By Adadainfo
The Eastern Union, Monday, commended the Ohaneze Ndigbo’s moves to establish a South-East University.
Hon Charles Anike, national president of the union, told Adadareporters.com in Enugu that the time had come for Ndigbo to look inwards.
He said, “The successive federal government has overtime been paying lipservices to the infrastructural plights of the people of the Eastern Region, especially after the end of the civil war with the acclaimed ‘no victor and no vanquished’ declaration.
“This neglected and predetermined gang-up is the reason the 2nd Niger bridge is still not yet completed. All these and many more gave impetus to various separatist agitations in the South-East.
“We therefore urge the Ohaneze leadership to begin a collaborative effort to establish more strategic institutions and production hubs around the South-East.
“The South-East governments should support the initiative to solidify the region’s medical, agricultural, engineering and cultural sectors, which the proposed university will champion.”
Recall that Ohanaeze’s Elders’ Council, last week, proposed a South-East University to promote a skill-based education system in Igbo land. The decision was reached after a meeting of Ohanaeze Council of Business Leaders held in Abuja.
The communique was presented by the chairman of the council, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
It read, “We have taken a decision that we are not going to depend on government again. We have taken a decision to focus on education because it is actually the mainstay of our development.
“We are setting up a committee on education that will look at education in Igbo land in the past as it is today and what we want in the future.
“It is likely that when the committee comes up with its report, we are going to build a South-East University which will specialise in medicine, engineering, science and technology and skills acquisition.
“This is because skills acquisition is very important today, so our people can acquire entrepreneurial skills. Igbos in the past reflected a history of a people who by the grace of God conquered many obstacles to occupy an exalted position in Nigeria by 1960 when the country got her independence.”
