An Address Of Welcome Presented By Sir Iky E. Nwaneri, Chairman, Board Of Trustees (BoT), Margaret Okoroagu Nwaneri Foundation (MONF), In Partnership With African League Organization (ALO), On The Occasion Of The Margaret Okoroagu Nwaneri Foundation Book Reading Ceremony, On Saturday, 26th September, 2020, At Nwaneri Compound, Mbubu Amiri, Oru East Local Government Area, Imo State.
His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Executive Governor, Imo State. (Ably represented by:……………………..)
His Excellency, Prof. Placid Njoku
Deputy Governor, Imo State.
Dr. Damaris Osunkwo,
Honorable Commissioner for Health, Imo State.
Prof. BTO Ikegwuoha,
Honorable Commissioner for Education, Imo State
Honorable Chiagoziem Nwaneri
Member Representing Oru East State Constituency (IMHA)
Honorable Philip Ejiogu
Chairman, House Committee on Education (IMHA);
Special Recognition to:
Ngozika J. Nwaneri, MD, FACS, FRCS (Professor Emeritus)
Chief Tony Nwaneri (Ozuo Omee), Our one and only!
Prof. Uchenna Nwaneri (Our Pride),
Amb. Tochil Nwaneri, (Ambassador Plenipotentiary),
HRH, Eze Cyril Uzoukwu (MBU 1 of MBUBU), The Custodian of our Culture and Tradition; and others too numerous to mention by name;
Distinguished guests,
Gentlemen of the press,
Ladies and gentlemen, you are all welcome!
Ndi Imo, nma nma nu!
Ndi Igbo, Ndewo nu!
Ndi Obia, ekele m unu!
It is my honour and privilege to welcome all of you to this epoch-making occasion, today, as we gather to celebrate this year’s MONF, packed with Book Reading, titled “THE AMAZON OF AMIRI”, to be presented by the author, Sir Osita C. Nwaka Ugwumba, the erudite and ebullient scholar of our time. I thank God for granting all of you journey mercies to this occasion, and also praying that as you go back at the close of this event, the Almighty God will lead you all back safely.
We have come to celebrate this year’s memorial Day despite the COVID-19 pandemic which afflicts our nation and the whole world, leading to a slow pace of events and a hit on the global economy. It is indeed a very difficult time for everyone especially those who have lost loved ones to the virus and those whose source of livelihood have been severely constrained by the stringent measures governments world over introduced to contain the virus and save lives.
Despite the effects of the pandemic, we have recorded notable achievements in the course of implementing our priority objectives which includes impacting the lives of our people through the MONF. As you may know, there was a general Examination/Screening exercise that took place recently (5th September 2020), where a total of 31 Adults and 12 kids were screened to ascertain their health conditions and given medical attention. In this sense, we remain committed to expanding our frontiers, to assist our people by complimenting government generous activities to the people at the grassroots. This is one of the major objectives of the MONF and ALO. We want to appreciate with thanksgiving the members of MONF, for their goodwill in building and handing over the medical clinic, built two years ago and its good use by our people, and also for the proposed Low cost Housing Initiatives and the farming incentives to be implanted soon for the farmers in the community.
Our youth population remain a source of strength in achieving development objectives. In this regard, we would in the future integrate activities that will aim at developing their skills, providing them with opportunities to express their entrepreneurial, research, and industrial capacities as well as given them ample opportunity to take leadership positions in the services of Imo State and in the nation, generally. In addition, our commitment to the well-being of people living with disabilities remain unwavering. MONF/ALO recognizes their plight and the potentials they posses if given proper attention.
Our brothers, sisters, and friends in the Diaspora remain a particular treasure to this Foundation; and for this reason, we have continued to give them a place of pride in the affairs of the Foundation. To all of you, I salute your courage enterprise, and resilience as well as your contributions to the development of the Foundation. I wish to assure you of our determination to represent you better going forward.
Since our culture provides the basis for our existence as a people, notwithstanding the pressure on our purse, we shall initiate a number of policies and programme that will be designed to promote the Foundation, facilitate the institutionalization of responsive leadership, provide support to identified downtrodden people, and improve our impact through the practice of benevolence.
Fellow members of the MONF, as we celebrate this year’s memorial Day, Let us remember that our Humanity is under the threat of COVID-19, notwithstanding our aspirations. We, as a people, have survived many crises before and came out stronger. I am confident that by God’s grace we shall overcome this one, too, and emerge stronger and more purposeful.
Finally, distinguished guest, ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege and honour to hereby declare this occasion open, and permit the distribution of the Agenda to everyone for its full implementation.
Thank you for listening while wishing you a safe trip back to your respective abodes.
God bless the MONF/ALO
God bless Imo State!
God bless Nigeria!
God bless you all!
Thank you all for coming
Sir Iky E Nwaneri, KSJI
Chairman, BoT (MONF)