from Kenya on 19th June, 2021 to Nigeria, detained and prosecuted till conviction on 20th November 2025, were not prosecuted but released or pardoned.

The Abia Ohanaeze President Dr Chukwuemeka Okwuonu told journalists that demanded to know the present stand of the association after Kanu’s life imprisonment sentence, which he is serving in Sokoto Prison, that the state Ohanaeze position is same with that of the national leadership that called and urged for his pardon.

He made reference to the visit of the Abia state governor Dr Alex Otti to Kanu at Sokoto Prison, describing it as a sign of his possible pardon and release.

Dr Okwuonu said that their meeting centered on how the Igbo nation would subsist unity, preserve its culture, language, think Igbo wherever they reside within the country and beyond.

He warned against abandoning Igbo culture and language, stating that so doing would amount to abandoning Igbo heritage, “which is not what we want”.

He said that the essence of their enlarged meting of the leaders of the 17 Councils, was to let the world know that Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo structure is in place in all the states and all Councils in Abia state, and is there to protect Igbo interests, ensure that its activities, projects, programs, are transmitted directly to the grassroots and implemented accordingly.

” Ohanaeze is always poised to protect the interests of Ndi Igbo anywhere they reside, and aligns with governments, at community, state and national levels to ensure that this is done.

“For instance, when we had of a little skirmish in Ghana recently, the Ohanaeze leadership interfaced immediately with the Ghanaian embassy in Nigeria and ensured that the matter was resolved/ addressed.

“Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo is an international global organization, and that is why sometimes they call it Ohanaeze worldwide. That is why we want to ensure that it is everywhere in all states. Because we have our people in every nook and cranny of this country, Ohanaeze has been put in place fully in Nigeria.

Having operated its structures in the various local governments, today we decided to interface with each other at the state level, we are in Nigeria, and part and parcel of this country.

The State leader ( Okwuonu ) cited that recent Statistics showed that our people are not actually participating effectively in the ongoing voters registration exercise.

He consequently enjoined those that have attained voting age to register and be in position to exercise their statutory right to vote during elections.

He commended the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo National Leadership led by its President -General, Senator John Azuta-Mbata from Rivers State, who hailed from the Igbo area of Rivers State, and urged Igbos in other non Igbo states to join the