SALUTE TO IKEMBA NNEWI @ 71 by Chief
(culled from Daily Champion, Thursday, November 4, 2004)

DIM Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ikemba Nnewi, Dike Dikedioranma Ndigbo, Odum na eche Igbo, and Eze Igbo Gburugburu is a man specially created, designed and designated by the Almighty father to serve Ndigbo and Nigeria at various times.
Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu had a privileged and a near aristocratic upbringing. After passing through some of the exclusive educational institutions in Nigeria and the United Kingdom terminating at the prestigious Oxford University from where he emerged with a masters degree in modern history, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu served briefly as a civilian servant under the colonial government, before destiny directed him to join the military, a move that shocked both family members and friends.
It was from the Nigerian army that he began to play out the various roles he was destined to play. The Eze Igbo was to serve the people of Eastern Nigeria as Military Governor (1966-1967) at a very young age 33 years. The pogrom in Northern Nigeria in which over 300,000 people of Eastern Nigeria where massacred in cold blood, challenged his leadership prowess and stretched his patience to the limit. Yet the young leader managed to calm obviously frayed nerves, in his eastern Nigeria constituency.
Upon the unilateral repudiation of the Aburi Accord by the Nigerian authorities and other acts of provocation, the Eastern Nigerian Consultative Assembly prevailed upon him to declare independence of a separate and sovereign state of Biafra. The war that ensued lasted for 30 gruesome months and ended on a note of no victor no vanquished.
Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu suffered a 13 year exile and returned to Nigeria in 1982 after after being granted full and unconditional pardon by the Nigerian government.
In spite of the unimaginable vicissitudes, he underwent both in exile and in Nigeria as well as the clear and apparent betrayal of some of his Igbo compatriots, he remained solidly with his people especially the downtrodden.
Some of the outstanding and unique qualities of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu , Eze Igbo Gburugburu include selflessness, honesty, transparency, courage, vision, boldness and ever ready to sacrifice his life for his people. For these and other attributes of his, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu is fiercely loved by Ndigbo.
When the All Progressives Grand Alliance at its National Convention of January, 2003, unanimously elected him the party’s presidential candidate, the Nigerian political scene came alive and became instantly electrified and vibrant. Over 90 percent Igbo registered voters among other Nigerians who have come to understand and appreciate the essential Ikemba queued up and voted massively for him. The fear of the clear possibility of Ojukwu presidency, compelled the Nigerian authorities under General Olusegun Obasanjo, a field commander during the 30 month fratricidal Biafra – Nigeria war, to deploy the Army particularly in the South-East zone during the elections. An action that is both unconstitutional and unprecedented in the annals of the electoral process in Nigeria.
In order to stop Ojukwu, the PDP federal government mounted the most discredited election in Nigeria’s history.
I make bold to state without any fear of contradiction that the deployment of soldiers in combat gear in the Igbo area during the 2003 general election and the brazen manipulation of the results of the election, gave impetus to vehement agitation by Igbo youths for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra.
Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu has evolved from regional leader to the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the defunct Republic of Biafra back to Nigeria as a Nigerian statesman, national icon and the arrow head and rallying point of progressive forces who have the common objective of recreating an equitable and just Nigerian federation.
I count myself exceedingly lucky and I am indeed very proud to associate with the Eze Igbo Gburugburu.
May Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu live long enough to witness the birth of the new Nigeria of his dream. I join his friends and associates to wish him a happy 71-birthday anniversary.

APGA
National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA).