Igbo community reassures support for APC apex leader

…Celebrates new yam festival…

By Ugochukwu Ezurike and Ambrose Nnaji

The Igbo Speaking Community of Oriade in Oke-Afa, Isolo Local Government Area of the Lagos State has reassured the Igbo All Progressives Congress (APC) Apex leader, Honourable Jude Idimogu, of their unflinching support and the ruling party in the state.

The Chairman of Oriade Igbo Speaking Community, Mazi Okechukwu Nnubia stated this during their maiden annual 2020 New Yam Festival held in the area.

Idimogu is also Member, representing Oshodi/Isolo constituency 11 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Nnubia said the people in the area were fascinated by the level of patriotism and humility exemplified in Idimogu, and his wife, stressing that his type of governance is hard to come by in Nigeria of today.

The House member, Nnubia stated differed from average Nigerian politician whose only interested in the appurtenances of power and the sheer ego of ‘I hold power and I can do what I like’, that he is far from that, exhibiting no trace of arrogance, but shows respect for all manner of persons.

“We are proud of Idimogu, and his amiable wife funnily called ‘Osodieme’, he is not power drunk, their door is open not only to their constituents, but to all classes of persons. We are hundred percent with him and the party any time any day.

“We have started mobilizing our people, those that have no voters’ card yet are encouraged to do so, while those who newly relocated to this area have initiated the process of transferring their voters’ cards to this constituency to enable us give the needed support to Idimogu and APC in the state, he said.

Idimogu has brought us to the known, the importance of joining the ruling party of the owners of the land adding it’s by doing so that they will be able to have a say in governance and benefit from the dividends of democracy.

According to him, time has come for the Igbos to change their mindset and perception towards Nigerian political permutations.

The community chairman however thanked Idimogu for taking time out of his busy schedules to honour their invitation, and to be with them till the end of the programme in the twilight of the day.

Roasted yams for the ceremony

He said the day was a day of joy, and thanksgiving for the Igbo speaking community of the South-Eastern Nigeria and their kith and kin from South-South in living in Lagos, and also their friends and well-wishers who have come in their numbers to partake in celebrating the Maidan edition of the new yam festival in in the state.

The new yam festival according to him was an annual event in Igboland held in high esteem by the Igbos to thank ‘chukwuabiamere’ (God) for protecting them during the farming season especially at this time farmers were being attacked, maimed and killed either on their way to the farm or in their farms, and for protecting their crops and giving them bountiful harvest.

He said there could not be any other way of giving thanks to God for all these favours than to come together, rejoice and make merry with their friends and at the same time use the medium to tell the story to their children who have not had the opportunity to witness it down home in Igboland, especially now Covid-19 pandemic has made it difficult for people to travel out to their various locations.

Mrs Adaeze Ani, an Igbo indigene from Enugu state and a resident of Oriade said the festival was to thank God for the gift of yam, which she ascribed as a blessing from God to mankind.

She stated that at the beginning of yam harvest in the year, the Igbos do this to show appreciation to God for protecting them throughout the farming season to the time of harvest.

Ani noted that the festival had created room for them to inculcate in their children the rich culture of their people even when they were outside the shores of Igboland.

“Our children have seen today how we merry during our new yam festival, how we cut the yam, they can now on their own narrate how we celebrate this important festival in Igboland,” she said.

Frank Eze, the Mayor of Oke-Afa thanked God for the grace to witness the festival being celebrated in Lagos with their friends unlike in the past when they would travelled home without their wives, children and friends for the festival.

He thanked Hon. Idimogu whom he described as a beloved son with whom they were well pleased, who had paid his dues both in the church and in the community he resided in.

Eze recounted the achievements of Idimogu in the area to include, scholarship to less privileged youths, aid to so many families in the area, and various welfare packages to his constituents.

“We in this area are solidly behind Idimogu, we are not saying this by words of mouth, but will follow it with action, so long as he maintained his good works, we will never leave him behind.

“Igbos and residents of this area always associate with good candidates. Igbos particularly detest imposition of candidates; we have been voting and been identifying with the APC, especially when we were allowed to elect candidates of our choice.

“We withdraw our support and interest once we are not allowed to elect our representatives, we hate imposition. Presently as far as this constituency is concerned, it’s Jude we know, he is doing well, and he needs to be encouraged by the party.

“He is the only Igboman in Lagos today that has what it takes to market the party to his kinsmen because he is sincere, humble and amiable. If given the necessary supports by the party, he can win all the Igbos of all classes regardless of where they reside to the party, he can win overwhelmingly the Igbos’ vote amounting to over 40 per cent of the total votes in Lagos,” he said.

Chief Chuks Obiora said they had known the House member as a godly person right from the church, that his services to God were enough to pave ways for him. He recalled that it had been long he started giving services to the people in the area, even long before he embraced politics.

Obiora however stated that they felt betrayed when he left the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) to the APC, but with the vivid and articulated explanations he has given, has opened their eyes to the realization that he took the decision in the interest of the Igbos and not in his personal and that of his family.

According to him, unlike in the 2019 elections, there would be resounding victory and followership for the party in any feature elections because of Idimogu.

Also an indigene, Chidebere also known as ‘Amuru onye na ego’ said he never believed Idimogu would honour their invitation unlike other politicians in the area. “We are surprised to see him here today even when there is no election around the corner, he has come to identify with us, and has honoured us, and we will honour him whenever he calls on us.

“We have no doubt he will go places, we are looking up to his moving over to Abuja, we know he will bring honours to Oriade, to Lagos and Nigeria at large,” he stated.

Mrs. Ani further stated that the women and the children in the area were proud of Hon Idimogu, they were thankful to God for giving them the gift of  Jude and his wife, as they have brought respect and dignity to Igbo race.

A Youth Leader in the area, Comrade Theophilus Ideh, a public servant said they were giving God thanks for this year’s festival being celebrated in the area.

He stated that the Igbos from Delta and other tribes were thankful to God, for the festival and the good weather he gave to them.

Ideh who is popularly known as ‘God bless big man’ said his joy knew no bounds when he heard that Hon Idimogu would grace the occasion, stated his efforts to make sure there was adequate security.

He said that even though he had not seen Idimogu for the first time, but the sound of his good works was being heard all over the area.

“Since I came to settle here, I have been hearing much about Idimogu, I have not met hem in person, but thank God I have seen him today, I’m not disappointed in what I have heard. He is an epitome of humility, unlike other politicians who are only interested in themselves and their families.

Gov Sanwo-Olu & Hon. Idimogu

We have heard him, in addition to all he has been doing, we have begged him to influence some government appointments in our favour especially in the local government area here. That will go a long way to giving us a sense of belonging.

In his remarks, Hon Idimogu congratulated the Igbos in the area and their friends for their show of love and oneness that had made it possible for them to come together to organize the festival which according to him was one of the cherished cultural festivals of the Igbos, he assured them of his support at all times.

Idimogu implored them to get well identified with the APC in the state according to him which is apparently a moving force in Lagos and in the country at large today rather than withdrawing from active politics.

“We are tired of complaining of marginalization, we need to change our pattern of politics, so that we don’t pay a huge price for a collective irresponsibility, lets join others to embrace the ruling party in the state, Idimogu implored.