Chuks Onuoha, Umuahia
Former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. Joe Irukwu, has said for Nigeria to achieve societal peace, unity and stability, the country needs truthful and sincere leaders as well as citizens, who must be kind to each other.
He said Nigeria is going through a difficult period presently and the people need to be truthful in the present and highly competitive environment of the 21st century.
Irukwu was speaking at Michael Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia, as the chairman of a one-day public lecture entitled: “Nothing but the truth,” organised by Vision Africa Radio, a unique charitable and humanitarian organisation, established in the USA, and Africa, committed to the societal improvement and peace.
He said the theme for this year’s lecture, is reminder of the fact that truth is a major factor in human development and building of peaceful decent human society.
He stated that Nigeria needs truth so desperately now in its social, political and development as a modern nation.
Irukwu regretted that Nigeria’s leadership elite, “in both the public and private sector, in desperate effort to protect and advance personal and sectional interest do not hesitate in falsifying, distorting and misrepresenting truth, contrary to our traditional, ancient and historical injunctions that holds the truth as sacred.”
He said the seven ancient principles of Igbo social justice is that Eziokwu Nu Ndu, which means in effect that the truth is sacred and supreme. He explained that all ethnic groups in Nigeria have similar injunctions that emphasise the supremacy of the truth as a way of life and called on Nigerian leadership and follower-ship to imbibe truth as a way of life if “we must achieve societal peace, unity and stability.”
The presence of the eminent personalities that graced the occasion is a reflection of the significant of the event of the day, which he described as most important and relevant.
Personalities that graced the event include the Minister of Interior, Albdulrahman Bello Dambazau, who was represented by Abia State Commissioner of Police, Anthony Michael Ogbizi. Other dignitaries include Senator Ike Nwachukwu, Dr. Ogala Osoka, Chairman of Board of Vision Africa Radio, Members of Board of Vision Africa, United states of America and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, represented.
The President/Founder of Vision Africa Radio, Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, urged the people to stand by the truth always if the nation must move forward.