By Emeka Chiaghanam
Ken Okoli: Anambra’s future must be built on
character, values and responsible citizenship
The need to raise a generation of young people guided not only by
ambition but also by character, responsibility and service took centre stage in
Anaocha Local Government Area on Sunday, as the Anambra State Town Unions Youth
Wing (ASTUC Youth) brought together representatives of the area’s 10
communities to celebrate shared values and honour individuals regarded as role
models.
The event, held at the Neni Civic Centre, Neni, was organised under
the theme, “Celebrating Our Community Shared Values & Anambra Community
Role Models from the Ten (10) Communities from Anaocha LGA.”
At the heart of the gathering was a simple message: communities are
strengthened when people who have contributed to their growth are recognised,
while younger generations are given examples of the kind of leadership,
sacrifice and responsibility worth emulating.
For Comrade Ken Okoli, President-General of ASTUC Youth and
convener of the event, however, the celebration was about more than awards.
He said the future of Anambra could not be secured by physical
infrastructure alone, arguing that roads, bridges and other development
projects must be matched by strong character, positive values and responsible
citizenship.
Speaking in his address titled “Why We Are Here”, Okoli said
the initiative was designed to promote the 12 Core Values of Onye Anambra
and encourage young people to make those values part of their everyday lives.
The values, he listed, include fear of God, patriotism,
self-reliance, discipline, life, truth, liberty, justice, community, dignity of
labour, religious and ethnic tolerance, and love.
He stressed that the values should not remain words recited at
public gatherings but should be demonstrated in homes, schools, businesses,
communities and public life.
Okoli said the 10 people honoured were deliberately presented as
more than award recipients, describing them as living examples whose
experiences could guide younger people.
He urged the honourees to continue mentoring young people and
supporting initiatives capable of giving youths a sense of purpose and
direction.
Okoli links recognition to fight against youth
vices
The ASTUC Youth president also drew attention to the organisation’s
partnership-driven efforts to address cultism, drug abuse and other destructive
behaviours among young people.
Rather than simply warning youths against wrongdoing, he said
society must provide them with alternatives through mentorship, skills,
opportunities and meaningful economic engagement.
He announced plans to strengthen the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED)
initiative by linking beneficiaries of the state’s “One Youth, Two Skills” programme with training, mentorship,
enterprise opportunities and pathways to sustainable income.
According to him, the initiative would involve collaboration with
the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Solution Innovation District,
NYSC, local government councils, community role models and the private sector.
The objective, he said, was to ensure that young people did not
stop at acquiring skills but were supported to convert those skills into
productive livelihoods and self-reliance.
Okoli thanked Governor Chukwuma Soludo for youth-focused
opportunities and said ASTUC Youth would continue to support the “We Believe in Anambra” campaign and
music album.
He maintained that government alone could not build the Anambra
people desire, calling on town unions, traditional rulers, parents, religious
leaders, community leaders and youths to embrace collective responsibility.
His message was summed up in a phrase that ran through the event: “Anambra is ours. Anambra we serve.”
Asiegbu Akaolisa: Let youths choose unity over
division
The host of the event, Comrade
Asiegbu Akaolisa, the Nnukwu Youth Leader and Youth Mayor of Anaocha,
described the gathering as an important opportunity to recognise people who had
distinguished themselves through service, particularly in their contributions
to youth development.
In his opening remarks, Akaolisa explained that the decision to
bring representatives rather than entire delegations from the 10 communities
was simply a practical one, noting that it would have been impossible for
everyone to attend the ceremony physically.
He said the selection process was therefore designed to ensure that
each community was represented while keeping the gathering manageable.
Akaolisa also explained that cultural performances from the various
communities were included as part of the celebration, providing an opportunity
for the communities not only to honour their role models but also to showcase
their shared cultural heritage.
He welcomed the guests, local government representatives, role
models and youths, expressing appreciation for their participation.
His broader message was one of unity, responsible youth leadership
and purposeful engagement. He urged young people not to allow political
differences, personal interests or discouragement to divide them.
Instead, he encouraged them to support initiatives focused on
empowerment, skills acquisition and genuine community development.
Obidike Celebrates Youths, Community
Role Models
The Chairman of the occasion and Anambra State Commissioner
for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, commended the youths and community role
models for their contributions to the development of Anaocha and Anambra State.
Obidike, who expressed happiness at the gathering, said the
occasion provided an opportunity to celebrate young people and recognise
individuals whose service and commitment had made a difference in their
communities.
He thanked the ASTUC Youth leadership and the participants
for organising the event, describing the gathering as a positive demonstration
of community spirit and youth engagement.
The Commissioner also acknowledged the presence and
contributions of the various community representatives and role models, noting
the importance of recognising people who had distinguished themselves through
service.
Prince Chukwudi Oli: If you call yourself a
role model, behave like one
Among the most prominent voices at the event was Prince Chukwudi Oli, one of the
community role models honoured and the APGA
candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2027 election.
Oli said he deliberately made time to attend the ceremony despite
other engagements because he believed strongly in the values being promoted and
in identifying with young people.
Accepting the recognition, he offered a message that went beyond
politics.
“If we call ourselves role models, we
should endeavour to behave like role models,” he said, stressing that
those who accept the responsibility of being examples to others must be
prepared to live by the principles they advocate.
Oli urged youths to recognise that “our tomorrow is today”, arguing that young people could not
afford to postpone responsibility for shaping society until some distant
future.
He particularly challenged them to become more politically informed
and deliberate about the leaders they support.
Political support, he said, should not be based on praise-singing,
personal benefits or emotional attachment, but on a careful examination of a
candidate’s character, record and manifesto.
He urged youths to study what candidates had done, understand what
they promised to do and be able to explain their choices with facts and
reasoned arguments.
Oli said he and his team would return to engage young people
through programmes designed to help them understand who they support, why they support them and how to defend those choices
constructively.
He warned that making uninformed political choices could have
consequences that would be difficult to reverse.
Ozor: Let your actions bring honour to your
community
Another prominent figure at the event, Chief Hon. Dr Ikechukwu Ozor, a former chairman of Anaocha Local
Government Area, urged young people to pursue lives that would bring honour to
their families and communities.
Ozor described himself as a strong believer in youth development,
recalling that during his tenure as council chairman he appointed more than 130
people because he believed opportunities should be shared and government should
have a practical impact on citizens.
He commended the state government for its youth-focused initiatives
and encouraged young people to remain focused on positive pursuits.
His advice was direct: youths should constantly consider whether
their actions would make their families and communities proud.
He praised Okoli and the Anaocha youth leadership for creating a
platform where positive values could be celebrated, describing the recognition
of community role models as an important way of encouraging responsible
conduct.
Ibekwe announces new skill centres for Anaocha
youths
The Chairman of Anaocha Local Government Area, Chief Romanus Ibekwe, used the
occasion to reaffirm his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment.
He said young people remained at the top of his administration’s
priorities and disclosed that a skill acquisition centre in Akwaeze was
scheduled for commissioning the following week, while another centre in Neni
was expected to be commissioned before the end of September.
Ibekwe said the centres were intended to equip young people with
practical skills capable of improving their livelihoods and preparing them for
greater opportunities.
He also highlighted the provision of ambulances for the local
government as part of efforts to improve residents’ wellbeing.
He expressed continued support for Governor Soludo, particularly
his youth empowerment programmes, including the “One Youth, Two Skills”
initiative, which he described as an important intervention for helping young
people acquire practical means of earning a living.
Among those honoured at the event were ASTUC Youth pioneer
President-General. Comrade Osita Kingsley
Ozalagba, Chief Jideofor Okongwu, Chief Hon. Dr. Gerald Ifeanyi Okoye of
Nri, a former Anaocha LGA chairman, among others.
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