OKOPOLY: Ekwueme Accuses Federal Government Of Owing Host Community

              

 Former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, has accused the federal government of owing the Oko community the compensation due to her when it took over the Federal Polytechnic, Oko (OKOPOLY).
He said he was not involved in the management of the polytechnic and declined comments on the face-off between the institution and the host community.

Dr Ekwueme stated this in an exclusive interview with our reporter at an ordination service of the Diocese of Awka, held at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Agulu. 


When our reporter pressed him to comment on the rift between his community, his brother, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, who doubles as the traditional ruler of Oko town, and the federal institution he founded, he said, “You should be asking questions on the ordination. That’s what we are here for! I’m not involved in that. I built the place and handed it over; government took it over. They didn’t pay compensation. I’m not in the management of that school now, so there is nothing I can say.”
Further attempts to get his comments on the matter met a brickwall, as he said: “is that question on the ordination? That’s what we are here for. We are here for ordination.”
Ekwueme thanked God for the special occasion, describing it as a call to the service of God and extension of His kingdom. He called on the new priests to carry on the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nooks and crannies of the society.
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Diocese of Awka, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Alex Ibezim eulogized the former vice-president, describing him as the pillar of the church who has always supported the diocese in eminent ways praying God to “grant him longer life as the church still needs him.” He tasked the new priests, numbering twelve, to carrying on the light of God and follow the footprints of Jesus Christ.
Ibezim decried the growing level of insecurity in the country, noting that Christians are being killed at will in the northern part of Nigeria, even as he called on all hands to be on deck to curb the growing abnormally. He said that the task of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ is not the exclusive reserve of priests but all Christians.
He said: “Recently one of the Bishops in the North called me and said nineteen of his parishioners were slaughtered. And so when we are building churches to glorify God, it is the duty of all Christians; that is why today being the Pentecost day, St. Stephen’s Agulu has become our Jerusalem. Instead of going to pilgrimage in Jerusalem we should be going to St. Stephen Agulu for pilgrimage.” “Security of lives and property is everybody’s business. All hands must be on deck to secure lives, and property, and you must at all times report suspicious movements to the security operatives for their required response.”
The event had in attendance eminent personalities, including the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Nkem Okeke.

Odogwu Obinna of The Sun Newspapers