Senator representing Abia South senatorial zone, Eyinnaya Abaribe, has urged Nigerians to embark on self-cleansing, self rediscovering and purge themselves of dirts of corruption as those were the only ways they could be out of the present challenges facing the country.
He said: “The way in which Nigeria is at the moment, unless there is a revolution or a total overhaul of every aspect of the system, not even Angels descending from heaven can salvage the situation”.
He made this known in a Keynote address he presented at the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ) South East media summit/ awards 2022 held on Wednesday at the Lyon Dr Gold Hotel, Enugu.
Speaking on the address he tagged “The Road not taken”, with a focus on the Theme :”The South East in the Geo-Politics of Nigeria: Yesterday, Today and Tommorow”, Abaribe said “what we are doing here is learning from yesterday to work today for the sake of better tommorow
The lawmaker frowned at the report of the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published last month in which it was stated that “in the first six month of 2022, we earned N1.6 trillion but spent N4.7 trillion, thus incurring a deficit of 3.09 trillion.
“There is no way a nation can continue like this without defaulting on its debts and collapsing. So we are looking at an imminent shipwreck”.
He blamed government authorities of downplaying the serious condition that Nigerians face everyday, saying, “with scaringly high unemployment, inflation, mind numbing insecurity and the object decline in public trust and confidence in the government, Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today”
He said that the media summit had brought people together to discuss on the choice of the road the entire south- east geo-political zone should travel towards the tomorrow of a new dispensation in Nigeria. The lawmaker noted with dismay that Nigeria seemed to to have finally reached a frightening Rubicon, a point of serious introspection, where she has to sit herself down and tell herself the truth.
“We must now proffer instant and actionable plans towards tomorrow. The year offers us an opportunity to try a new dance step out there in the arena of 2023 politics. We must critically interrogate the steps we intend to take towards arriving at a befitting place at the table of the leadership of this country”, Abaribe said.
He held that ,”there must be a way to rediscover our humanity and resolve to live by the the precepts of moral rectitude and in strict accordance with the law”.
The senator listed some problems bedeviling the country to include unmitigated insecurity, where there is violent conflict in 22 out of 36 states, mismanagement of funds, which has led to fiscal unsustainability and tripled-dipped recession and thirdly, an unjust inept and disastrous governance among others.
He also observed that one of the biggest problems of Nigeria today is that people rely on distorted history and false narratives as a guide to future. “Part of our problem in Nigeria is that the leaders that emerged after independence in 1960 failed at creating a nation Our two anthems so far, have mouthed beautiful words, none of which have made it into the closed ethnic and nepotistic minds of politicians, who at best, could only be classified as tribal leaders. Nigerian leaders have never made a conscious pact to deliver on the social contract that should flow from democratic leadership”
On the way forward, Abaribe said, “We have one thing to do. We must get engaged in the political scene. We must combact that problem. We ask ourselves, is the south east a model of good governance today? Not only are we subjected to difficulties , every Monday we sit at home, those who said it said, no, don’t sit at home.
He recalled that he visited Nnamdi Kanu and he told him they should stop sitting at home.
Ndi Igbo must look at themselves and resolve they will not destroy themselves. They should ask themselves whether they used good tool to bring in their leaders
“What are those things that made us who we are?
In the desert, an Igbo person will find water. We should continue to push and sustain that quality to make where we are a better place.
We are told We must do all we could to make Nigeria be where it should be.
“We are indeed in a desperate moment and to survive, we have to swallow all pride and rest Nigeria on the shoulders of those with the capacity to deal with her ailments and steady the of state.
He opined for a change saying that devolution of power and restructuring are waiting for us. Where we are today, the ground must change.
We cheat ourselves. We should stop showing off without having the means to carry on. We should stop cheating ourselves, deceiving ourselves and the nation is sinking.. So, devolution of power is necessary
For Ndi Igbo, we must now learn how to vote smart.
“Say no to manipulation because elections are done electronically, there is no room for vote buying..
The next election is going to be a true test of democracy. So ndi Igbo vote smart. It’s going to be vote and not fight. and our politics will also be smart. We actually know how to do politics. It was ndi Igbo that rejected this government at the beginning”, Abaribe said
The National President of NUJ, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, urged Journalists to see Nigeria as a “Currency”, as a country not designed along ethnic, religious and tribal lines. He noted that “these lines had divided us as a country.
“”We must continue to preach peace, the unity of this country. We must not align ourselves with politicians”, Isiguzo told Journalists
He urged Nigerians to vote wisely in the 2023 general elections, saying that ,”We had made mistakes in the past, so , let us not make the mistakes again . We must get it right this time..
Declaring the event open, the governor of Enugu state, Rt. Hon.(Dr) Ifeanyi assured the NUJ of the state government’s continuous support.
Represented by the Special Adviser to the governor on Information, Steve Orurua, Governor Ugwuanyi urged Journalists to be objective in their reportage and promote peace and unity of the country. He thanked the NUJ for choosing Enugu state as the venue for the event.
Earlier in his welcome address, the vice president of NUJ, South East Zone C, Sir Emma Ifejika, said that the Summit, with the theme: The South East in the Geo- Politics of Nigeria- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, was conceived by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, South East Zone
to provide stakeholders in the South East- politicians, businessmen, students, the academia and the media, among other groups, the opportunity to look at the situation of the Zone and come out with ideas on how to reposition the Zone for greater progress in the Country.
He said that the exercise” is indeed in the exercise our responsibility as agenda setters.
We also have the mandate to promote and advance the socio- economic and other interests and objectives that are lawful and consistent with the spirit and practice of Journalism.
“This effort is indeed in tandem with these objectives, hence we are on course .
It is the intention of the South East Zone of the NUJ to institute this programme as part of our social responsibility to the South East Zone of Nigeria, where we practice., Ifejika said
He called for public support to enable the NUJ to achieve this objective as well as play our statutory functions, since our Union is not funded in any way.
“As a Union, we wish to reiterate that we will continue to play the role of the ombudsman in the society and to hold governmental leaders accountable.
We wish to use this forum to reiterate our call on State actors and other groups to appreciate the overriding need and urgency to promote the safety of Journalists, particularly in this Zone, as well as fight impunity against them, in order to create the enabling environment they require to optimally perform their fundamental functions in a democracy
.
“As the campaigns for the 2023 general elections commence today across the country, we call on politicians and the political parties to play by the rules in order ensure a peaceful and violence free polls.
We also urge the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to guarantee a transparent election process and a smooth transition to the next administration.
He thanked the governor of Enugu State, HE, Rt. Hon.(Dr)f Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Gburugbu, the Chairman of this occasion, Chief Nnia Nwodo Jnr, represented by the Managing Director/ CEO, Anambra Newspapers Printing Corporation, Sir Chuka Nnabuife , Senator Abaribe and all those who graced the occasion.
In a Goodwill message, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Prof Peter Umeadi,
Pledged support for journalist
Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Nnia Nwodo Jnr, r who was represented by the Managing Director/ CEO, Anambra Newspapers Printing Corporation, Sir Chuka Nnabuife , thanked the governor of Enugu state, Rt. Hon. ( Dr) Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi , Professor Umeadi, Senator Abaribe, Dr Ngene and other people who graced the occasion for for coming . He also thanked the NUJ south East for putting up the summit/ awards program.
Awards were given to some individuals who have shown exceptional support for the growth of the South East, humanity and the Media in the Zone.
They include,
1 HE, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyii, who will be honoured for being ‘ the Most Media Friendly Governor in the South East
2 Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii as ‘Oustanding Entrepreneurial Leader/ Political Reformer & Strategist’
3 Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru as ‘ the Most Outstanding Speaker, South East
4 Dr. Roy Nwakamma for ‘ Outstanding Community Service’
5 Barr. John Sunny Unachukwu as ‘Outstanding Partner/ Benefactor’
