The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has commended a transport magnet, Chief Godwin Okeke, owner of G.U.Okeke Group of Companies, and also the Chairman, Anambra State Security Trust Fund for providing bus to them during her election that ended in fiasco at Gombe State last week.
Speaking on behalf of the students on arriving at Onitsha from Gombe State where they have gone for their national election, the Director of Special Duties, NANS Zone B, Mr Tochukwu Ekuma, said they visited the business mogul to commend him for his support that assisted members to Gombe for NANS national election.
Ekuma regretted that the election did not hold and attributed the cause to lack of security which made the venue to be conducive.
According to him, a new date for the election would be made public by the Chairman of the electoral committee.
In his response, Chief G.U. Okeke said part of the challenges facing the country, particularly the South-East zone, was the inability of past leaders to hand over affairs to the younger ones.
“Some people have ceased the stage refusing to bow out. That was the mistake Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ozumba Mbadiwe and Michael Okpara failed to do that had made it difficult to have a clear leader in the South East.
Today, everybody is struggling for the baton because our elderly ones held the baton till they dropped dead; no formal handing over and that is why our children are fighting amongst themselves”.
“We claim we have people in government and have money but we cannot unite for the benefit of the zone,” he said.
He argued that the disunity and in-house fighting among the Igbos were the reason why the people are not gaining from the dividend of democracy at the federal level.
Okeke, wondered why an individual will govern a state for eight years and still contest to become a senator for another 12 years.
“We cannot keep on deceiving our youths that they are the future leaders while we are not making provisions for them.
“In handing over to our children, we must get them prepared for their tomorrow but not when we continue to see them at the age of 25 to 30 as kids,” Okeke said.
Okeke, while commending the security situation in the state, advised the students against engaging in cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping and other social vices.
He advised them to rather be law abiding and concentrate on their studies.
The businessman lauded the efforts of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra in promoting the interest and welfare of students and youths of the state.
He pledged that his transport company will continue to provide support for the students in their endeavours.