Posted by By Felix Uka, Correspondent, Abakaliki on
Despite running battles between its Unwu-era and Igbojima major blocs, the Izzi Clan of Ebonyi State last weekend celebrated their unification at Amagu.....
Despite running battles between its Unwu-era and Igbojima major blocs, the Izzi Clan of Ebonyi State last weekend celebrated their unification at Amagu, their ancestral home.
Indigenes of the clan, which comprise 13 local government councils, adorned in uniforms, matched through the bush paths to the venue, where they said their forefathers gathered to dispense justice.
They used the forum to honour the state governor, Dr Sam Egwu, with a chieftaincy title for his commitment to the resolution of the issues that gave birth to the dichotomy, and for appointing their sons and daughters into various positions even at the federal levels.
In his address, the elated governor, who described human development as one of the best gains of democratic dividends, ordered immediate construction of a secondary school and a cultural centre at Amagu, the ancestral home of the Izzi people.
He commended the people of Izzi-Nnodo for the reception, which he described as a symbol of unity and peace among brothers, and thanked the elders and community leaders for their ability in settling crisis that erupted in the area before now.
Declaring that he was born in Izziland, Egwu stated that although the people have benefited from many government projects and appointments, he would however not falter in his effort to develop the area. "I will do all in my power to ensure that you will continue to get what is due to you," he assured.
The governor enjoined the new development centres to be catalyst of development saying that the Izzi sons appointed into political offices in the state and beyond have not disappointed him, hence he would not rest until the issue of development in the state is finally addressed.
On behalf of the Izzi clan, former secretary of the old Anambra State government, Elder Chris Nwankwo, expressed delight having the governor in Amagu to share the joy of unity and peaceful co-existence of the people.
He noted that before Egwu's administration, the state faced socio-economic and political problems, where the Abakaliki man was regarded as an outcast, adding that the people were therefore delegated to the background in terms of education, infrastructure, health, power sharing and in the provision of other necessary amenities.
Nwankwo lauded his concrete steps to correcting these anomalies that characterised their painful part, disclosing that most of their sons hawking goods on the streets of Lagos and other cities were now attending schools courtesy of the governor's free and compulsory education introduced two weeks after he took over mantle of leadership. Egwu's mature handling of the crisis in Unwa-era and Igbojima was also praised, and the people pledged their support for his presidential ambitions, stressing that was the little they could do for having recommended their son Elias Mbam for the enviable position of Minister of State for Finance.