By Gabriel Nnaji

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My attention was drawn to a publication in your newspaper published on October 20, 2016 on page 38 credited to one Hon. Francis Ede, a liaison officer to Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, where he stated that I, Chief Gabriel Nnaji, did not exist as a person. Let me quickly inform you that I am Chief Gabriel Nnaji Agbo, the son of the late Chief Nnaji Agbo Nnaji of Umuaram-Ikem, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State. I am a community leader of repute and belong to cabinet of HRH  Igwe F. O. O. Okwor, the Enyioha II of Ikem Asokwa.
Please, make diligent inquiry about me, even as I attach my valid drivers licence. I would equally be glad to present myself at any forum or in your office, if you deem it necessary. My contact phone number is 08033062047.
In that publication, Hon. Ede criticised a write-up earlier published in The Sun, entitled:  ‘Isi-Uzo people cry out to Ugwuanyi,’ which he said was false and the imagination of the writer. I want to state categorically that I granted interview to Jeff Agbodo of The Sun and Dennis Agbo of Vanguard, who are reputed journalists from my community and who have followed the developmental affairs, including the bridge, even before the old bridge finally collapsed.
I will not respond to all the falsehood Edeh dwelt  on but permit me to state that I have been greatly injured by his rejoinder. Edeh talked about the people of Isi-Uzo, going to see the governor on October 9. Yes, I was in that entourage and one of the reasons I was there was to stress the importance of completing the bridge project, which the governor addressed that day, but I had long addressed the press before that visit of the governor. I had even thought that the publication would not come out anymore but it came out shortly after the visit, which I so much appreciated because it helped stress our plight to the governor.
Edeh talked about appreciation to the governor for appointments of our illustrious sons into positions. That is contained in the second paragraph of my press statement, which I issued to the reporters and upon which they relied on to do the story.  He also said the project was not abandoned but I suggest that you make investigation about the bridge. He ended up insulting the reporter by saying that he created imaginary characters. Again, I ask for thorough investigation.
I want to maintain what I said in the report published on October 12, 2016 that the contractor, handling the bridge project had moved all the equipment and left the site of the project. It was based on that we cried out to Governor Ugwuanyi, who may not  know the development. I maintain that everything written in that publication of October 12, 2016 on pages  23 and 25 were the truth and the facts on ground.
For Hon. Ede to label me non-existent is an insult  of the highest order. I am entitled to my opinion and as the community leader, I will not keep quiet when things are going wrong in my council area or my community. It is high time we stopped playing politics with things that affect lives of the citizens. I know what my people passed through and the hardship it brought to my people when the hanging bridge collapsed last year. Just like I stated in that report earlier publication that some prominent people in the community quickly contributed money to construct the  makeshift bridge, which is very narrow that can’t contain two vehicles and only some cars can cross.
I want to tell the public that Ede was wrong.  In my interview, I never said that Governor Ugwanyi was not doing well and had not appointed the people of the council area in position. No! What I said was that the contractor should be compelled to return to the site and complete the concrete bridge.
That the governor flagged-off Ehamufu-Umualor road project in the same local government is a good thing for the council area, but that doesn’t mean that the project started by the previous administration should be abandoned with just about 30 per cent remaining work to complete the project. Besides, the new road project was flagged off after I had granted the interview.
Let me express my happiness with The Sun for its credibility. I still count on your achieved honour in dealing with this.
• Chief Nnaji is the  Chimereze of Ikem Umuaram, in Enugu.