Fides Media Living the Faith
By Jude Atupulazi
The Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, COOUTH, Dr Joe Akabuike, has charged the Nigerian Youth to wake up and take back their country from those he described as the corrupt old guards. Akabuike regretted that the youths of the country were being destroyed today in the name of politics and used during elections, after which the results would be rigged by old men. He said it was even more unfortunate that those being used by the old men were unaware they were being used.
He therefore urged the youth to reclaim their country and to prepare themselves for leadership.
‘The old men should leave us alone,’ he said, while particularly advising the Igbo youth to show love and good behaviour to those who despised them and prove them wrong in their perception of Ndigbo.
The CMD stated this while receiving in audience, members of the Federation of Igbo Students Association who came to honour him with the Noble Price for Excellence Award at COOUTH, Awka, March 31.
Akabuike described the Igbo as the least tribalistic in the country who only wanted the best. He expressed delight at the efforts of the association in boosting the Igbo Cultural Identity, as well as showcasing the positive image of Ndigbo.
He decried the treatment of Igbo in Nigeria and attributed it to jealousy, noting that such could not deter the Igbo from forging ahead.
The former Anambra State Health Commissioner said even though he did not like awards as he preferred his work to speak for him, however described his guests as belonging to a unique organization and thanked them for working together as Igbos to propagate their cause.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the group, Hon Godwin Chukwunonso, said their recognition of Dr Akabuike was due to his contributions to society. He said their group, an umbrella body of Igbo Youths, worked towards reintegrating the concept of Ohaneze Ndigbo. He decried what he described as the waning influence of Igbo Culture and said they were trying to revive Igbo renaissance, even as he Regretted the loss of focus by Igbo Youths.
‘We reach out to the likes of Dr Akabuike because they’ve achieved what we’re trying to achieve,’ he said, while expressing the hope that such people would serve as shining lights to others.
‘We’ve come to give honour to you and to acknowledge your efforts and we wish to partner with you in advancing the Igbo Cause,’ Chukwunonso said, adding that the group built bridges of friendship.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman Advisory Medical Council, Dr Obinna Mbah, thanked the association for recognizing their boss and the institution and urged them to remain focused and be shining lights to other youths.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to both the CMB and his Management Team by the association.