By Ikechukwu Amaechi
As Nigeria’s political elites continue to fool around in Rivers State pretending to be preferring solution to self-inflicted political wound, it is refreshing to see groups celebrating excellence, merit and competence in a country where mediocrity and absolute lack of character have become the keys that unlock high public offices.
That was exactly what Aka Ikenga did on Sunday, December 17 when members held the 2023 end of the year get-together which has been the tradition since the think-tank organisation of Igbo intelligentsia and professionals who are committed to the vision of an egalitarian Nigerian society based on the rule of law, equity and fairness for all Nigerians, debuted in 1989.
But this year’s get-together had an extra bent – Aka
Ikenga Awards. That was the first time the group, which prides itself as an
organisation that stands for the best in leadership and good governance
practices, bestowed awards to deserving Igbo sons and daughters. And,
typically, it was done in style. Aka Ikenga has class.
But in a country where awards
have been bastardised, with extraneous factors other than excellence being the
primary motive, what difference does it make that another group has decided to
hitch a ride on the omnibus awards wagon?
A lot, says Sir Ozodinobi Nnamdi
Obi, a renowned pharmacist, chairman of the Aka Ikenga Awards organising
committee. And the difference is that unlike many others, Aka Ikenga awards
were neither bought nor sold. “The awardees were all chosen on merit,”
Ozodinobi explained. “And it couldn’t have been by any other way. How can we be
an organisation whose mission is to serve as a think-tank for the Igbo Nation
with a view to articulating, promoting and defending the interests of our
people while promoting and defending actions and policies that would enhance
the unity, stability and economic programmes of the Nigerian government and
still not do things differently?” he asked rhetorically.
In his welcome address, the
President of Aka Ikenga, Agbalanze Chike Madueke, reiterated that the idea of
the awards is to recognise excellence amongst Ndigbo and their friends from all
walks of life. “We are confident,” he enthused that the “Aka Ikenga Awards will
be the highest event and opportunity to recognise hard work, resilience,
excellence and achievement amongst our people and the friends of our people in
business, in elected or appointed positions, in government and or in all fields
and wherever they may be found around the world.”
Like Ozodinobi, he emphasised
that the awards being a statement of endorsement and gratitude to the
recipients for the opportunities they have provided the younger generations
must be merit-driven. “The Aka Ikenga Awards is given through our hands purely
in recognition of outstanding leadership, achievements, courage and enterprise
in keeping with the core values and ethos of our people. This award is
non-pecuniary and shall remain non-pecuniary as long as it is to be given
through our hands.”
The awards were given to men and
women at the commanding heights of business ranging from banking to
transportation, pharmaceutical, tech, media, aviation industries and public
service.
And to underscore the importance
they attached to the awards and reverence for the ethos of Aka Ikenga, all the
awardees ranging from Dr Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director, Fidelity
Bank Plc.; Dr Chidi Anyaegbu, Chief Executive Officer of Chisco Group; Dr Mrs
Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceuticals; Dr Innocent Chukwuma, the
automobile industry trailblazer who founded Innosons Motor; Dr Leo Stan Eke,
founder and chairman of Zinox Group; Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher of
Thisday newspaper and Chairman of Arise Global News Channel, Senator Chris
Ngige, former Anambra State Governor and Minister of Labour and Productivity,
all came in person.
But they were not the only ones.
Senator Mike Ajaegbo, who established the first private television station in
Nigeria – Cable Vision and Minaj Broadcast Station in Obosi, his hometown; Dr
Ike Chioke, Managing Director, Afrinvest W.A. Limited; Allen Onyema, chairman
of Air Peace Nigeria and Prof Obiora Okonkwo, CEO of United Airlines Nigeria
were all there to be honoured.
The globally-acknowledged public intellectual, Prof
Pat Utomi, who was unavoidably absent, was represented by his daughter.
Engineer Dave Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and incumbent Minister of
Works and Housing, who cancelled his trip to Lagos for the award at the last
minute, sent a very powerful delegation. And so did Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the highest ranking government
official of Igbo extraction, in this dispensation. He was represented by Emeka
Wogu, former Minister of Labour and Productivity.
Aka Ikenga also gave posthumous
awards to two of their former presidents – Engr. Ralph Eke, founding president,
and Barrister Oscar Onwudiwe. The event was grandiosens. All the awardees were
honoured for their pioneering roles in the public and private sectors. They are
some of the most accomplishments Nigeria in any area of human endeavour. The
fact that they are all Igbos was intrinsically rewarding.
But it was also an evening of
reflection on the position of Ndigbo in Nigeria. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe,
former Senate Minority Leader, a man fondly called Mma Agha Ndigbo, who chaired
the occasion told those who glory is holding Ndigbo down that Nigeria is the
worse for their antics. “Let Nigerians not think that by suppressing the Igbo
that they are going forward. So long as Nigeria suppresses the Igbo, Nigeria
will go nowhere because an Igbo adage says onye ji madu na la, ji onwe ya (he
who holds another to the ground also holds himself).”
A point which was made much more
emphatically by Chief Emmanuel iwuanyanwu, President General of the apex Igbo
socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, who was the special
guest of honour.
Against the backdrop of the
recent demolition of properties owned by Ndigbo in Lagos, Iwuanyanwu wondered
why it is now that a people who have been living in Lagos over the years are
being accused of sundry illegalities. “Igbos are people who obey laws, Igbos
are not new in Lagos, why is it just now that they don’t know that they have to
get approval for land, they have to register their landed properties. Igbos
have had properties in Surulere, Yaba, Ikeja, Apapa, Victoria Island, name it
without problems in the past. So, why all these problems now?” Why agreeing
that the government has the inherent right to take over any property in
overriding public interest, Iwuanyanwu said those who own such properties must
be compensated.
Prince Obaigbena, who was
recognised for his unparalleled contribution to the development of the media
industry, sued for the greater understanding of the issues at hand, pleading
that national interest must at all times trump personal interests. “I must say
that it is a humbling experience to be in your midst today,” the man popularly
called the Duke of Owa Kingdom in Delta State, said. “It is a privilege to be
among titans of enterprise and I urge you all to continue to work for Nigeria,
and together, we can make Nigeria better.”
What the Aka Ikenga Awards
reaffirmed is the very strong belief of Ndigbo in excellence, industry and
enterprise, qualities without which the much-touted Nigerian renaissance will
remain a mirage.
By recognising trail blazers,
beacons and leading lights of this generation who have done not only Ndigbo but
also Nigeria proud, Aka Ikenga is celebrating excellence, without which a
people perish, and by so doing pointing the way out of the self-created national
morass for a beleaguered country and its long-suffering people.
* Amaechi
is the publisher of TheNiche
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