In a rare moment of grace and fidelity to promise, Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, at the weekend hosted a grand civic reception in honour of elder statesman and eminent economist, Dr. Uma Oke Eleazu (OON) a gesture the pan-Igbo umbrella body, Anya-Ndi-Igbo, has described as “fidelity in its most elegant form.”
The ceremony, held in Umuahia, marked the governor’s public fulfillment of a pledge he made earlier this year to celebrate Dr. Eleazu “at home” in recognition of his towering legacy and lifelong service to humanity.
Governor Otti had made the promise in June during the nonagenarian’s 95th birthday celebration in Lagos, where he declared that the iconic figure “deserved to be honoured on his own soil.”
In a powerful tribute jointly signed by presidents and chairpersons of major Igbo organisations across the world, Anya-Ndi-Igbo, the umbrella coalition of key Igbo bodies, lauded Governor Otti for “setting unprecedented standards in leadership and governance” and for “embodying the true Igbo ethos of giving honour to whom it is due.”
Dr Uma Eleazu( L) Gov Otti( R)
“Showing respect, recognition, and appreciation to individuals based on their accomplishments and contributions to the common good, particularly when nothing is expected in return, is the hallmark of transcendental leadership,” the group stated.
The organisation extolled both men as “kindred spirits bound by vision and integrity,” noting that long before Otti’s electoral triumph, Dr. Eleazu had been among those who unwaveringly believed in his capacity to redeem Abia from “leadership inertia and governance paralysis.”
Since assuming office, Anya-Ndi-Igbo said, Governor Otti’s performance has vindicated the elder statesman’s faith.
“Abia has witnessed more development in less than three years of Otti’s stewardship than in the 24 years that preceded his governorship,” the statement asserted, recalling Dr. Eleazu’s earlier remark that Otti was “using public funds for public purposes” and restoring hope that “things can indeed change.”
Born 95 years ago in Asaga Ohafia, Dr. Eleazu, son of a Methodist catechist, rose from humble beginnings to become one of Nigeria’s foremost economists, policy scientists, and public administrators. Educated at King’s College, University of Durham, and later the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a PhD in Public Administration in 1968, he served Nigeria with distinction across public service, academia, and civic platforms.
A renowned scholar, author, and thought leader, Dr. Eleazu’s intellectual contributions have shaped Nigeria’s discourse on leadership and governance for more than six decades. His book, Nigeria, As I See It: Reflections on the Challenge of Leadership published at age 90 remains a defining philosophical treatise on the moral crisis of governance in Africa’s most populous nation.
As a founding figure and current Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Anya-Ndi-Igbo, Dr. Eleazu continues to embody visionary leadership, intergenerational mentorship, and service to the collective Igbo cause. The organisation described him as “a national treasure, a conscience of the nation, and one of the last of a vanishing breed of patriotic Nigerians whose life defines integrity, discipline, and purpose.”
The tribute, endorsed by presidents of major global Igbo organisations — including Prof. Elo Amucheazi (Igbo Leaders of Thought), Prof. Chinedu Nebo (Nzuko Umunna), Bishop Obi Onubogu (Alaigbo Development Foundation), Iyom Josephine Anenih (Nkata Ndi Iyom), Dr. Festus Okere (World Igbo Congress), Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze (Igbo World Assembly), Chief Bus Yes (BOT Member), and Engr. Chris Okoye (President, Anya-Ndi-Igbo), among others reaffirmed the group’s unity and resolve to celebrate distinguished Igbo icons while supporting progressive leadership across the South-East.
“Pa Eleazu’s incorruptibility and humility have made him an oasis of moral rectitude in a nation where corruption has become a badge of honour for many,” the statement read.
“His life of service, scholarship, and patriotism will remain a beacon for generations yet unborn.”
The group also expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for his “unwavering commitment to excellence, accountability, and the reawakening of Abia’s moral and infrastructural foundations.”
“Through his governance ethos and respect for integrity-driven leadership exemplified by Dr. Eleazu, Governor Otti is redefining what it means to govern with conscience and conviction,” Anya-Ndi-Igbo concluded.
The event, attended by eminent sons and daughters of Igboland, leaders of thought, clergy, and members of the diplomatic community, was described as not just a celebration of one man but a symbolic reaffirmation of the values that define the Igbo spirit — industry, integrity, intellect, and honour.
Signed:
Engr. Chris Okoye (President, Anya-Ndi-Igbo); Emeka Nwadioke, Esq. (Ag. Secretary, Anya-Ndi-Igbo); Chief Nduka Eya (BOT Member); Prof. Elo Amucheazi (President, Igbo Leaders of Thought); Prof. Chinedu Nebo (President, Nzuko Umunna); Iyom Josephine Anenih (President, Nkata Ndi Iyom); Bishop Obi Onubogu (Chairman, BoT, Alaigbo Development Foundation); Dr. Festus Okere (Chairman, World Igbo Congress); Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze (President, Igbo World Assembly); Chief Chris Ekeoba (President, Association of Alaigbo Town Unions, Lagos); Mr. Okechukwu Unegbu (President, Otu Oka Iwu); Dr. (Mrs.) McCarthy Uzoama Josephine Aguoji (President, Council of Igbo States in America); Diokpa Delly Ajufo (Anioma Redemption Group); Amadiebube Mbama (Chairman, Global Igbo Leaders); Chief Bus Yes (Member, BOT); and Ikechukwu Amaechi (Chairman, Media & Strategic Communications Committee, Anya-Ndi-Igbo).
