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By Ibe Innocent Ugonna
Imo state-born front line entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr Matthew Chima Amadi , has made an appeal to politicians to revive and uphold the philosophy of politics without bitterness as propounded by the late elder statesman, Dr Basil Nnanna Ukegbu and his contemporaries.
Dr Amadi made the admonition at a colloquy in Owerri on Tuesday, December 24th 2024 during which the biography of Dr Ukegbu, written by veteran journalist and award-winning author, E .T Okere, was unveiled.
Dr Amadi reminded the audience, made up top politicians, members of the academia, journalists, captains of industry etc, that Dr Ukegbu’s vision in his bid to govern the old Imo state was anchored on a model of a technological transformation of Imo state which, according to the late icon, other states and even the federal government would have had no alternative than to replicate in their respective jurisdictions.
Amadi added that even though Dr Ukegbu did not realize that ambition in 1979, he did not resort to bitter antagonism but rather went back to re-strategize on how to further pursue his vision and which led him to establish the TECHNOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MISSION (TEDEM) under which auspices he founded the first privately-owned university in Africa, the ImoTechnical University. Amadi further noted that even when the university project was aborted by the military, Ukegbu remained steadfast in his faith in Nigeria and joined other well meaning Nigerians in the struggle for the return of democratic government.
Dignitaries that graced the occasion included a former governor of Imo state ,Dr Ikedi Ohakim, the president- general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, worldwide, Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu, Professor Frances Chukwukere of the department of Linguistics, Imo State University and marketing guru, Dr TOE Ekechi.
Others are front line politician, Okenze, Sylvester Obinna, immediate past member representing Ngor Okpala state constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barr. Ngozi Olehi, Professor Cleo Okere, Barr. George Eke, a former governorship aspirant in Imo state, Engr.Augustine Okere , Dr. Eme Njoku Eze-elect Nguru Umuowa Autonomous Community and a host of others including a galaxy of Nollywood actors.
