Ndi Igbo, 'Ka Uche Anyi Di Ya' by Chuka Nnabuife - Commentary@ITREALMS

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The final words in Timothy Ofoegbu’s recent podcast are: “Ka uche anyi di ya.”

He repeats the line for emphasis before the short film fades out. To me, that phrase encapsulates the entire essence of his message.


Since encountering this film on social media about three months ago, I have watched it several times. I have even used it in one or two of my social reformation live campaigns. In many respects, I consider Ofoegbu’s intervention comparable to “Yoruba Ronu” — the late Hubert Ogunde’s clarion call to the Yoruba people during Nigeria’s First Republic.


“Yoruba Ronu” (meaning, Yoruba people, think) became an appeal to collective introspection and renewal. It urged the South-West to rethink its direction and re-engage Nigeria’s political, economic, and socio-cultural landscape with a more strategic consciousness. To a large extent, Yorubaland has dutifully applied that template — and the results have not been unkind to them.

Socrates once reasoned that “an unexamined life is not worth living.” The same applies to societies and nations. When the writer and philosopher Chinua Achebe penned his small but profoundly insightful book, The Trouble with Nigeria, he attempted — albeit unsuccessfully — a form of “Yoruba Ronu” for the entire Nigerian society. 

Umeh's Election: A Victory for Ndi Igbo - Aniagoh

ITREALMS:

The leader of the ‘South East Is APGA’ Campaign, Rotarian Ifeanyi Aniagoh has described the success of Chief Sir Victor Umeh at the last Saturday's Senatorial Election Rerun in Anambra State as a victory for the Igbo nation, reports ITRealms.

In a special congratulatory message to the senator-elect, Aniagoh explained that the election of Chief Umeh would not only serve the interest of the people of his senatorial district but would give prominence to the Igbo Project starting with his trademark long red cap.

"Chief Umeh is a man known for his long red cap, an identity that stands him out as a typical Igbo son who is proud of his origin. He won't stop at representing ndi Anambra Central but his presence will heavily project the Igbo project,” he declared.

He stressed that "His impact within few weeks at the National Confab confirms his quality, a courageous leader with in-depth knowledge of the law."

Aniagoh also assured that Umeh will exceed people's expectations and reiterated that APGA is favoured to take over the South-East States; "Umeh as a Senator will deliver on his promises and perform beyond expectations. His presence will also awaken other voices in the Senate just as his election has affirmed the fact that South East is APGA."

For him, Igbo people now understand that embracing APGA is the only way to end the marginalization of the people of South-East. Stressing that was why we recorded a 21-over-21 flawless victory last year and now we have a Senator-elect winning in all the polling units, which is the “First in history!"

With APGA in all the South-East States, Aniagoh emphasized that “Ndi Igbo are sure of good governance and a rapid regional development as being witnessed in Anambra State today."

As a people with one voice united in APGA, he said, Ndigbo can easily reach out and take what belongs to them in the national equation.

"We have the number, we have the economic power and the geniuses required of a nation. All we lack is unity of purpose and that is what APGA has brought to us," he said, expressing special thanks to the people of Anambra Central for standing up for the only party that gives voice to Ndi Igbo.

Ogochukwu Nebenanya in Awka/GEE

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Bishop Kukah appeals to Ndi Igbo to close ranks, as Nwobodo returns to Catholic Church

ITRealms:

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan-Kukah has called on Ndi Igbo to close ranks so as to enable them take charge of the future of the people of South-Eastern part of Nigeria, who are largely Igbo speakers, reports ITRealms.

Bishop Kukah made this call in a sermon he delivered during a thanksgiving mass of the former Executive Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, Enugu State, on Nwobodo’s return to Catholic Church.

“I want to appeal to the Igbo political and religious elite to close ranks and take charge of the future of the people of this area,” he declared.

He enjoined both the political and regilious elite of Igbo extraction to learn from the mistakes of the elites elsewhere when politics was allowed to trump the urgent task of community building.

“You must take charge and by negotiation and using back room channels, improve on the quality of the sound of the music produced by your Youth,” Bishop Kukah advised, pointed out that the elites should not ignore the youth, but with patience, process and improve on the quality of their sound.

The Igbos, he said, enjoy ethnic moral and cultural harmony to a large degree since they loosely speak one tongue and are predominantly Christians. 

“So, as St. Paul said to the Colossians, Let the message of Christ in all its riches fill your hearts, use it to teach and admonish one another (Col 3:16). You have lessons from the tragedy of the war and you have lessons from within and outside Nigeria of allowing youth frustration and restiveness to gestate,” he counseled.

Today, the Bishop noted, with wide oceans of inequality between public officers and the rest of Nigeria, violence and anger are the identity cards carried by the victims. 

“Our leaders say that we cannot develop in an environment of violence and instability. What they fail to accept is that the violence in society is the reaction of the victims,” he said, quoting Pope Francis to buttress his homily, saying “The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode.”

He emphasised that when a society whether local, national or global is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programmes or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility.

He commended Nwobodo and his family, especially the wife, Patricia, for assembling former and current political as well as business associates, family friends, and school mates with the thanksgiving.

Noting, however, that the Catholic Church has not gone out to fish and find Chief Nwobodo, to the extent that humanity is Christian, children of God, and his decision to come to the Catholic Church is at best a return home. 

“I say return home for reasons that all of us who are Christians already know,” he asserted, hence, the thanksgiving mass was not a celebration of victory or a big catch.

“We’re not here to celebrate what for some might be a big catch. We’re not celebrating a victory, nor should anyone feel a sense of loss or defeat,” he maintained.

+Remmy Nweke (ITRealms) +Catholic Church  
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