GOV. Willie Obiano of Anambra has described former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, late Dr Dozie Ikedife, as a “man of stature, integrity and character.”

Obiano stated this at the Day of Tribute in honour of the late icon in Nnewi on Friday.

Represented by the state Deputy Governor, Nkem Okeke,  Obiano expressed worry over the loss of great men in the state.

“My concern for our state is that we keep on losing men of stature, integrity, character; yet, nobody is replacing them.

“Where are the young men to take over? This is a wake-up call for all of us; life is not all about making money, getting married and raising children.

“Let us all begin to think of how to better our society through our characters and dealings with people because the legacy of a man is not his wealth, but what he contributed to humanity,” Obiano said.

The governor described the late elder statesman as one who stood for truth and justice.

“Little wonder the large number of great men and women that have graced the occasion,” he said

Obiano urged the Ikedife family to be courageous and step into their late father’s shoes by upholding truth and peace, which he represented.

On his part, the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, described the late Ikedife as “a special gift to the Igbos, who knew the power of love.”

Onu said it was the understanding of the virtue as the strongest force that made the late elder statesman to offer selfless service and see goodness in others.

For Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, immortalising the former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo is one way to keep his legacies alive.

“I think the individuals, organisations and institutions should sit down and think of an enduring monument for such great men.

“Such monument should not just be in making statutes to remember the dead, but to set up projects that show his philosophies, ideologies and all the things he believed in life, where they are discussed, espoused, promoted and investigated,” she said.

She described Ikedife as an extraordinary man, true Igbo man, who advanced the interest, welfare and the course of Igbo nation.

Bianca, wife of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, said Ikedife would be remembered for his numerous fights for the rights of the people of  the Southeast.

Responding, Mr Dozie Ikedife (jnr) commended the state governor and those at the event for the love shown to his late father.

The son of the late icon said: “This is an acknowledgment and demonstration of the exemplary leadership qualities he lived to the delight of all,”  (NAN)

– Apr. 5, 2019 @ 19:05 GMT |