ITINERARY OF FIRST LADY'S OHUHU HOME-COMING

Source: thewillnigeria.com

Ohuhu people are historically believed to originate from Ngwa people, who designate all non-Ngwa people as Ohuhu, particularly Umuahia people. The Ohuhu clan is bordered by Obowo to the North, by Bende to the east, by Umuopara to the West, and by Ngwa to the South.

The origin of Ohuhu and that of most Igbo community seems to date back to those earlier centuries of long-distance trade in Igboland. The Ohuhu people are naturally two families, “Uhu and “Uga,” being the reason they were originally called Umuhu-na-Okaiuga. The Umuhu-na-Okaiuga, the Ohuhau clan today made up of many communities, have their various traditional rulers. The clan is rich in culture, which is manifested in child-birth, new yam and end of the year festivals.

Friday, December 26, 2014, will forever remain etched in the hearts of the Ohuhu people of Abia State and indeed the South East states of Nigeria. It was the day that witnessed the highest gathering of crème de la crème of the society – very important personalities (VIPs) – including top government functionaries from all over the country.

They all came to the ancient town to felicitate and celebrate with “our very own Mama Peace,” Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigeria's First Lady, who was honoured in a grand red carpet reception at Ohuhu.

The auspicious event took place at Ohuhu Community Secondary School, Umuahia, North Local Government Area, on Enugu – Port Harcourt express way, Abia State. It was a day laced with razzmatazz, pomp and pageantry as the ancient town came alive to receive the mammoth crowd that graced the epoch-making event. The First Lady arrived with an A-List entourage that included the “Who is Who” in the South East region.

The first port of call was no other place than the palace of the ancient Kingdom to pay her homage and respect. She was received by the 13 traditional rulers that make up the ancient town. The first lady explained to the paramount rulers her mission to the town and used the occasion to also intimate them of some salient achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration and the key role the traditional rulers have been playing as the heart-beat of the nation, to stabilize the polity.

His Royal Highness, Iheanyichukwu Nwokenna, Chairman, Ohuhu Council of Traditional Rulers, responded that “since the inception of the President Jonathan's administration, traditional rulers across the country are all being accorded their respects, honour and privileges.”

His Highness used the occasion to express the traditional rulers' gratitude, saying, “on behalf of the entire council we pledge our unalloyed loyalty and support for Mr. President. We, the South East people are solidly behind Mr. President and will go to any length to preach the gospel of peace, harmony and achievements of the present administration.”

The main purpose of being here was for the ground breaking of an ultra modern centre for the entire community. The first lady unveiled the plaque, and commissioning the project, she pledged her total support to full realization of the noble objective of the civic centre.

After the ground-breaking, she immediately proceeded to the Ohuhu Community Secondary School, where a mammoth crowd was awaiting her entry and it was indeed spectacular as she took her strides all over the community ground to pay her respects and salute the gathering before going back to her seat.

His Excellency, Chief T.A Orji, Governor of Abia State, in company of the Ohuhu Council of Traditional Rulers, and other A –List dignitaries to the august occasion, were all there. The President General, Ohuhu Welfare Union, Chief Godwin Ebisike Okengwu addressed the audience, and when the Governor took the centre-stage, he emphasized what the First Lady meant to the South East, including her giant strides in women emancipation and children empowerment.

The Governor used the event to enumerate the numerous achievements of Mr. President, which according to him, “are the best thing that happened to Nigeria.” After listening to the Governor (as Chairman of South East Governors Forum) making a pledge on their behalf that “the region has unalloyed loyalty to Mr. president as regards February 14, 2015 presidential election, the mammoth crowd responded with a rapturous applause.

The event dove-tailed into the fund-raising programme for the civic centre, which was carefully managed to the consternation of everyone present as pronouncements of huge sums of donations, ably supported by Chief Arthur Eze, and other sons and daughters of the region, showed that the centre would be built in the shortest possible time.

The crux of the event was the official presentation of the First Lady, as Nkalari Ohuhu. The response by Africa's pride and mother of the nation was spectacular as she went down memory lane to mention what and how her upbringing in Ohuhu had impacted her positively in her everyday life. She recalled her growing up years.

She revealed that the rich cultural heritage of Ohuhu people was what molded her for the greater challenges ahead in life. She said she was particularly overwhelmed by the love, solidarity and chieftaincy bestowed on her by Ohuhu people.

She thanked Ohuhu Welfare Union for their foresightedness and efforts to ensure that Ohuhu people are mobilized for self-help projects to enhance the development of their community. She said she was “in indeed proud to be from the Ohuhu community” known for their love and industrious nature, noting that she will join hands with the union and elders to promote the great heritage of Ohuhu clan.

In an emotion-laden voice, she emphasized that the conferment on her as Nkalari Ohuhu through the Ndi-Eze Ohuhu led by Eze Iheanyi Chukwu Nwokenna, will forever be cherished by her family and therefore, dedicated the honour to all sons and daughters of Ohuhuland without whom she said she would not have been where she is today.

She thanked the Ohuhu people for the great support and loyalty shown to Mr. President, and his administration in the last four years and also thanked the Governor, Chief T.A Orji, who had also been a pillar of support to Mr. President and his family.

While calling on everyone in Abia to join hands and support the programme of the Governor in taking Abia State to global reckoning, she reiterated that this is an election period and that they need to protect their own and “give ourselves the best support and encouragement more than ever before.”

She said: “Mr. President, your son-in-law, is in the race for a second term and he had done a lot to preserve this country in spite of the serious challenges. He had not only helped to preserve the unity, peace and integrity of Nigeria, he had worked hard to promote the well-being of Nigerians by his transformation agenda. Even insurgency will soon be a thing of the past.”

She appealed to the people of the South-East to come out en-masse to vote their own Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan as President of Nigeria in 2015.

Written by Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, Media Adviser to Nigeria's First Lady.

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