My hat is off for you

Dr. Uzoaru with his sons Oguguo,Ikenna, Nnamdi and his sons in-law Uchenna & Justin

Peter & Paul Onuoha

Wednesday 2.22pm I wanted to talk about some positive things about some ordinary Nigerians who know that it takes a village to make any thing of substance happen. Some communities have pathnered with their sons and daughters abroad to make some of their dreams come through. In my first entry I talked about what I felt was the insatiable desire of most Nigerians to self promote and cheap publicity stunts with no substance what so ever. These are the people who go by different titles like chief "onu otile one of this or that community. High chief nwamkpi one of that kindered. In actual fact most of these people have not earned the right to be installed any thing. Most of them bought them and worse still do not deserve the honor to be called jack shit.

Those who have actually contributed to the well being of their communities have for all intent and purpose shunned being recorgnized with any titles.....there by proving once again that it is the empty can that makes the loudest noise. The aim of this commentry is not to single out any particular group or community for critisims but I will be failing in my duties as a social critic if I don't single out my own town of Mbaise as one of the areas where a billy goat with a couple of a thousand naira can purchase any title that he or she desires. Is that not a shame that most of our so called Ezes who are supposed to be the custodian of our culture are the same ones raping it for a bottle of wine? "He who fetches ant infested firewood has given invitation to the spuradic visit of the lizard". The axiom that Igbos have no chief could not be truer as those we call our traditional rulers have defiled the land and must be held accountable for the shame and disrepute that they have brought on the land. I will console my self and like minds in the knowlegde that hopefully a few good men can still save the day.

All is not yet lost. I know of a particular community in Mbaise, okpofe specifically where people can't buy titles. Titles are only given to those who merit them based on a set of criteria that the community laid down. Is that not the way to go? Again, I know of a few Mbaise sons and daughters that have been at the fore front of community development in their respective areas and yet they work discretly without making noise or letting anyone know how much of their personal wealth they have expended to help their fellow men and women. At the risk of being tagged a praise singer I will pay tribute to a few men and women that have taken it upon themselves to uplift their respective communities without asking for titles or any thing in return. The first person that comes to mind in this group of selfless people who have freely given to humanity and still continue to give without counting the cost is Dr. Charles Onyegbule Uzoaru. This is a man who staked it all for the betterment of his people. He single handedly built a hospital in his community to bring affordable health care to the masses of his community and Nigeria at large. If one third of Nigerians in the US alone can follow his lead, home will be a better place for our children and also our children's children. One of the pillars that has held many villages together by his foresight, resolve, and dedication to improving his homeland. A simple and unassuming man who is sympathetic to fault. A man who hears the cry of his brother and rushes to give a helping hand no matter the circumstance. This is the type of men that should be piloting the affairs of our land yet this gentle gaint shys away from any form of publicity and lets his deeds speak for him. In the same group is Rev. Fr. Onumajuru M. Ndulaka. A chothlic preist who has done more to uplift the educational standard of the Mbaise community than any lay person that I know. This man has quitely gone about helping the younger generation get the tools they need for tomorrows challenges by sending thousands of computers home to be used in schools one of which he built himself when he was a parish preist back home. Our communities need more of these indiveduals instead of the empty title holders who are only out for themselves. Finally mention has e to be made about a dynamic twins who has been an inspiration to any one that has come in contact with them. I am talking of no other than Peter and Paul Onuoha. The two have been in the fore front of revolutionalizing their community of Okpuofe. It takes only leadership to accomplish great things as these brothers have done. First, the believe in themselves and their God given abilities, secondly they succeded in making others believe in their leadership thus proving that if there is gunuine leadership and selfless service followership becomes a natural occurance. They have rallied their people here and at home and as a result have done more than any other entity to help their community. From the begining of their arrival in the US it has been a crusade of theirs to help any one they meet along the way as long he or she is willing to learn. The most interesting aspect of their co-joined lives is that the only thing they ask in return is that you help another fellow human being. What more can one ask of humanity? When the history of the Mbaise community is written your names will be engraved in stone.