By Ovat Abeng
Anambra business magnet, philanthropist and the founder of humanitarian service organization, Joseph Onuorah Foundation (JOF), has joined other foundations, civil society organisations and well-to-do individuals in Southeastern Nigeria (Igbo), on the call on Ndigbo to come back home for this year 2024 Christmas and new year celebration, assuring them of adequate security put in place by governors and community leaders in the region.
The founder and chairman of the foundation, High Chief Joseph Onuorah, who gave the assurance in a statement he signed and made available to journalists in Awka on Friday, said that irrespective of certain isolated events, the South East is still largely peaceful; according to recent Statistics by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and will remain so even after the season celebrations.
According to him, “we are encouraging our people living outside of the south eastern states, who wish to return home for this year 2024 Christmas and New year celebration to do so in the interest of the already existing traditions of family love and oneness, established by our forefathers. We can’t runaway from our ancestral homes. Most of the high level of insecurity been reported about the region in the pages of national dailies are not true. There are certain risks but also adequate security already put in place by the five states governors of the region, especially in this festive season.
“South East is relatively a very peaceful region. What we urgently need at the moment now is encouragement. We need to encourage our people to contribute in peace building.
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“The region need peace to thrive as a strategic economic hub of Nigeria and Africa at large. Every Igbo man and woman must work towards this peace and security to ensure the South East region sustains its enviable commercial and industrialization status in West Africa.
“The region can’t be allowed to be in disarray or left in the whims of very few non state actor’s while other regions seem to enjoy peace and security, even though they also grapple with their challenges. We must encouraged our people to return home for this year Christmas and New year celebration.
“We must not allow the economic or security situation make us loose very critical cultural ties and preservation of family bonds and societal values in our local communities. The criminals would be emboldened if people decide to stay away from their various communities.
“The problems that beset the south east region are found every where around this part of the Sahara and they will require locally crafted solutions to take back the villages town by town. Sufficient attention should also be paid to structure investments in activities to harness youth talents and passion like sports, education, craft and skill centers, financial literacy etc.
“I call on successful Igbo entrepreneurs to also do more with capital returns to the South East region to drive the needed economic buoyancy. The elected representatives of the people at the National Assembly should also cure themselves of the “give away” malady and do more to attract federal govt and state presence to their local communities which is a more sustainable wealth creation strategy for nation’s development,” the statement concluded.
