From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Prominent Igbo business leaders group, Umunna Lekki Association (ULA) has expressed shock over the painful death of Prof. George Obiozor, President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide.
In a statement released by the president ULA, Ikem Ume-Ezeoke, the group described Prof. Obiozor as the epitome of hard work and a worthy ambassador and protector of Igbo collective interest who did his best as president-general of Ohaneze.
ULA noted that the demise of such a great man at this time is a huge loss to Ndigbo seeing how committed Prof. Obiozor was in the quest to promote the interest and propagate the well-being of the Igbo nation.
The group stressed that the death of Professor Obiozor was a huge and painful loss to Nigeria as a whole having such a man of great value to Nigeria’s quest for unity pass on at this crucial point in our nation’s history.
ULA noted that the late Prof. Obiozor was a bridge builder, a trailblazer, an astute diplomat, and an undeniable patriot who loved Nigeria exceedingly and who was not absent from the overall dialogue regarding the needed progress of the nation, even as he was committed to the promotion of the Igbo worldview in matters of national concern.
“We commiserate with the family of Prof Obiozor and the Igbo nation on his demise. We also call on Ohaneze to rally around to elect a good leader to continue to build bridges once again and bring Ndigbo together in one united and indivisible platform for a better Nigeria.
“Ndigbo remains the foremost group who unites and invests in every part of this country and we don’t intend to stop. We will continue to preach peace and encourage our brothers from every other ethnic group to invest in every part of Nigeria too. This will help in binding and heal all parts of Nigeria faster”.
The group commended the Afenifere and Arewa groups for being upright in speaking out when the need arose, stressing that ethnic groups are supposed to be in the forefront of promoting peace and a sense of inclusiveness across all groups in the country.
The group promised to continue to preserve the memory of Prof. Obiozor in its quest to actualize the much-needed peace and progress desirable in the southeast as much as across the six geopolitical regions of Nigeria.