Otti Tells Igbo To Unite And Put The Group First

(Dr Alex Otti. Photo Credit: Vanguard News)

Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti has asked Ndigbo to place the common good above individual differences so that the Igbo can build a brighter future.

He spoke in Umuahia at the 2026 World Igbo Day celebration, where he said unity does not mean everyone must think the same way.

Otti said the Igbo can disagree on issues and still stay committed to shared goals.

He urged them to draw on the courage, resilience, enterprise and community values they got from their ancestors.

He said unity is knowing that one person's wishes cannot outweigh the hopes of the majority, and asked them to replace quarrels and bitterness with peace, understanding, honesty and teamwork.

He named education, apprenticeship and the Omugwo tradition as key ways of passing knowledge, skills and values from one generation to the next.

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, said the Igbo must think hard about the future they want for themselves and for Nigeria.

He said the Igbo Charter gives a roadmap for making the most of the potential of the Igbo people.

He said unity is the spirit of Njiko Ka, the theme of this year's celebration, and that a united front is needed for Ndigbo to take their rightful place in Nigeria and the world.

He said the people may differ on politics, religion, strategy and even how history is read, but they share one identity and one responsibility, and must build a strong base for the generations to come.

The chairman of the event, retired General Ike Nwachukwu, asked Igbo sons and daughters at home and abroad to see their part in building the Igbo nation.

He called enterprise a major strength of the Igbo and said young people must be deliberately invested in and taught good values, and be made to see that they are leaders of today as well as tomorrow.

He urged Igbo youths to embrace their culture and aim for excellence in whatever they do.