The President-General of the Ishiagu Community Development Union, Architect Moses Ajah, has credited Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru with restoring peace in Ishiagu and driving massive infrastructural development across the community and Ivo Local Government Area.
Ajah, who spoke in an interview with Journalists recently, said the restoration of peace remained the most significant achievement of the administration, describing it as the foundation for other developmental interventions.
According to him, the governor’s peace-building efforts have provided the stability required for sustained development and investment in the area.
“The principal thing we will credit to him, which is the heralding for all other things, is restoration of peace and order. Not just in the whole local government area, but in the entire state. But most particularly in Ishiagu, that is the most critical provision he has made,” Ajah said.
He said the peace initiative had been complemented by projects in critical sectors, including roads, water, education and other public infrastructure.
“We are also mindful of his strides in infrastructure in our community. The water project that is nearing completion, the roads that have been built in our community, the schools that were built and the many smart schools that are built, three of them in our local government area,” he said.
Ajah also cited the construction of a bridge and palaces for traditional rulers, describing the period as one of “massive developmental initiatives” across Ishiagu and the wider local government area.
The community leader said ICDU had equally sustained its own development agenda through collective contributions and partnerships, with completed projects including roads, school buildings, a community resource centre, library and lodge.
He said the union was also instrumental in the development of the Ishiagu market after acquiring and preparing the land for the project, adding that the local government had commenced development on its allocated portion.
“By the favour of the commitment of members of our community, by the support of our development partners, by the founding fathers’ opinion, we have continued to strive towards egalitarian leadership,” Ajah said.
He disclosed that individuals and development partners had continued to support the community’s education and other programmes with millions of naira annually.
According to him, one individual currently sponsors educational projects in the community to the tune of more than N7m annually, while another contributes over N15m yearly to the community’s annual thanksgiving programme.
On the management of Ishiagu’s limestone resources, Ajah said the community had deliberately adopted an apolitical leadership model to prevent natural resources from becoming a source of division and conflict.
He said ICDU had prioritised accountability and community-wide development rather than personal enrichment or partisan interests.
“What makes the difference in our community is righteousness. When there is righteousness and there is vision, and then people see that their resources are being appropriately deployed, all those challenges will deplete quietly and gradually,” he said.
Ajah stressed that ICDU supports government at all levels but does not participate in partisan politics.
“We have made sure that the ICDU is apolitical. We support government at all levels, but we do not get involved in politics. We do not get involved in any sort of activity that will polarise our people,” he said.
He added that the approach had helped the union galvanise support from members of the community and attract development partnerships.
The ICDU president-general also announced plans for the Ishiagu Hall of Fame, an initiative he said was designed to promote positive values, honour community builders and inspire younger generations.
“For us, it is a tool for social rearmament. It is an instrument to help people to recollect from where we are coming from. At all times, foundation is critical to every society,” Ajah said.
He explained that the initiative would recognise individuals who had distinguished themselves through empowerment, community development and other positive contributions to society.
“We want to go back to our roots. We want to build our society from the roots. We want to attain those virtues that make for a society that will be worthwhile and will prosper,” he said.
Ajah said the Hall of Fame would serve as a platform for celebrating trailblazers and people whose contributions had positively impacted the community.
He added that the programme would be accompanied by an Ishiagu congress, expected to bring together sons and daughters of the community from different parts of the world to celebrate their shared heritage, unity and brotherhood.
