Why we are celebrating Onitsha Day – Ekweogwu

President of Onitsha Improvement Union, Lagos State Chapter, Sir Andy Bosah Chukwudike Ekweogwu, is rolling out the drums to the big day. In this interview with Ganiyu Obaaro, Sir Ekweogwu says Onitsha Day, holding on Saturday, August 26, 2017, will be significant in uniting all sons and daughters of the historic city, as well as recognising the unique contributions of some eminent personalities to the community, among other reasons. Excerpts

How would you describe Onitsha–Ado Improvement Union, your umbrella body and Lagos State Chapter in particular?

A town union is organised with the aims and objectives of fostering unity among the people, as well as bringing development to the community, among several other factors. So, we, Onitsha indigenes, through our parent body, Onitsha Improvement Union, which was founded in 1929, with the Motto: Peace, Unity and Progress, leverage the union to help one another, mobilise our talents, experiences to develop Onitsha. Now, we are determined to give the Lagos state chapter the much needed commitment and support it deserves.
You see, when you form a union and its executive, initially the zeal to work would be there; but after sometime, apathy would start coming in.
We took over the running of the Lagos chapter last year, but we are determined to make a difference, in view of our commitment to make a difference.

What are the programmes you intend to achieve during your tenure, and what does Onitsha intend to achieve?

We are determined to rejuvenate and bring back our lost glory; we want to bring everybody back into the fold; heal old wounds, tap from individual experiences and wealth. That in fact, is the essence of Onitsha Day, which we are celebrating next Saturday.
Now, as we move on as a team, we have adopted new and better strategy of reaching our brothers and sisters through such avenues, as text messages, telephone calls, WhatsApp and emails. Before now, we used to read minutes of meeting as a way of communicating information to members; but that has changed now.

I want you to know that the Constitution of the Onitsha Improvement Union is endorsed by the Obi of Onitsha; and this means that every indigene of the town is an automatic member. So, we are working hard to have general meeting that would not separate the Women’s Wing from the union, but to have one united body with one purpose. We want to heal old wounds.
Again, we are working hard to build Onitsha House here in Lagos. The old one at No. 22, Alawode Street off Kilo Bus Stop, Surulere, here in Lagos, has become inadequate for us; so, we intend to use the Onitsha Day to create awareness and raise money for the new house.
We intend to have infrastructure like events center, IT/Library, Art Gallery to showcase Onitsha artworks and culture; offices, skills’ acquisition center, etc.
We intend also to get funds to execute the project through corporate support as well as donations, membership dues, etc.

Onitsha Day, apart from what I have earlier said, is, specifically to, among other aims and objectives, raise awareness and the consciousness of our culture among the indigenes, host community, thus showing the tourism potential of Onitsha and to create an avenue for our people to bond together with their other Igbo brothers and sisters.

We also intend to honour, through award or recognition, some distinguished Onitsha indigenes and non-Onitsha indigenes, who have contributed remarkably towards the development of Onitsha.

To this end, I am happy to inform you that our Royal Father of the day is His Royal Majesty, Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe. Other prominent traditional rulers, led by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu will be there, while Executive Governor of Lagos, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and his counterpart from Anambra state, Governor Willie Obiano, would also grace the historic occasion.

How would you describe Onitsha and its people?

Thank you. Basically, Onitsha is known as a commercial nerve center and g