It is no longer news that Eke, the home town of Chief Onyeama, Okwuluoha of Aghaje was the very first place Christianity and Education came before spreading to other parts of Agbaje and their neighbours including Enugu the state capital. Chief Onyeama was not education, but knew when he saw a good one and that was why he rejected the Church Missionary Society(CMS) and their education and accepted the Catholic Church in 1910. This accounted for the Centenary celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu in 2010. The benefits of this valued education are enjoyed by Eke Community in Udi Local Government of Nigeria till date.
June 24th & 25th 2016 will remain indelible in the heart of every Eke indegene; man, woman, children and youth as the day they stood to count their blessings. An emerging group known as "Eke Progressive Forum"(EPF) a collection of elites and business giants both at home and diaspora took the community by storm and organized an extra-ordinary dinner and public reception for two of their own Dr Jideofor Geoffrey Onyeama(accomplished International Lawyer) and Mr Osita Augustine Okechukwu(accomplished Politician) in thanksgiving to God on their elevation as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director General Voice of Nigeria respectively. Dr Onyeama, son of World Court Judge Dadi Onyeama was actually born with silver spoon, but not disconnected to the community even after spending more than forty years of his life outside the shores of the country. I call him "a home boy." Mr Okechukwu was not born with silver spoon, but walked his way to the top through hardwork and perseverance. He had lived here in Nigeria all through his life and had seen it rough and tough without disconnecting to his people. He had been in Nigeria's political landscape since he left the university decades ago and I choose to call him "a grassroot man." He is very popular among his people.
Gracing the two days event without sending representatives is something I record for them as great virtue of humility and having regard for their "envy of all"community, Eke. That the events were well attended is an understatement, having pulled the the state Governor Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Vice President of Nigeria Dr Alex Ekwueme and his wife, former Senate President Dr Ken Nnamani, Prof. Osita Ogbu of University of Nigeria who delivered the keynote address among others.
The Chairman of the Forum, Prof. Bartho Okolo described the group as a non-political, non-partisan association of genuine Eke men and women who have come together for the advancement of socio-economic, educational development and empowerment in line with the founding fathers of the community.
No comments:
Post a Comment