Silence is not golden at this time, former Presidential Economic Adviser, Osita Ogbu, has warned, urging Nigerians at all levels to speak out now against all anomalies in the system to realise a better tomorrow.
“In spite of the seeming dangers of our time, we are compelled to speak based on the mandate of our conscience and the disquiet contradictions of our time,” he said.
Ogbu, a Professor and Director of the Institute for Development Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), gave the advice at the 2014 Mbaise People’s Congress Professionals’ Get-together and Award Dinner held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
He admonished Ndigbo to rise from slumber and take the step towards a better future for the nation.
Walk your talk
Reflecting on the scarcity of excellence in leadership in the country, he said: “What is ailing this nation is within this nation; what is ailing Igbo land is within Igbo land; and what is ailing the Mbaise community is within Mbaise.”
He noted that Nigerians are eager to blame others for their woes while proffering and holding tight to partial solutions which enslave the mind. “As long as our minds are not free, our thoughts would be limited and actions misdirected.”
He implored Mbaise professionals to not just speak out, but to actively participate in the election in 2015, telling his audience that good men should go into politics.
According to Ogbu, those who deride good men’s foray into politics do not understand that power in the wrong hands has done incalculable harm to mankind.
“You must speak because of Nigeria; you must speak because of Ndigbo; you must speak because of Ndi Imo; and you must speak because of Ndi Mbaise.”
Power without fear of God
Quoting Martin Luther King, he said: “The collision of immoral power with powerless majority constitutes the major crisis of our time.”
Ogbu added: “In a country where a senator’s monthly salary is a professor’s annual salary, clearly our major crisis is linked to immoral power, power without love and the fear of God.”
At this time, he stressed, “silence cannot be golden, because the army of the hopeless is swelling while self worth is diminishing.”
Mbaise People’s Congress (MPC) National President, Ano Anyanwu, urged Mbaise professionals to avoid armchair politicking and instead actively support credible candidates in the coming elections who can help realise the dream of Mbaise community.
Recipients of awards
Those given awards at the ceremony for outstanding achievements are Uche Eucharia (former Super Falcons Coach) and Kelechi Nwosu (TBWA/Concept Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer).
Others are Emeka Oparah (Airtel Nigeria Vice President, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility), Stanley Amuchie (Zenith Bank Chief Financial Officer), and Caroline Anyanwu (Diamond Bank Deputy Managing Director).
The occasion was chaired by ABC Transport founder, Frank Nneji.
