The people of Umukogbuo community in Eluama, Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, have united to launch a new initiative — the Okogbuo Charity Foundation — aimed at assisting the less privileged, orphans, and out-of-school youths within the community and beyond.

The foundation, convened by Mr. Chikwendu Nnabuko, seeks to rekindle the traditional spirit of compassion and collective responsibility that the Okogbuo people are known for.

In his address to members of the community, Nnabuko said discussions have been ongoing among sons and daughters of Okogbuo to establish a structured platform that would “help the less privileged among us and reach out to charity homes in Isuikwuato.”

He lamented that some young people in the area have been unable to attend school or acquire skills due to a lack of support, warning that the trend, if not addressed, could endanger the future of the community.

“We have young people of school age who are not in school because they have no one to help them. Some want to acquire skills but lack both direction and means. That does not speak well for the future of our community,” he said.

“Idleness and hopelessness have driven our youth into drugs and violent crimes. If we continue to keep quiet today, tomorrow may be bleak.”

According to him, the Okogbuo Charity Foundation will also collaborate with similar Foundations to extend support to vulnerable children.

Nnabuko explained that contributions to the foundation will be strictly voluntary, noting that what matters most is the spirit of giving. “No one will be tasked. The spirit is what matters. God has been kind to us, and putting a little of what we have together to help others will gladden His heart,” he said.

He announced that a Board of Trustees and an Implementation Committee will be inaugurated to guide the operations of the foundation, ensuring transparency and effective outreach to beneficiaries.

While calling on indigenes at home and in the diaspora to key into the initiative, Nnabuko emphasized that donations will not be limited to members alone, but also open to friends, in-laws, and well-wishers.

The foundation, he added, will be formally launched during the 2025 Christmas holidays, with all interested members listed in a dedicated forum to coordinate activities.

“This is not compulsory for anyone, but those who find this a worthwhile cause will be listed as members. Together, we can give hope to the hopeless and secure a better future for our community,” Nnabuko affirmed.

Picture: Umukogbuo Town Hall

By Foster Obi

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has called on Nigerian leaders to rebuild national systems that reward excellence, competence, and integrity, insisting that the country can achieve true development only through disciplined leadership, visionary ideas, and courageous execution.

Speaking at the Oxford Global Think Tank Leadership Conference on “Better Leadership for a Better Nigeria” and the public presentation of Prof Arunma Oteh’s new book, All Hands on Deck: Unleash Prosperity through World Class Capital Markets, held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, in Abuja, Governor Otti stressed that “prosperity requires more than just huge deposits of raw minerals. Long-term progress is initiated and sustained by the discipline of leadership, the power of ideas, and the courage of execution.”

Leadership and the Power of Ideas

Governor Otti argued that the real difference between successful and struggling nations lies not in the abundance of natural resources, but in the quality of human capital and the focus on leadership.

“Development is a human function — a rigorous intellectual exercise and the end product of blistered hands,” he said.

“Natural resources, when not paired with the requisite human intellect to make the most of them, can in themselves become an albatross to a society’s development aspirations.”

He commended Prof. Arunma Oteh, founder of the Oxford Global Think Tank and author of the newly launched book, for her “brilliant and peerless contributions to the holistic development of the human community, especially in Nigeria and across Africa.”

According to Otti, Oteh’s new book presents “a clear path to resource mobilization without the sneers that come from borrowing,” describing it as “an excellent treatise on economic freedom, preservation of national sovereignty and integration of domestic financiers into the development matrix.”

Fixing the Leadership Recruitment System

Governor Otti identified Nigeria’s “dysfunctional leadership recruitment template” as a major cause of its developmental setbacks, lamenting that mediocrity and arrogance have too often displaced character and competence in public life.

“We have become victims of a system that places scant regard on character, treats compassion as evidence of weakness, mistakes arrogance for competence, and promotes the noisy over the truly courageous,” he declared.

He endorsed Prof. Oteh’s 4Cs leadership philosophy — Character, Compassion, Competence, and Courage — as a model that should guide Nigeria’s next generation of leaders.

Education and Human Capital Development

Otti emphasized that no nation can progress without nurturing its people’s minds through quality education and sound values. He announced that his administration has consistently allocated 20% of Abia State’s annual budget to education in the last two years, making education free and compulsory across the state.

“This policy has more than doubled school enrolment within three months,” he revealed.

“We have recruited over 5,000 teachers and are preparing to hire another 4,000, while upgrading infrastructure and improving teacher welfare.”

He added that the focus of tertiary education in Abia has shifted from producing job seekers to “building leaders who will shape the future of their industries.”

Healthcare as a Human Development Pillar

Governor Otti also highlighted Abia’s renewed investments in healthcare, noting that the state has consistently committed 15% of its annual expenditure to healthcare, in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration.

He said the goal is to ensure that “every citizen, especially those in rural areas, has access to a properly equipped and staffed medical facility within walking distance.”

A Call for National Renewal

The governor urged Nigerians to embrace a new consciousness of excellence, discipline, and collective responsibility for national rebirth.

“We have stayed in the difficult place of mediocrity for too long. At 65, we should be able to stand firmly on our feet and

March forward in an unyielding resolve to actualize the great destiny that our nation has been called to,” he stated.

Otti expressed pride in Prof. Oteh’s global achievements, describing her as “a shining light and a brilliant example of what we can become when leadership is driven by the commitment to make an impact.”

He concluded by challenging Nigerians to “do better, think deeper, and act bolder,” adding that the path to Nigeria’s greatness lies in the courage to rebuild systems that honour merit and human potential.

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, will on Friday, October 24, 2025, flag off the reconstruction of two key road projects — the 25-kilometer Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road and the 13.1-kilometer Ariam–Usaka Ring Road — both located in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state.

The twin flag-off ceremonies are scheduled to be held at the Timber Market, Ahia-Eke, Umuahia North LGA, at 11:00 a.m., and at Obeama Ariam Model Primary School, Ikwuano LGA, at 12:00 noon, respectively.

According to the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, the reconstruction of these strategic roads aligns with Governor Otti’s infrastructure renewal agenda and his administration’s drive to improve rural connectivity and stimulate economic growth across the state.

The Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road, a major inter-state corridor linking Abia to Akwa Ibom, has for years suffered neglect, leading to severe transportation challenges for residents and traders. Similarly, the Ariam–Usaka Ring Road serves as a critical route for agricultural produce and rural commerce within Ikwuano.

When completed, both projects are expected to enhance trade, agriculture, and ease of movement between communities in Abia and neighboring states.

Top government officials, political stakeholders, traditional rulers, transport unions, market associations, and residents of Ikwuano are expected to attend the flag-off ceremonies.

“These projects are part of the administration’s strategic plan to open up rural economies and make life easier for our people,” the Commissioner noted.