Farmer elected President General of Ogidi community, Anambra

Ogidi community, country home of the late icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, has elected a farmer as its President General (PG) for the next four years, in line with the constitution of Ogidi Town Union, Nigeria.

The farmer, Chief Ikwuka Okoye, was elected the 17th PG of Ogidi community, in Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State, on October 14, in a keenly-contested election amongst four contestants.

Supreme News reports that the election was organised under the watch of officials of the Anambra Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, led by Mr Tony Onyekomelu, Head of Department, Town Union Affairs.

Okoye scored 991 votes to beat his closest rival, Chief Chike Maduagwuna, who got 705 votes, while the third position went to Mr Collins Mendu, with 455 votes, and Chief Nnaemeka Akobi, who scored 299 votes, emerged fourth.

The late Achebe, the great writer, once led the union.

Other elected executives are Chief Chijioke Ewesiobi Okeke – Vice President, Chukwuemeka Muoenam – Secretary, Chief Obinagha Kenneth – Treasurer, Chief Chukwuemeka Obor – Financial Secretary, Achebe Ikechukwu – Public Relations Officer, Obiora Frank Chinwendu – Assistant Secretary, and Elochukwu Osondu – Provost.

In his acceptance speech, Okoye said: “I remain very grateful to God for this honour. I am also happy that every body who turned out for the election conducted themselves well and waited patiently till the election was concluded and results announced.

“All these men (my co-contestants) are gallant men of Ogidi community who by all standards have what it takes to be the PG, but at this time, God choose me through the votes of the people, I will not take this for granted. We are all winners in our own right.

“I call on them to please join me to serve and take the community to a higher level. I ask that as egg heads they are to always bring in ideas for collective development of the community,” he said.

“I pledge to work with all my brothers and officers in this capacity to ensure we provide transformational leadership to our people where collectively social economical and political ideologies will be harnessed for the common good of our people,” he assured.

Okoye said that as a farmer, he will introduce cottage farming, piggery, poultry, fishery and other forms of farming in the community to encourage the unemployed to get involved in farming to be financially independent.

He said “retired but not tired persons” in the community will be engaged in their social service where various types of skills would be taught unemployed youths.

“From the community Development Fund, we will pay the trainers,” hoping that after the training the youths who have shown interest in skills like carpentry, tailoring, welding, and others will be given starter packs to enable them start their own businesses,” Okoye said.

He, however, lamented the increase in crime rate in the community, especially cultism, amongst youths and urged parents to monitor the company their children keep to help them stay away from crime and criminality.

Okoye said that the team will introduce neighborhood watch and operation know your neighbor as a quick way to combat youth restiveness in the community. “We will engage youth organsations and village and kindred leaders to actualize this goal.”

He also restated his resolve to fight insecurity in partnership with security agencies by setting up a Central vigilante outfit that would cover the entire community.

Okoye said that the community is faced with erosion menace and pleaded with state government, through the ministry of environment, to assist Ogidi to fight erosion menace.