By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-Chief)@CeleOkaf11
Go-BIGNigeria, a non-profit, non-partisan Foundation, has congratulated Nigeria's former Ambassador to the United States of America and Isreal, Professor George Obiozor, on his recent election as President General of the apex socio-political organization of the Igbo, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
A statement on Tuesday by the group's Global Coordinator, Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji, said “it is a powerful message to the world that a man of Professor Obiozor’s stature and intellect would accept to serve Ohanaeze in this capacity and at this time in our history.” According to Ugorji, “like Chief Nnia Nwodo before him, Professor Obiozor as the President General of Ohanaeze, will command respect for the Igbo anywhere in the world at any time.”
The new Ohaneze leader, Go-BIGNigeria group Coordinator noted in the statement, is a "seasoned and highly respected diplomat, teacher, and international statesman, Obiozor was a Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. He has served in some of the most important diplomatic outposts of Nigeria, including as Ambassador to the United States of America, and Israel". Dr. Ugorji said, Obiozor, an indigene of Imo State, was "one of the earliest endorsers of the emergence of Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as President Buhari’s Chief of Staff in 2019".
Ugorji also congratulated Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma for what his group described as “hosting a credible and commendable election exercise in the heartland of the Igbo.” Uzodinma, whose state the office of President General of Ohanaeze was zoned for the current term, played host to Igbo leaders from around the world, including Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and so many others during the just concluded Ohaneze poll last Sunday.
Go-BIGNigeria is an international pressure group established in 2018 to make the case for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. According to Dr. Ugorji, the BIG in Go-BIGNigeria simply stood for the Buhari International Group. After the President's re-election in 2019, the group registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a Foundation, with the BIG now meaning a commitment to bold and big ideas for nation-building.
The Go-BIGNigeria boss, Dr. Ugorji, however, urged Prof. Obiozor, the new leader of Ohanaeze to consider adopting GoBIGNigeria’s upcoming campaign of Initiative for Justice and Equity (IJE). IJE, he said, “is a non-partisan and trans-ethnic campaign to inspire Nigerians to heel the lingering amputation of the soul of our country, which the 1967-1970 war brought, by ensuring justice and equity in the choice of Nigeria’s next President in 2023,” Ugorji said.
Among the reasons the group advanced in support of a second term for President Buhari was that a second term would just about guarantee that an incumbent would not be running for President in 2023, Ugorji said. That outcome, he said, would shorten the timeline needed to arrive at justice and equity in the choice of Nigeria’s next President. The group’s activities can be seen at www.GoBigNigeria.com. NNL.
