Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima on their separate Igbo chieftaincy titles.
Both leaders were on Saturday conferred different traditional titles while attending the 32nd Ukpo Ofala celebration of His Royal Highness, Igwe Dr. Robert Chukwudilim Eze (Okofia VI), Igwe Ukpo and Clan Head of Dunuokofia Ancient Kingdom in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State.
Represented by the Vice President, President Tinubu was honoured with the chieftaincy title of “Eze Udo of Igbo Land” meaning “King of Peace in Igbo Land” while Shettima was also decorated with the title “Enyi Ndigbo” meaning “A friend of Igbo people”.
Kalu who witnessed the conferment ceremony alongside the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Atlas Oranto Petroleum, Prince Arthur Eze, and other prominent figures by Igwe Ukpo IV expressed his delight on the development.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu said that the traditional titles were both significant in Igbo traditions.
He lauded the administration of President Tinubu for giving the Igbo people a sense of belonging through his appointments, saying it would reinforce national cohesion and integration.
Kalu expressed joy that the traditional titles were coming at a time of a new peace initiative called Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), birthed to resolve the security challenges among other sociological issues in the region through non-kinetic approaches and restore peace.
He exuded optimism that the southeast will receive unprecedented attention from the present APC government, urging the people to embrace peace and remain steadfast.
Earlier in his remarks after receiving the titles, the Vice President, Shettima said that the Tinubu-led government understood the challenges of Ndi Igbo and will work assiduously to overcome them.
“With our leaders like Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senator Dave Umahi, and Hon. Ben Kalu, the process of integrating Ndi Igbo in the mainstream of Nigerian politics has commenced.
Senator Ifeanyi Uba has just joined APC. Wherever you go in this country, if you do not see an Igbo man, you better run away from that place. Why won’t I identify with you? Be rest assured that Ndi Igbo are the heartbeat of the Nigerian nation. We will work assiduously to see that Ndi Igbo are well represented”, he said.