Anayo Ezugwu 
In celebration of its 2023 end-of-the-year activities, the Igbo Think Tank, Aka Ikenga, has honoured the cream of Ndigbo greats.
In his welcome address, the President of the group, Agbalanze Chike Madueke, said Aka Ikenga is awarding some exceptional sons and daughters of Ndigbo as front loaders of the Igbo transformative commitment to the nation.
Those celebrated by the group include Managing Director of Fidelity Bank PLC, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, founder of ThisDay Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, techpreneur, Dr Leo Stan Ekeh, Air Peace founder, Dr Allen Onyema, and transport Magnate, Chisco Anyaegbu.
Others are Chief Executive Officer of Emzor, Dr Stella Okoli; Founder of Innoson Motors, Dr Innocent Chukwuma; Chief Executive Officer of AFRINVEST, Dr Ike Chioke; Founder of United Airlines, Prof Obiora Okonkwo; former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige; Senator Mike Ajegbo; Prof Pat Utomi; Minister of Works, David Umahi and Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.
Madueke said part of the central mandate of the organization is the uncompromising advocacy for leadership and good governance in Nigeria, where equity, fairness, and obedience to law and order remain the cornerstone.
He said: “Our deliberate fellowship with one another at times like this helps to strengthen the bond that defines our Nigerianness in our best universal attributes for industry, resilience, and enterprise.”
The President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, underscored his message for unity amongst Ndigbo wherever they are, as their major contribution to the unity of the country that needs them so much for development and prosperity of all.
Iwuanyanwu emphasized that the national challenges are not peculiar to any ethnicity and should, therefore, not be isolated as a tag for denial or mistreatment of any either. “We are one Nigeria, but we are also one Igbo nationality, that deserves all sense of inclusion, commonality of purpose, and rights of citizens everywhere as protected by the law of our land.”
The chairman of the occasion, Senator Enyinna Abaribe, said if for whatever reason Nigeria chooses to hold Ndigbo down politically or otherwise, such a strategy is bound to fail. “If you hold someone down, you stay down too to keep him there.
“The liberties and freedom of our people and everyone should not be class calibrated, but rule governed by our ground norm, the constitution transparently.”
