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BISHOP ADMONISHES ENUGU NOTH SENATOR, OKEY EZEA, TO CONTINUE TO SHOW LOVE TO HIS PEOPLE –
The bishop of Nsukka Catholic diocese, His Lordship Rt. Rev. Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, has advised Senator Okey Ezea (LP, Enugu North), to rekindle the love he showed Nsukka people while he was in business many years ago and offer even more to them in his current position as a politician.
Bishop Onah, who gave the admonition during his homily at a thanksgiving Mass celebrated in honour of Senator Ezea at the St Theresa’s Catholic Cathedral, Nsukka, on Saturday, went down memory lane to recall how Senator Ezea named his shipping and logistics company, Ideke Shipping Limited, said only a man who loves his people would give his business a name that is associated with the place where he comes from. “Whatever your reason, I interprete it as your love for Nsukka. Nobody doubts your interest in the welfare of nwa Nsukka. ‘Ideke’ is intimately associated with this town,” he said.
Continuing, Bishop Onah, who is the second bishop of Nsukka Catholic Diocese, advised the senator to seek the voice of God if he wants to succeed as a leader of the people. “You were a successful entrepreneur before you decided to spend your money [in politics]. I know it. Like Abraham Lincoln, you won after several disappointments… You’re now sent to proclaim the good news. Whatever temptations you may face, ask: ‘Is it better to listen to God or men?’ Almost everybody around you would want you to be corrupt so they could benefit.
“As St. Paul says in the scripture, you as a Christian can’t conform your life to the things of this world. Looking at you, I know a new culture will be created at the Senate,” Bishop Onah said.
The bishop, however, used the opportunity to decry the lack of Christian values in the workplace, saying only genuine concern for the people’s needs would create the transformative leadership that will impact the people. He called on politicians to focus attention on education and the internalisation of the values of humanity, lamenting that the .absence of humanity in politics has been the reason behind corruption in most parts of Nigeria.
“Until we get education right, corruption, indiscipline etc. will not abate. One lesson we learned from the 2023 politics is that there’s a limit to which the power holders can hold the people down,” he stated.
In his speech during the Mass celebrated by more than 40 Catholic priests, Senator Okey Ezea thanked the bishop for upholding the integrity of the church by speaking truth to power. He restated his commitment to the emancipation of the Nsukka people, promising to work with the church and other relevant communities and professional groups to ensure the enthronement of equity, peace and probity at all levels of leadership in the Nsukka cultural zone.
Later at the reception venue (Nsukka High School), Senator Ezea stated: “Many people worked hard for my victory and are possibly expecting rewards, but what reward is greater than the ways we’re creating to make life easier and happier for everyone in our zone?” He said that his job as a legislator was not the same as that of a president or governor who has executive powers.
Listing his achievements in the nine months since he has been in the National Assembly, Senator Ezea said he has worked with other legislators elected from the zone to mitigate the incidents of marginalisation of the Enugu North senatorial district in the distribution of federal appointments and projects.
“As you know, my interactions with my colleagues in the National Assembly, with many ministries, departments, and agencies of the federal government have started to produce good fruit. This is evident in the ongoing reconstruction of the dilapidated Makurdi–Obollo–Opi– Ninth Mile expressway which has lately been in the news. Those who have visited Ninth Mile and Makurdi recently know that something has already started happening on the road and I am reliably informed by the federal authorities that, in a few weeks, work on that highway will gather steam at several points. I have not stopped pestering the Federal Ministry of Works and China Harbour Engineering Ltd, the contractors handling the project, to whom the minister, HE Engr. Dave Umahi, has since introduced to me,” he stated.
Continuing on his accomplishments, the senator said: “The ongoing three rural road projects at Uzo-Uwani which I inherited from Sen. Chukwuka Utazi is moving on smoothly. Granted, the roads were attracted during the 9th Senate to which Sen. Utazi was a member; however, because of the nature of our budgeting system that ensures that budget implementation takes place in the succeeding year, the actual award of the projects took place last November, five clear months after my inauguration in June last year. It took collaborative efforts between me and Senator Utazi to ensure that the projects were not diverted after the dissolution of the 9th Assembly.”
He assured that his tenure would give a sense of ownership to every person in the Enugu North zone, stressing that the era of leaders abdicating their responsibilities to the people soon after elections was over.
The thanksgiving service was attended by many dignitaries from across the country, among whom are: the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election in Enugu State, Barr. Hon. Chijioke Edeoga; Senate minority leader Distinguished Senator Abba Moro, Distinguished Senator Osita Ngwu, Senate minority whip.
Others werere Senator Kelvin Chukwu, Senator Chuka Utazi, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Hon. Chidi Mark Obetta, Hon Martins Oke, Hon. Cyriacus Umeha, Hon. Denis Agbo, chancellor of Maduka University Samuel Onyishi, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, Major Gen. Chris Eze, Major Gen. Victor Ezeugwu, Prof Osita Ogbu and Chief Dan Shere._– By Chidera Ogbobe_
