*As S'East CAN Boss speaks on grace of good leadership in Ebonyi
*EDON harps on financial freedom and self-reliance
BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
In his sermon, the Bishop represented by Rev. Fr. Monsignor Patrick-Mary Mmuo advised the well privileged individuals and groups to always embark on heavenly investment by taking care of the indigent persons in the society.
He encouraged Christians to always display a through picture of Jesus Christ, by maintaining a worthwhile character before people around them, especially in caring for the less privileged ones.
Bishop Chukwu said that any wealth with no heavenly impacts remains vanity, and therefore, advised those trading riches in a darkworld to come back to their normal senses by embracing light and adopting charitable services.
The Bishop while commending the Founder of the Regina Pacis Foundation, Sir Architect Edward Okereke Nkwegu (EDON) for having organised the event successively till date, also advised those occupying advantageous positions to be prioritizing on charitable services in the society.
He urged Nkwegu and other members of the foundation not to be discouraged in assisting the vulnerable persons, saying that their rewards abound both on Earth and in Heaven if they keep using the organisation to cater for the welfare of the less privileged ones in the society.
"Christians believe Christ saves the world. The Christ we can see now is ourselves and we must follow his footprints to deliver in our own time, anybody championing for the charitable services or taking care of the welfares of the less privileged ones - the indigent persons, has lost nothing, because he banks Heavenly riches," Bishop Chukwu hinted.
Lecture on Consolidation on Grace of Good Leadership in Ebonyi State by South East CAN Chairman
On his part, the Chairman, South East Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Fr. Abraham Chukwuma Nwali who delivered lecture on the theme: "Consolidation of the Grace of Good Leadership in Ebonyi State," also commended the founder of the foundation and his wife, Sir and Lady Edward Okereke Nkwegu, saying that since 2005 till date they have been investing charitably through the Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO.
He however, explained that he was called to critically and constructively defend the theme of the lecture bordering on grace of the good leadership in Ebonyi State, prior to the second phase of the assignment - sustainability, which he considered as the epicenter of the activities in governance.
Nwali noted that Ebonyi has been a favourable child in her governance since her creation in 1996 while comparing her to her counterparts in the South East Zone.
He said his invitation to reflect on the consolidation on the grace of good leadership in Ebonyi State is an affirmative one, pointing that the organisers of the programme, preemptively have approved good leadership in the state.
Nwali recalled that Ebonyi State was created in 1996, now 25years old, courtesy of the then President of Nigeria, Sani Abacha and within the period has been served by two military administrators and three executive governors.
Speaking on the pattern of their leadership, Nwali said, Walter Feghabor - the Ebonyi State's First Military Administrator laid a very solid foundation, but his successor - Late Simeon Udoye emphasized on the role of functioning and functional civil service.
While the first Executive Governor of the state - Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu in his observation, restructured and emphasized on education, his successor - Chief Martins Nwanchor Elechi built the bridges of unity and championed on discipline in civil and public services whereas, his successor and the sitting Governor today, Engr David Nweze Umahi focuses on infrastructural development, religious relationship and care of the indigent persons in the society.
He said that Ebonyi leaders both in the past and at the present since the creation of the state might not be without records of some blind spots while delivering services, hence, in his words, the state has been enjoying the proverb of "half cup full" of good leadership.
"No one is completely bad and no one is completely perfect on Earth, because we are ongoing (Matthew 5:48)....," he hinted.
He further enumerated the criteria for good leadership which according to him, included transparency, accountability, observance of the rule of law, equity and inclusiveness, consensus oriented and responsiveness.
Nwali said the criteria for good governance were affirmed by many astute scholars in leadership to determine good and bad leaders in human environment, whether in politics, church and other sectors.
Emphasizing more on equity and inclusiveness, he said Ebonyi State is characterised by zoning system of leadership, and urged Ebonyians especially their stakeholders to adopt a fair play in the governorship position of the state.
"If Ebonyi State doesn't dwell on equity, the people will diminish, because, unfavorable treatment and marginalization will automatically become the case of one zone or the other. In Ebonyi, we have North, Central and South. If it's so deserves that equity - two years ago, we were about to have that problem, a group come to Bishop Michael Okoro that they would want the zoning to be cancelled.
"If the Bishop had consented to that request, we would have destroyed the peace of this state. I thanked God that the Bishop said 'no' we will respect the equity.
"Any government that is not supporting equity and inclusiveness is actually not on good governance. The equity is that the North has completed her period. The equity is that the central has completed her period and the equity is that, South is about to complete her period.
"If in 2023, and the north is cut off from taking her turn, by producing the governor of the state, it means the equity has been destroyed, and nothing will make anybody from the south to be the governor of the state in the next twenty years.
"To the government if you destroy equity, you have become poverish and that's the worst never expected to happen because the South will never smell governorship position again in Ebonyi State. Any attack on equity in Ebonyi, is attack against fairness and justice in the state.
"Nigeria is suffering today because of disrespect of zoning and all the parties today are clamouring, and if equity is not maintained, the youths will take their stand and take over the leadership of the country.
"If Ebonyi State plays with equity, fairness and justice, Ebonyi State will experience bizzare in leadership found in some Igbo states today," Fr. Nwali said.
Nwali, who is also the Chairman of CAN in Ebonyi State and Senior Special Adviser to Governor David Nweze Umahi on Religion and Welfare Matters, said that a good leader must have a listening ear - being a consensus oriented and responsive, commended those who had served as the governors of the state, and recommended that the next administration come 2023, should focus on 'civil service and industrialization.'
The Catholic Priest recalled the challenges of the time, which in his words stand at a chance to pose a great threat to human existence and the leadership system in the whole world.
"Our time distinct from Kairos is Chromos, it's a generation, global age, of 5G network, technological era. Age dominated by Facebook, Twitter, Google, ISP and Vsat. It's an age battling with the virtues of gratitude and contentment. It's far easy to be ungrateful, discontent, destructively critical, than be on the positive.
"It's age of chronic unemployment, youth revolution. It's an age challenged by corruption, social vices and moral decadence. In it, we are conquerors," he said.
He equally called for the sustainability of good leadership in the state, through a regular practice of maintenance culture.
He observed that the society has its peculiarity on maintenance culture, 'although, in his words, 'it is not easy to build', but 'far more challenging to maintain.'
To sustain, according to him, requires sustainable leadership matters - the importance of a good successor and ensuring legacies.
Also, sustainable leadership spread (equity), in justice, in resourcefulness, promotion of diversity and activism are required.
Nwali as well urged all the ministers of God to continue to pray for the leaders, saying that the church should see as its first priority by praying for the government in power, preaching true words of God as the second and modeling truth, justice and righteousness as the third roles in service delivery.
EDON harps on Financial Freedom and Self-Reliance
In his remarks, the Founder of the Regina Pacis Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of EDON Groups of Companies, Sir Architect Edward Nkwegu said the event holds yearly to give thanks to God for his mercies starting from 2005, being found.
"On the 24th day of November, 2005, Regina Pacis Foundation's first board of trustees were inaugurated by His Lordship Most Rev. Dr Michael Nnachi Okoro, OON. Interestly, the foundation is making her 17th consecutive and unbroken voyage of Thanksgiving and celebration for the year 2021 today," Nkwegu explained.
He described the foundation as "non-profit company, rendering unexpected useful services to the society without expecting compensation whatsoever from the beneficiaries, as a way of showing gratitude to God for his mercies in line with the gospel of Luke 14:13-14.
"We were motivated by genuine compassion and empathy for the poor and less privileged among us.
"It is a horrifying experience not having anything to live on. It can undermine one's confidence and self-worth. Poverty in all its three estates, meaning spiritual, mental and material conditions can sabotage every aspect of one's life to the extent that he will accept any price tag placed on the person."
Sir Nkwegu equally advocated for financial freedom and self-reliance, noting that many live in squalor with entitlement mentality due to lack of financial education.
"Poverty is not a crime; after all some take vows of poverty but I do think that everything is wrong with a matured healthy person who cannot feed him or herself in the midst of material abundance of God's given time, talent and treasure.
"Many live in squalor with entitlement mentality due to lack of financial education. Many have not been able to count their blessings and separate their assets from their liabilities. Financial education is one of the reliable ways of teaching people what consumes and wastes their time, talent and treasures of the earth which include air, water, food, vegetation and natural resources freely given to us by the Omni benevolent God etc. These consumers are known as liabilities while processes that a kind of re-cycle them and add value are known as assets.
"It's a fact that our educational system rarely teaches financial education. The system concentrates their efforts on scholastic education and production of consumer graduates often referred recent times as the lost generation. A generation of consumers and very few producers. A gap between the producers and consumers in our today's society is getting too wide. It is degenerating into civil unrest and class warfare. But before, that completely engulf our society, Regina Pacis Foundation is committed to be recorded in the history as having played her little role at vocational training and financial education for self-reliance," he said.
He unveiled that the Regina Pacis Foundation Vocational Institute Abakaliki established in the year 2011 to give specialized skills and financial education had her first 52 graduates this year, who have been gainfully employed by the multi-national companies, but only succeeded get three of them to work for the organisation at Abuja.
Nkwegu, who is also the Chairman of the Special Public Works Programme in Ebonyi State, said that his office has empowered thirteen thousand Ebonyians, which over 95 percent of them have received their sixty thousand Naira allowance each but the remaining 5 percent non-payment was largely due to incorrect in their Bank Verification Numbers, BVN and account opening name inconsistencies within the participating banks.
Also, the Chairman Board of Trustee of the Foundation, Rev Fr John-Paul Nwankwo, in interview with journalists appreciated those who honoured the event, especially the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, who celebrated the Holy Mass, Fr. Nwali for his inspiring lecture, among others.
Exhibition of artifacts including local made food, home equipment, agriculture, technology, entertainment, religion, hospitality, old legal tenders depicting Izhi cultural background and activities alongside sports, was a part of the opening ceremony of the programme, as it continues on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
