Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and the Association of Igbo Town Unions, ASITU, have agreed to synergise for the development of Igboland.
The two groups spoke to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday shortly after a courtesy visit by ASITU to Ohanaeze President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
National President of ASITU, Chief Emeka Diwe, said both bodies would work with unity in advancing the Igbo cause.
He said: “ASITU’s leadership visited Ohanaeze President to fraternise with him and to commend him on his fatherly role in development of Igbo land.
“We also went further to explain the nitty-gritty of modern Town Union, and that the emergence of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a most welcome development and a sign that the Igbos are in for something worthwhile.
“Town Unions are the bedrock of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, but this has not reflected adequately by the previous leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Therefore, we are calling for effective synergy between ASITU and Ohanaeze, particularly in ensuring that the synergic role is captured in the reviewed Ohanaeze Constitution.”
Receiving the delegation, the Ohanaeze PG, Chief Iwuanyanwu,
expressed happiness at the visit and promised to work harmoniously with all Igbo pro-groups.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo under my watch cannot but integrate ASITU in our programmes knowing full well that all the successes and progresses made by the Igbos in the past were achieved by the help of the Town Unions.
“I imbibed the values, cultures and respect for town Union from my father,” Iwuanyanwu said.
He recalled that, “Imo airport was built by using the structure of the town Union to collect contributions from the people.”
