TRIBUTES GALORE

Hon. Justice Benjamin Ahanonu Njmeanze

The Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Benjamin Njemanze, who spoke in impeccable Owerri dialect, went philosophical in his tribute. He did not say much but went down memory lane. He wondered why some of the people, who betrayed him during the war are today pretending to be aggrieved by his demise. He wished Ojukwu well as he journeys back to his Creator.

Senator Osita Izunaso

Senator Osita Isunaso said: “I am here to salute sagacity, consistency, truthfulness and doggedness. I am here to salute a man whose bread was buttered from birth but chose to work for the helpless and hapless.”

Prof Chuka Innocent Okonkwo

Ojukwu saw tomorrow. Some of things that are happening today are things he saw yester-year. Ojukwu was an agent of history. He was a great man. He was inspiration personified. He made the famous Ahiara Declaration here in Imo State.

We must say loud and clear that Igbos did not cause the war. Igbos only responded to the circumstances that pointed towards extermination of Ndigbo. Ojukwu was a great leader and was very selfless.

Governor Rochas Okorocha

Today, the good people of Imo State have come in their numbers to mourn and pay tribute to our hero, the General of the People’s Army, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Our hero abandoned his father’s wealth and joined the civil service in Eastern Nigeria as an Administrative Officer at Udi, in present day Enugu State

In 1957, this man of destiny left administrative job and joined the military as one of the first and few African university graduates to join the army. Ojukwu’s popular background and sound education guaranteed his promotion to higher ranks. When he joined the military, the Nigerian Military Forces had only 15 officers, who were Nigerians; the other officers, 225 of them, were British.

It is not surprising therefore that our hero’s number was N/29, while Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi was N/2, the first Nigerian to be commissioned an officer. Owing to his educational background, our hero was put on a fast track, which saw him becoming the Quartermaster General within a few years of joining the army.

We shall not cry but rejoice in it. I wish Ojukwu were alive and with us here today. Every journey that has a beginning must have an end. For every sunrise there must be a sunset. Since this sun has set today, there must be a sunrise tomorrow. Why would a man die when he is most needed? I have seen commitment and courage and I have seen Ikemba Nnewi.

Igbos are the only true Nigerians. They are in all nooks and crannies of NIgeria. They are workaholics. The unfortunate thing is that they are first to be killed whenever and wherever there is any crisis.

Members of the National Assembly must please consider us and give us an extra state for the sake of this man, Ojukwu. As we mourn today, let us consider his widow, Bianca

Chief Victor Umeh

Victor Umeh did not want the event to pass without injecting an element of politics. He started rolling out what he termed “the achievements of Governor Okorocha, which included Heroes Square and Ikemba Ojukwu Convention Centre”.