421 TURN OUT FOR CONFERENCE ON PROGRESSIVE POLITICS AND
EZE UGORJI'S BOOK LAUNCH
Owerri, Imo State; May 27, 2017: In a historic and phenomenal event chaired by Chief Dr. Chekwas Okorie, Founder/Chairman and the 2015 President Candidate of the United Progressive Party, 421 people attended the first multi-party conference on progressivism in politics and governance. The event, which was held today, Saturday May 27, 2017, at the Sam Mbakwe Hall of the New Imo Concorde Hotel, Owerri, also featured the launching of Truth is Life, the autobiography of HRH Eze Stephen Nwambueze Ugorji. The Conference was hosted by Organizing For Opportunities (OFO) and the book launch was hosted by Sungai Books, an international book imprint based in the US and Nigeria.
While Chief Okorie led the UPP contingent, the All Progressives Congress (APC) contingent was led by Honorable Uche Onyeagocha, who stood in for and represented Senator Dr. Ken Nnamani. Members of both the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) were also represented in great numbers at an event that was made all the more colorful by the aesthetically elegant contributions of Eze Professor M.A.C. Odu. At the end of the conference, the President of OFO, Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji, released a communique of participants generally agreeing on the following:
1. That progressivism in Nigerian politics and governance portends the more effective ideology for the furthering of the liberty, welfare, and advancement of the citizenry in all regions;
2. That many politicians have either claimed to be progressives when they were not or have failed to understand the concept of ideology in politics even when political party manifestos reflect such ideological leanings;
3. That a systematic and studied approach to identifying a set of criteria for measuring progressivism in politics and governance in Nigeria must be developed and propagated with dispatch;
4. That the youth of Nigeria must accept their necessary role to push for progressive ideas and demand progressive leadership at all levels of government;
5. That the citizens of the country in all regions must be educated to understand that elections have consequences and that voting in exchange for monetary inducements is neither progressive nor helpful in national development and representative government;
6. And that the idea of a national conference on progressivism in politics and governance must be made an annual or regular event moving forward.
The launching of Truth is Life was led by Mr. Chima Ucheya, the CEO/MD of Rainbow Town, Port Harcourt, who served as the Chief Launcher. His donation of one Million Naira (about $3,000) in support of the book was matched only by that of Chief Chekwas Okorie. In a historic and highly acclaimed first, the book was reviewed entirely in Igbo language by Dr. Chigozie Bright Nnabuihe of the University of Lagos. He received a standing ovation by an audience that was grateful for his glorious and flawless tribute to the Igbo language. Those who attended included the two retired army generals from Lorji (General Eugene Nwanguma and General Felix Ogbonna Alily), the Chairman of the North American branch of the Lorji Town Union (LNAP), Mr. Christian Otuonye, and Mrs. Uchenna Ugorji, wife of Dr. Ugorji.
In his remarks, the author, Eze S.N. Ugorji, said he was moved by the planning and attendance at the event. He thanked those who came and those who organized the gathering in his honor and pledged to continue living out the theme of his book – that the truth is the best path in all human interactions with one another, including politics and governance.
Chilenwa Metu
Communications Coordinator
Organizing For Opportunities
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