…Warns Elechi, Egwu not to start crisis in S’East
One of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State, Chief Abia Onyeike, has advised the government not to change the name of the International Airport in the state.
Speaking to New Telegraph in Abakaliki, Onyeike said those clamouring to rename Chuba Okadigbo Airport are agents of division and destabilisation of the state and South East in general.
Recall that former governors of the state, Chief Martin Elechi and Sam Egwu, had on Sunday during their Independence Day speeches condemned the naming of the airport after Okadigbo.
But Onyeike, who is a former Commissioner for Information, said such comments was capable of throwing south east into crisis. He described the clamour as parochial and selfish.
He wondered why Elechi empathically stated that the Ebonyi International Airport should have been named after someone like late Dr. Offia Nwali, the first African man that obtained Doctorate Degree in Computer Science and who contributed to the creation of the state when he (Elechi) didn’t impact on Nwali during his reigh as the governor of Ebonyi State.
Onyeike said: “Somebody was saying that Okadigbo didn’t contribute to the creation of Ebonyi State. Leaders of Ebonyi State have never been consistent over anything about those who contributed to the creation of Ebonyi State or those who didn’t contribute.
“If you say that the Airport should be named after Offia-Nwali and you want to remove the name of Chuba Okadigbo now, the implication is that the people of Enugu State will also tell you that the name of Akanui Ibiam who is from Ebonyi State should be removed, they will tell you that the name of Akanu Ibiam should no longer be in their Airport, it should be C. C Onoh. So, how will you handle?
“Those calling for the remaining of the Chuba Okadigbo Airport are very parochial and selfish . it is not only Elechi said that should be taking. Nobody will descend so low to be talking like this.
“The issue of those who contributed to the creation of Ebonyi State as consideration in naming the Ebonyi Airport is neither here nor there.
“There was never a time when the leaders of Ebonyi State was consistent on such consideration. i want give you a typical example. In the case of Edda local government where I come from, there was a time when a particular position was being zoned to that area and the so called leaders of Ebonyi State movement, positioned somebody who was highly opposed to the creation of Ebonyi State whereas other people including Osuu Oduko were also angling for that position. So, who is fooling who?
“Let them not start a fight they cannot finish because by the time you start talking about changing the name of the Airport named after Chuba Okadigbo, then the people of Enugu will also start their own struggle to change the name of the Airport that has been named after Akanu Ibiam.
“Those who pretend Offia Nwali so much were in power for eight years as governor and they didn’t find it fit to tar the road leading to Offia Nwali’s house. It is only in the naming of Airport has already been named to another person that they are remembering him.
“When it comes to the leaders who led the creation of Ebonyi State like Akanu Ibiam, have these leaders ever bothered about Akanu Ibaim son, where is the Regent of Unwanna the Akanu Ibiam community Aluu Ibiam? Where is Akanu Ibiam son? Did these so called leaders ever bothered or did they ever bother when they had the opportunity to remember them or to bring close to benefit from one thing or the other as the children who led the struggle for the creation of Ebonyi State, did they do that?
“Rather, what they want to do know is to start the crisis that will lead to the removal of Akanu Ibiam’s name from Enugu Airport.”
