… Say ‘We Don’t Have Another Mother’… Say ‘We Don’t Have Another Mother’
By Patrick Ochei
The newly inaugurated President of Okpanam Youth Organisation, Comrade Lucky Okolo and members of his Executive, including the Chairman and members of the Executive of Amachai Youth Association have paid a courtesy visit on the Omu Anioma, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu at her Palace in Okpanam, where they showered her with love and encomiums.
The vibrant and eloquent Comrade Okolo appreciated the Omu for her motherly support and defence during and after the electioneering process that brought him in as President of Okpanam Youth Organisation.
He said that as part of his preliminary routine in office, he had decided to pay visits to leaders and stakeholders of Okpanam community to further create awareness on his aims and objectives towards restoring hope and progress in the land.
He listed his core agenda which include; peaceful resolution of disputes between leaders and stakeholders of the community, launching of Okpanam environmental sanitation christened ‘Clean and Green’, social security revenue which is a form of job creation initiative towards getting the youths gainfully and productively engaged and; of course, to upgrade and identify the boundaries and identity of Okpanam.
Okolo affirmed that it is painful to see residents in Okpanam referring to places in Okpanam as other towns and putting signposts bearing towns other than Okpanam.
His words, “We have come to share our thoughts with you as our mother for your advice, support and blessing. We know you have always supported us, and with you at our back, we have nothing to fear but to do that which is right for the progress and development of Okpanam community. You are our mother and there is no other but you”, Okolo submitted.
Lending his voice to his President’s submissions, the Chairman of Amachai Youth Association, Comrade Onwudinjo Emma Agala commended the Omu for opening the eyes of the youths to the potentials of Comrade Lucky Okolo, whom he referred to as a bulldozer and a focused leader worthy of emulation.
According to him, “I am proud of my President and I am happy I didn’t disappoint Omu when she asked that we support Comrade Okolo. This is the time to look into the future and we have promised to be futuristic in our actions. We will do the right things to show the world that we have capable hands amongst Okpanam youths to bring about positive change and development in our community.
“I will continue to support and encourage my President to remain solid in his determination to effect the needed leadership and progress in our land. This is a train and we must continue to move victoriously in order to achieve our desire of not only bringing about peace and harmony, but to entrench the desired growth and development in our community”, Agala posited.
Responding, the highly elated Omu Dunkwu who was presented with a glassy portrait of her person by Comrade Lucky Okolo, applauded the youths, saying that the youth body had now gotten the desired leadership.
She said that the new leadership of Okpanam Youth Organisation had brought a new innovation that would put Okpanam community on the positive side of history, with specific reference to engaging transporters on the identity of places within Okpanam that had oftentimes been ascribed other names of other towns and then ensuring that residents are made to be proud living in Okpanam.
Omu Dunkwu while expressing her disappointment that no market at present in Okpanam is identifiable to the community, warmly donated a plot of land each to Okpanam Youth Organisation and Amachai Youth Association to build their Secretariats.
Her words, “I love you guys because you are our present and our future. I feel proud of the crop of Youth leaders that we now currently have. Youths who are graduates and well educated, youths who are vibrant and committed to positive change, youths who are broadminded and intelligent, youths with swag and difference.
“When I heard of what Comrade Lucky Okolo did in his village, how he carried out a successful recovery of lands and accountably utilised the proceeds to develop his quarter and people is amazing. He has antecedents that were so loud and he won my love and affection during his campaign.
“Lucky Okolo has brought a new innovation into leadership. He has my one hundred and ten percent support. The combination of Lucky Okolo as Youth President and Emma Agala as Amachai Youth Chairman is already a complete success.
“The two biggest issues I feel you must tackle are: get the transporters together and direct them to identify Okpanam by its name and then house owners to keep to Okpanam’s name and not another in giving addresses and locations.
“For the land I am donating to you, I want you to build your Secretariat. You must not end as local Youth leaders, you must aspire higher to the extent of holding positions in government. You must distinguish yourselves, stand out and become relevant in the scheme of things.
“I make bold to say that you have arrived, being educated, broadminded and critical in thinking. However, I want you to arrive finally with swag by the time you build your Secretariat.
“I have moved on in life. I, Obi Martha Dunkwu will not give a damn how people feel about me anymore. I will continue to do what the spirit and our Ancestors direct me to do. I am light and I always defeat my traducers. I want you to see life as an opportunity to make your own input and leave a legacy for posterity to judge. I do all I do and people wonder why I am so attached to my community to the extent that I can even die for my community. The love of the land of my birth is what propels me. Thank you for your support and encouragement”, Omu Dunkwu concluded.
