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Promises scholarships, empowerment packages
From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The traditional ruler of the Edem-Ani Ogwugwu community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, HRH Igwe Samuel Asadu (Igwe Ogadagidi) has said that youth education, employment, and empowerment are key factors in achieving peace and development in communities.
The Monarch said this in Nsukka on Thursday during a reception organised by the youths of the community for his philanthropic gestures to the community, as well as to welcome him back after a successful trip to the United States of America.
He said that for any community or society to enjoy peace and record meaningful development the issue of youths’ education, unemployment, and empowerment must be addressed to guard them against social vices and make them become active contributors and collaborators of social development.
“One of my 4-point agenda after my installation as the traditional ruler of Edem-Ani Ogwugwu was youth empowerment, this is so because providing education, employment, and empowerment opportunities for young people are some of the key factors in maintaining peace as well as recording development in community and society in general.
“Today, the youths have once again demonstrated their love, and solidarity to me as their king with this surprise welcome reception on my return from America.
“I’m thankful, excited, humbled, surprised, and thankful for the massive show of love and warm reception from the youths.
“I will continue to serve them with honesty and fear of God, as well as honour and do their wish,” he said.
Speaking further the monarch said “My wish is for the community problems to be solved from now on. Even though we have been doing our best for them, we need to do more to that the community to the next level.
“I’m happy that the youths are responsible and well-cultured people, they are not engaged in crime and criminalities, I will surprise them and help them to become better persons for their family, the community, and society in general.
“I have perfected plans to identify and empower those with special skills already, as well as organise skill acquisition training to make them self-reliant.
“Already, there is a scholarship offer for any graduates from my community that graduates with 1st Class and 2nd Class Upper in essential courses to further their Master Degree in Europe, currently, six youths are doing their Master’s degrees in different universities abroad under the scholarship,” he said.
In a remark, Mr. Kenechukwu Omeje, Youths President, Edem-Ani Ogwugwu community said that they decided to stage a heroic welcome reception for Igwe Ogadagidi who just returned from the United States, where he practices as a nurse to reciprocate his benevolence and philanthropic gestures to the community.
“There is no better way to express our gratitude and admiration for a leader who has touched the lives of his people in profound ways and has returned to celebrate the New Yam Festival of the community scheduled to be held on October 7, 2023.
“He has transformed our community into a small London. He donated a free equipped 200-bed hospital to the community, and just recently he made history by providing Edem Ani with its first tarred road. He mounted solar-powered street lights all over the community, and currently, he is sponsoring the water reticulation project to ensure that all corners of the community have access to clean and pipe-borne water.
“He established a Food Bank, where indigent members of the community receive square meals daily, and he has pledged to keep the Food Bank operational throughout his reign.
“Igwe Asadu has done a lot of things for our community and he promised to do more more, we the youths have resolved to give him our total support on his mission to drive our community to the next level,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr. John Okayi, a youth and the Chief of Staff to the Igwe Asadu said that the traditional ruler is enjoying a harmonious relationship with his subjects because of his love and benevolence to the people. He noted that the monarch thinks more about how to better the life of the people than another, stressing that the community in reciprocal doesn’t trade him with any other thing.
Daily Sun reports that the youths had trooped out en mass to receive the Igwe at the Total Roundabout, Nsukka town, and accompanied him in a motorcade, jubilating and singing solidarity songs to his palace in Edem-Ani Ogwugwu community.
