By Abdul Aji.
The newly installed Eje of Ofu Local Government Traditional Council, Chief Akwu Obaje, last weekend convened unprecedented meeting of all the traditional rulers, sons and daughters of Ofu Local Government Area at his palace in Ugwolawo to discuss issues on peace and progress of the area.
The meeting which was attended by prominent sons and daughters of the local government area at home and in the diaspora, discussed developmental issues in the land and efforts to eradicate elements of insecurity that has bedeviled the area and the entire Igala land.
In his welcome address, the royal father said he is highly bothered about the dwindling developmental efforts and want to have a forum where prominent sons and daughters of the area would meet to always discuss the way forward.
Sensitizing the people over ongoing preliminaries of National Census, Chief Akwu Obaje said everybody should go back home and speak to their people on the importance of the national programme and on the need to cooperate with the census officials to carry out their assignment smoothly in the area.
The Director of Ofu Local Government Council, Mallam Shiaka Yakubu, in his address thank the new Eje for his wisdom in convening the meeting, as he told the congress that Chief Obaje has been very supportive and contributes excellently to the affairs of the local council since his assumption of office.
The DLG decried the non-availability of commercial banks in the entire local government area and revealed efforts being made with the support of the Eje and some prominent sons to have a branch of Zenith Bank in the area.
He said they have called the meeting to form Ofu Stakeholders Forum that would be meeting and chatting on issues of common interest to the area, thanking participants for showing interest at the meeting.
Dr Itodo Ubolo Okpanachi, former Accountant General of Kogi State currently a Federal Commissioner at Code of Conduct Bureau, who was picked as chairman of Ofu Stakeholders Forum, said sons and daughters of Ofu in the diaspora are capable to make positive contributions to the development of the area but are afraid to come home because of the state of insecurity that has bedeviled politics in the entire Igala land.
He said the new Eje has displayed his ability to work for the progress of Ofu Local Government area by his move to call for the meeting and promised on behalf of prominent sons and daughters of Ofu to join hands with him for the betterment of the area.
Some political leaders present at the meeting were Hon. Shehu Sheidu, Barry, member representing Ofu constituency at Kogi State House of Assembly and Hon. Amodu Ibrahim, former senior special assistant to the governor on security, who all pledged to give their support to the royal father.
Other prominent persons present at the meeting were Joseph Oche of Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Sunday Okai of NFA, Chief Bameyi Negedu from Port Harcourt, Nuhu Ahmed former SUBEB chairman, Fodwin Egbunu of Kogi State Civil Service Commission and a host of others, too numerous to mention.
