Prof. Nebo Harps On Unity
After decades without a central leadership, Agbaja people of Enugu State have reunited to once again pursue their common social, political, cultural and economic interests. The people who cover Udi, Ezeagu and parts of Enugu North Local Government Areas plan to hold a two-day Summit in Enugu on 2nd and 3rd November 2022.
The event will bring together thousands of their sons and daughters from over 100 communities in Nigeria as well as their friends, in-laws and well-wishers from across Nigeria and the Diaspora.
The Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will be the Special Guest of Honour at the Summit.
Announcing the event in a statement issued in Enugu, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Agbaja Leaders of Thought, Venerable (Professor) Chinedu Nebo, CON, said the gathering will provide a platform to foster unity and rekindle the bonds of kinship among the various communities that make up Agbaja.
“We are a people with a rich history and heritage; our forefathers left us legacies of rich culture, industry and political leadership. Aside their collective accomplishments in the advancement of the Wawa people, our fathers boasted great individual attainments, some of which were recognised globally”.
Nebo, one-time minister of Power who leads the non-partisan body, said history now beckons on people of the area to build on these legacies and launch Agbaja –the people and the locality — into the next level. “We can achieve this if we speak with one voice, act individually and collectively in our common interest and reunite our people along our age-long social and cultural history”, he said.
On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, all the Agbaja communities in Udi, Ezeagu and Enugu North Local Government Areas will converge at the Michael Okpara Square, Independence Layout Enugu for their Cultural Carnival and Awards Ceremony.
The opening ceremony will feature speeches and goodwill messages from Enugu State and beyond, while our sons and daughters who have made positive impacts in Agbaja land or distinguished themselves in their various endeavours, at home or in the Diaspora, will receive awards.
The second day being 3rd November 2022, will feature an exhibition and the unveiling and public presentation of Pan-Agbaja Investment and Economic Agenda focused on the economic and investment potentials of Agbaja land. The plenaries which will hold at the expansive Amadeo Event Centre, will feature presentations from the leading lights in the field of industry, investment and human capital development.
Already, memories of the heroic actions of Agbaja people who displayed great courage in the politico-economic emancipation of the present-day Enugu State, are being evoked. Some of them include Warrant Chief Onyeama of Eke, Aninefungwu CC Onoh, Justice Eze Ozobu, Professor Godwin Odenigwe, Justice Anthony Aniagolu, Chief Enechi Onyia and many others.
In spite of their efforts for the Wawa people and the eventual creation of Enugu State 31 years ago, the people lament that Agbaja has fallen back in all aspects of development compared to other areas in Enugu.
Many of their leaders attribute this backwardness to a lack of coordinated leadership and inability to present a common front.
The Summit promises to be two (2) loaded days of speechmaking, cultural displays and presentations that will make positive impact on the people and their communities as well as exhibitions of the trade mark products that they are known for.
To realize these lofty objectives, Prof. Nebo announced that a Planning Committee has been set up with Rev. Ugochukwu Chime as Chairman, and Hon. Sheddy Ozoene as Secretary. According to him, the 43-member Committee, with members drawn from home and the Diaspora, has worked assiduously in the past few weeks to draw up a comprehensive programme of events for the Summit. This includes the creation of 9 subcommittees to handle various aspects of the assignment.
Nebo solicited support from Agbaja people towards realizing the lofty objectives of the summit, adding that the event will be a defining moment in Agbaja history, and “I have no doubt we have the men and women who can rise to the occasion of launching our people on the path of progress and unity”.
