Aro News: PSG, this is your last outing as Nzuko Aro, Publicity Secretary General, tell us your experience in this office in the past (6) years?
PSG: Thank you so much, Aro News. Yes, you are very correct. This April is my last outing in my capacity as Publicity Secretary General of the Union. Just have to thank God for surviving in Aro service these long years. God is kind. I am equally happy to have served Aro in that capacity alongside very respected executive ably led by Ugwu Aro George Ezuma. I will serve under him many times if I have the opportunity because he is thorough, self accounting, disciplined and loves Aro Kingdom where he led respected ‘Umu’ Aro to achieve greatness from the Kingdom. I also express joy working with you all these years. Now answering your question on my experience after six years of meritorious service to Aro kingdom, I want to say it has been an awesome experience. From our election day in 2017 till today Geroge Ezuma led Nzuko Aro exco has been in the news for their numerous achievements for this period. It was not easy when we came in because our predecessors handed over empty treasury to us thus making it impossible to initially begin the implementation of our agenda for the kingdom. But that dull moment was short lived. Soon, the Exco came on stream using their connections and things began to happen.
The 40 year old and near moribund Aro Civic Centre where our late fathers, uncles, and mothers contributed money to built but couldn’t suddenly became a paradise of events. The Exco had launched an appeal fund chaired by a financial guru, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR who beckoned on Umu Aro at home and in Diaspora to join in the task of completing the abandoned edifice.
Today, Aro Civic Centre is the pride of all. More work is still on going to add beauty and glamour to the edifice. Apart from the civic centre, Nzuko Aro also redesigned Ikegi Aro to a world class cultural festival. Yearly, the event report fantastic growth and acceptance, from Aro’s at home and in Diaspora. The celebration is zoomed live yearly to the admiration of Aro’s the world over. Prizes are now given to the best three performances and others get compensated for taking part in the celebration. The same for Aro Day celebrations. Great innovations are introduced to beautify the events. Looking around Aro kingdom for the past six years, you will find constructions, rehabilitation of internal roads, attracted by Nzuko Aro personalities through their connections, the burial of Eze Aro, Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro CFR was a national burial with enormous history of what Nzuko Aro did even in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic. Nzuko Aro has been in touch with the three kindred Eze’s in Aro, Arianzu Aro, Eze Ibom Isii and Eze Eze Agwu and Ndi Eze Ogos to ensure that peace reign supreme in the kingdom and respect for traditional stools. Also take a look at the new Eze Aro palace which was the handiwork of Mazi Lawson Obasi a.k.a Sobaz, one of our illustrious sons honoured by Nzuko Aro for contributing to Aro development. Which one do we talk about, and which one do we leave. The Nzuko Aro achievements are multifarious and glaring and we thank God for what we were able to do for Aro kingdom this six years. Perhaps, you are yet to hear the plans for the next 10 years for Aro kingdom. As I speak to you, there is a document tagged, AroDep 2020-2030, a compendium of what Aro kingdom will look like in future. This touched on every aspect of Aro life, economy, education, politics, youth development, tourism, tradition, security and infrastructure etc. This omnibus document if carefully followed will see Aro kingdom on another planet. This document was drawn by the present Nzuko Aro team members who are experts in different fields of endeavors. Real Aro professionals worked on this document as a blue print to take Aro kingdom to another level. Perhaps, that informed our resolve to continue the project by thinking that some of our outgoing Exco members should form part of the incoming exco to ensure effective implementation of this master plan for Aro development. In all, these six years have been a period to document the achievements of George Ezuma led administration for excellence, pragmatism, patriotism, accountability and intellectual capacity. Aro’s have not had it so good. There is no doubt that our administration surpassed all achievements of previous Nzuko Aro leadership and therefore its request for continuity to implement the ideas behind the AroDep agenda should be celebrated and applauded by true Aro sons and daughters. We also got involved in so many interventions programmes. We were all over the place during the Covid 19 pandemic with palliatives to reduce the effect of the global disease on Aro Community. Our roles during Ugbo- Ikpanja boundary crisis cannot be over emphasized. The execution of Eze Aro’s burial plans put together by Prof Okoro Ijoma led burial committee was commendable although his majesty’s wife under the sponsorship of opponents of this administration is asking many questions they put in her mouth to castigate the efforts made to give Eze Aro a world class burial, although the Covid 19 pandemic 2020 could not guarantee the execution of the entire plan, thus most government functionaries were mindful of the presence of that pandemic and could not attend. I encourage you to investigate this team and you will be amazed by the achievements recorded within the six years of this administration. I am proud to be associated with this team and its achievements. Aro’s will live to remember them.
Aro News: A very successful team. Congratulations to Geroge Ezuma led administration. From what you told us, and for continuity purposes to ensure that your plans for Aro’s in the next 10 years are properly executed for Aro growth and development, some of your Exco members will return to the new executive, come April 16, 2022. Meaning that some of them will stand election on that day.
PSG: You have said it all. Yes, the PG in his wisdom wants to handover to a member of his team and those behind the AroDep documents for proper execution. He has presented Mazi Dozie Udensi to take over from him as PG. He has positioned Mazi Anicho Okoro, outgoing Secretary General to take over as VPGI, Mazi Eugene Okey Imuoh takes over as VPG 2, while Dr. Friday Kanu Ohuche, former Treasurer General will now be the Secretary General of the union. Others lined up for positions include: Dr. NCE Njaka, Publicity Secretary General. Mazi Ikechukwu Okafor for Financial Secretary General, Mazi Adindu Elekwe as Treasurer General, Mazi Okechukwu Ochiabuto as Social Welfare General while Mazi Chukwuemeka Favour Okoro will serve as Provost General, Mazi Ebere Okoro will work as Assistant Financial Secretary General and Mazi Obazufuike Ofulue will also serve as Assistant Secretary General. The team will appoint a legal adviser and ex-officio members as the case may be.
Aro News: Quite an exciting team. But on a serious note, what do you want to do different for Aro people this time around?
PSG: Nice question. Our first tenure was characterized with multiple achievements. You know it all. The list of our exploits are endless. What we are coming to do this time around is to consolidate on our previous achievements and break more grounds. Hitherto we had touched on Aro peace and co-existence, infrastructure, security, modernized Ikeji and Aro Day celebrations respectively and others you know. Our concern now is to improve on what we have done and principally to ensure proper implementation of our plans on Aro development in the next 10 years. Aro development is a carefully packaged document for a prosperous Aro Kingdom tomorrow. That is why George Ezuma is of the wisdom that the best way to take Aro kingdom to another level is to handover to those who believe in his mission for a better Aro in future.
Aro News: You have done well no doubt. But there are those who believed that you have done nothing for Aro people since you assumed office and want to take over on the 16th of April, 2022.
PSG: Yes, I am aware! But those who argue the performance of George Ezuma led Administration is just being envious and jealous. The faces of those opponents are strange in Aro circle. They don’t know Aro and what is happening in Aro kingdom. You don’t see them around when Aro issues are discussed. But they want power. They want to shine and may be use that opportunity to sell themselves for their selfish reasons. We are not bothered any bit about their rantings. They will be beaten in their own game.
Aro News: Are you aware the group is using all machineries to ensure that they pull through at the election; platforms, one on one campaigns, country trotting with falsehood sermons against your administration? How will you survive this heat?
PSG: My brother Ugo. There is no heat. Their campaign can at best be described as carton discussions. No more no less. Their approach to this election has added to their problems because Aros have seen that the opposition is not only fake but lack the capacity to lead Aro. They have trivialized their campaign and Aros now know them better and will wait for them at the polls on the 16th of April, 2022.They have no agenda for Aro kingdom but to abuse and insult the sensibility of prominent Aro sons who offered their best to serve their fatherland. They have made themselves a laughing stock for real.
We don’t join issues with them because we have a duty to defeat them and so we are working strategically to clip their wings. That election is a walk over, no tension. There is no vacancy for Nzuko Aro PG’s seat. Better luck to them in future.
Aro News: So how are you preparing? Delegates, security and other arrangements?
PSG: It is not a platform for war or do or die election. It is a delegate election. And so, we are working hard to win. And so come April 16th you will see the reward of hard work. Indeed, it is no war. It is a brotherly context and ordinary local elections. That is why we are worried the way our brothers are taking the elections. But Nzuko Aro will ensure adequate security to guarantee free and fair election and to avert hired hoodlums taking over the elections. Well, we trust the electoral committee and their guidelines which we will abide with all through. Already there are petitions against our opponents in the context, we are sure that the electoral committee will address those issues appropriately.
Aro News: Your last line?
PSG: Thank you so much Ugo for your support, for me as the Publicity Secretary General this six years. You have published all my stories free of charge and this support cannot be taken for granted. But Ugo, you know I am changing office now to a higher level. From the 16th April, 2022. I will be elected as Vice President General 2 of Nzuko Aro which is a higher responsibility. God will see us through. Thank you again my editor for being a friend and a colleague all these years. Please extend the same generosity to the new Publicity Secretary General when he comes on board. I thank the entire Aro Community for reading my columns these years. May God bless all of us. Aro News: Thank you our outgoing Publicity Secretary General for a job well-done and best of luck in your future endeavors. You are good.
No comments