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

Members of Idima Abam rural community in Arochukwu Council in Abia state Wednesday trooped out of their homes, dressed in black attire , carrying placards and chanting songs demanding the release of their leader, named Ezeogo Chukwu Jonah.

They protested the arrest of Ezeogo Chukwu Jonah who they stated was arrested at Security Check Point at Ntigha, along Aba/Umuahia Expressway since Wednesday 19 November , 2025 while returning from Aba, and thereafter taken to Abuja, where he has remained detained without charge to court or allowed bail.

President General of Idima Abam Mr Dike Patrick Kalu told journalists that they gathered that his arrest was ordered by the Police Headquarters following a petition lodged by an influential member of the community.

He said that the Community last week petitioned the state government through their Representative in the Abia state House of Assembly Hon Uchenna Okoro, who is also the House Majority Leader

Some of their placards read ” Release our Ezeogo, Chukwu Jonah, Ezeogo is our Liberator, Leave him alone. DIG FCID should obey the IGP Directive,
Holding our Ezeogo ( King ) is just incarcerating the whole community. Governor Alex Otti, please help Idima Abam Community, let the Police stop harassing and intimidation of innocent community Members”.

Wife of the arrested/detained Ezeogo Mrs Mary Chukwu Jonah, who confirmed that her husband was arrested on Wednesday 19th November, at Ntigha between 2 and 3 pm by the Police, taken to Life Camp Abuja Police facility, and detained there , said that he ( husband ) called her with a suspected borrowed Phone to inform her that he was arrested and taken to Abuja

The Community members who spoke in turns corroborated that there have been killings in the community by a Group that had been banned in the community.

The President General ( Dike Kalu ) said that there had been peace in Idima Abam, hence he called for the release and return of Ezeogo Jonah to sustain this peace in the community.

It was gathered that between 2017 and 2019, an alleged named group in the community murdered four members of Idima Abam community.

A credible source gave the names of the four murdered persons as ; Chief Innocent Okorie aka Bobo who was killed sometime in 2017, Mrs Oluike Agwu murdered on 16/08/2018, Mr Sampson Ihueze and Chief James Iro who both were murdered same day on 28th March 2019.

According to this source, ” these murdered victims were poor villagers who left behind widows and children that are still suffering the consequences of such gross human rights violations.

” It has been difficult to bring the murderers to justice because of the backing of their wealthy patrons.

” Specifically on 21/10/22 a group of Conscientious Idima Abam Indigenes led by Chukwu Jonah petitioned The DIG FCID, Abuja over the murders plus other Human Rights Violations.

” After several back and forth ,the Petition was eventually transferred to the FCID Enugu Office for Investigation.

” The Men sent to investigate the crime never visited any of the deceased family members. Rather, when they came to the village, they hobnobbed with the suspect’s and their sponsor and left.

” They eventually did a report to their superiors in Abuja that the principal Petitioner Chukwu Jonah gave the Police false Information.

” It is on the basis of this report that the said Petitioner is being detained in Life Camp police station without access to family members or food.

The Community expressed concern that while the sponsor of the crime was busy compromising with the police , the group of Idima Concerned Indigenes who detected the compromise and bias on the part of the team from FCID Enugu, petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives on 10th Dec 2024 over the conduct of the Investigators from FCID Enugu Annex.

BY GORDI UDEAJAH