From Magnus Eze, Owerri
A brief visit to Imo State by the acting Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Vianney Rubagumya, saw the best of Imo hospitality and Igbo heritage on display.
The envoy was in the South East state on inspection of facilities following the foray of a topflight investor from the area, Dr. Victor Onukwugha, into housing development in Rwanda.
Onukwugha is President/CEO of Bauhaus International Inc, a company which had made significant investments in the housing and education sectors in Imo State and other parts of Nigeria, but extending its tentacles to Rwanda.
Commissioner for Culture and Creative Arts, Uche Ohia, who welcomed the envoy, said that it was a privilege to receive him. He said that Imo State shared many things in common with Rwanda. He listed the similarities as resilience, patriotism, enterprise, resourcefulness and a penchant for thinking out of the box.
He revealed that the State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma was committed to tackling insecurity as well as providing quality infrastructural development so as to create the needed environment for rapid economic transformation of the state.
Ohia also informed the envoy about the innovative initiatives of the Governor, describing him as a visionary leader who has taken governance to a high frequency despite the enormous challenges that bedevilled his administration from the outset. He named some of the challenges to include the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive jail break in Owerri Correctional Centre, orchestrated insecurity and the menace of criminals better known as “unknown gunmen.”
“Governor Uzodimma has delivered tangible and intangible dividends of democracy to Imolites through quality road infrastructure development and rural electrification projects, a skill-up programme, dredging projects, health insurance, digitalisation of governance processes and other great economic policies that have upscaled governance, youth development and public welfare,” the Commissioner said.
He assured the visiting envoy of his Ministry’s poise to partner the High Commission to synergize and harness culture and tourism values and programmes.
The delegation was treated to the rich Imo dance, cuisine and the rest, such that what was initially planned to be a brief courtesy call turned out to be a mini celebration of cultural diversity and Igbo heritage.
In fact, Rubagumya was greatly fascinated by the cultural narratives given by the Commissioner for Culture and Creative Arts, about Oji (kolanut) and its role as a symbol of welcome, the palm wine and traditional hospitality as well as the electrifying performances by the Omenimo Dance Troupe.
He was later presented copies of Ahiajoku Lectures (the annual Igbo heritage lecture series), an Igbo attire and shown the Igbo traditional salute which he made efforts to demonstrate to the delight of all present.
Ohia assured the visiting envoy that the Imo State Museum which he would have been delighted to show him was under rehabilitation along with some major heritage sites and that they would be ready for viewing by his next visit.
Speaking at the Ojukwu Centre, Owerri, the diplomat extolled the state government for the warm reception accorded him and expressed the hope that the High Commission and the ministry would find common grounds for bilateral relations through the ‘Peer to Peer platforms,’ transparent management, e-governance and cultural exchanges.
He said that Rwanda, known as the country of a thousand hills, was mainstreaming tourism development and branding itself as a conference tourism, eco tourism, and heritage tourism destination as well as an investment friendly location.
He said that his country went through its dark period in 1994 when genocide resulted in the death of over one million people but Rwandans put the tragedy behind them and pulled their country out of the woods as steady economic growth had become the hallmark of development there.
The envoy attributed the steady progress to leadership and particularly to the development strategy of the visionary Rwandan president anchored on the three pillars of accountability, transparency and thinking big.
Some key members of the Imo State Government including the Commissioner for Power and Rural Electrification, Kezie Ogaziechi and his tourism counterpart, Jerry Egemba, spoke at the event.
Ogaziechi commended the envoy for the kind sentiments he expressed about Imo State, noting that the speed with which Rwanda overcame the trauma and destruction of the genocide years to build an enviable infrastructure profile was worthy of emulation.
He hoped that the Peer Review platform to which the envoy referred would be speedily activated for mutually beneficial interaction and exchanges between the state and Rwanda.
The Commissioner for Tourism, Egemba also said that he was glad to be present to interface with the envoy on tourism and other areas of mutual interest.
He noted that Imo State and Rwanda shared a common interest in wildlife conservation and ecotourism, stressing that the gorilla reserves of Rwanda and the monkey colonies of Imo State were potential areas for collaboration in ecotourism.
He remarked that culture and tourism were like inseparable twins and hoped that the visit would lead to concrete bilateral relations in culture and tourism.
The highly elated President/CEO of Bauhaus International Inc, Onukwugha, said that he found the government and people of Rwanda friendly and hospitable and that as a patriotic son of Imo State, he foresaw mutually beneficial opportunities in bilateral relations between the state and the Rwanda.
He thanked Ohia and other commissioners for the colourful reception accorded the envoy.