The commercial hub of Abia State, Aba on Saturday stood still, as the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) held a memorial symposium in honour of the late Constitutional Lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze.
The event which was jointly organized by the ADF, in collaboration with the Aba chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), attracted many prominent Igbo sons and daughters.
President General of ADF, Prof Uzodinma Nwala, in paying tribute to the late legal icon, prayed that the leadership spirit of Prof Ben Nwabueze and his compatriots return to Ndigbo at this critical period when the enemy is working on destroying the Igbo nation.
“The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) pay her great tribute to Prof Ben Nwabueze and his compatriots and prays that their leadership spirit returns to us at this critical period when the enemy is set to give us a heart-punch.”
The Archbishop of Aba Anglican Ecclesiastical Province and Board of Trustees (BoT) Member, Archbishop Isaac Nwaobia challenged Igbos at home and in the diaspora to work towards sustaining the dreams of elders who worked tirelessly for the unity of Nigeria and Africa at large.
Nwaobia restated the call on successful Igbos with businesses abroad to come home to invest and provide jobs for teeming youths roaming the streets without employment.
“We want to assure that the fight and the contributions of our elders, who worked tirelessly for the good of all Nigeria and the African continent, will not be in vain.
“Our elders worked and died for the good of the entire nation, but we are now being vilified for doing good.
“We have suffered in the hands of other people we regard as our brothers, this is why we pray that God bless our land – Igboland.”
Introducing the topic of the Legacies of the late Prof Nwabueze, and the lessons for our Generation, ADF National Legal Adviser, Chief Ukpai Ukairo, reminded Igbos, that one who didn’t know when the rain started beating him, will never remember when it stopped.
Ukairo, challenged Ndigbo, to rethink their relationships with other nationalities, in view of the fact that the programmes and policies Igbo founding fathers helped to introduce for the good of the nation, were being used to frustrate and malign them.
Barr. Innocent Egwu, Chairman of Aba said that holding a symposium in honour of Nwabueze is well deserved and promised to work well with ADF and spread the message of ADF among the lawyers.
New Telegraph reports that the contributions of such individuals as Dr Namdi Azikiwe, Late Mazi Mbonu Ojike, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Pius Okigbo, Mbazuluike Amaechi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Prof Uzodinma Nwala, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, among others, who gave their all for cross-ethnic unity and progress were all recognized.
