Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Worried by the various socio-economic problems bedeviling the nation, traditional ruler of Awka-Etiti kingdom in Anambra State, Igwe Michael Chiedozie Ezeudenna, has lamented that Nigeria is still in search of a credible leader who can make a positive difference in governance 57 years after independence.
Igwe Ezeudenna spoke, at the weekend, after receiving the Excellent Performance in Public Service and Community Development Award from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) during its 17th Herbert Macaulay bi-annual memorial lecture.
While condemning the incessant killings in different parts of the country, the traditional ruler defined a leader as a merchant of hope and said anybody who cannot give the people hope for living is not worthy to be a leader.
He noted that the Nigerian Constitution expressly stated that the security and welfare of the citizens should be the primary purpose of government, while calling on the Federal Government to ensure that the citizens are secure anywhere they are in the country.
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The traditional ruler dedicated the award to his subjects in Awka-Etiti community whom he said found him worthy to be their leader and beckoned on him to come and lead two years ago.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of UNN Prof. Benjamin Chukwuma Ozumba, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. James Ogbonna said, “the Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture was instituted by a special resolution of the Board of the Faculty of Engineering in 1978.”
He said this year marks the 40th year of the lecture series which holds bi-ennially in honour of Herbert Macaulay whom he described as “the Father of Nigerian nationalism, an engineer, architect and surveyor.”
The Vice Chancellor also said the Lecture has provided a platform for an in depth discussion of engineering problems and their solutions noting that it has since inception, provided significant contributions to national development.