Group urges business men to invest in South-East to curb unemployment
Oganiru Umunri, an Igbo socio cultural organisation, has called on businessmen from the South East to locate some of their investments in the region as a measure to address the rising unemployment and insecurity.
Chief Sam Oraegbunam Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Oganiru Umunri, made the call during the maiden summit of the group in Enugu-Ukwu, Njikok Local Government Area of Anambra, on Sunday.
Oraegbunam blamed the high rate of migration of youths and households out of the South East on the lack of employment opportunities, noting that Igbo businessmen should began to bring their investments back home to curb the trend.
He said Oganiru Umunri was worried with the recent spate of violence in the South East, pointing out that a solution to revamp the economy would be the most sustainable solution as Igbo youths are naturally industrious.
He said the group was formed essentially for the unity and development of the four communities of Nri Clan – Enugu-Ukwu, Enugu-Agidi, Nawfia and Agukwu Nri, and the desire to address their “age-long feud” which had done them no good.
“Oganiru Umunri aims to unite Umunri and make them amenable for prosperity and by extension, the Igbo nation which generally and historically have their origin in Nri, the cradle of Igbo civilisation.
“We have illustrious sons and daughters running businesses in every part of the country and the world but because we don’t have these businesses here, there is high unemployment, that is essentially why we move out.”
In a lecture, Prof. Emeka Obiozor of the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said some of the technologically advanced economies, including USA, Japan, China and South Korea, grew based on cultural identity and exclusiveness.
In the lecture, titled “Road to Breaking Barriers for Community Development”, Obiozor, a professor of Adult Learning and Special Education, said the Nnewi Industrial template is a good example for other Igbo communities as people from across the continent go to Nnewi to get goods and services which its industrial cluster has offered the world.
According to him, “for us to make progress, we should have unity of purpose. What should bother us is the establishment of companies that will create jobs for youths and overall progress of our communities.
“Nri is the cradle of Igbo land. It is the beginning of our civilisation, as people from across Igbo land came to Nri for ‘administrative and protective assistance’, but unfortunately colonialism changed all that.
“However, we must go back to the origin so that we can get it right, we may even have to learn from other good examples like Nnewi where people from across the continent go to buy spare parts,” he said.
Awards like the Prestigious Umunri Pillar of Peace, Enyi Umunri and patrons were conferred on deserving people, including a legal luminary, Chief Beluolisa Nwofor and Chief Uche Nworah. (NAN)
