A renowned entrepreneur and Chairman, of Diamond Leeds Limited, High Chief Kenneth Ifekudu has called on Governors of the Southeastern states of the country, to reinvent the leadership model of the former Premier of the Old Eastern Region, to fast-track the development of Igbo land.
Ifekudu gave the advice while addressing a cross-section of Abuja-based business moguls from the South East who visited him in his office in Abuja.
The former Premier of the Old Eastern Region was famous for his efforts at building industries, addressing unemployment, creating wealth opportunities, and transforming the economy of the region.
He was also renowned for his frugality and prudence in public resource management and transparency.
According to Chief Ifekudu, who is an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), reinventing the golden era of Eastern Nigeria’s pragmatic development witnessed under Dr. Okpara, is the only solution to the socio-economic woes of the region.
He expressed deep concerns over the abysmal performance of the Fourth Republic Southeast political leaders when juxtaposed with Dr. Michael Okpara, who ran the fastest-growing economy in the whole of West Africa through his agricultural revolution, infrastructural developments and promotion of commerce and industry in the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria.
“Dr. Okpara was an enigma, an extraordinary administrator and manager of men who left enduring legacies and indelible imprint on the sands of time through his programs and policies which redefined social services in the old Eastern Region forever
“The late M.I was responsible for setting up the Trans Amadi Industrial Area, Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt and Enugu Michelin Tyre Factory in Port Harcourt, Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar, the Owerri shoe Industry, the Aba Textile Mill with industrial gas piped from Port-Harcourt and Port Harcourt seaport expansion.
“He innovated farm settlements patterned after the famous Israeli Kibutz in Igbariam, Anambra state, Ulonna North and South in Abia state, Uzo-Uwani in Enugu state and Ohaji in now Imo state and further established enormous estates of oil palm, rubber, cocoa, cashew with intercropping of pineapples, banana, plantain and cassava at Amaeke Abam and Ndioji Abam, Arochukwu, ozuitem, with massive palm plantations spread across the entire region to make the old Eastern region economically self-sufficient.
“Dr. Okpara implemented the industrial urban renewal such that Eastern Nigerian townships and cities blossomed, not just with commercial clusters but with integrated industrial presence,” he said.
High Chief Ifekudu challenged the Southeast Governors to emulate the life and extraordinary public service life of the late premier through his fiscal policies which grew the GDP of the old Eastern region and impacted positively on the livelihood and well-being of Easterners.
“It is appalling that today, we have governors in the region who are all about themselves, amassing wealth without recourse to the sufferings of the people.
“They own property and assets all over the place but none in Igbo land.
“Our governors in the region must therefore begin to take a cue from the late M. I and taking definite steps towards the transformation of the Southeast region.
“These leadership traits of the late M. I prove a viable model for them to emulate,” he said.
