“Before you are a leader,” Jack Welch said, “success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” One can say Welch had Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejigamba Nde Igbo) in mind when he made this assertion.
Iwuanyanwu became great through the dint of hard-work. He became greater by growing others to be great. His was a leadership that was compassionately dedicated to the values of humanity.
Among his greatness, was his uncanny abilities to accept those he led as humans and not materials.
A vision that those he led would be greater than himself. It is on record that he produced great leaders who today, are the prides of their communities.
He was able to do this and more because he was not “jealous” of those he led or afraid that one day, they would become leaders who may even oppose him.
As a man of strong faith, all those who passed through him remained eternally grateful to him for the torchlight he beamed unto their paths.
I use Prince Lemmy Akakem, (Okptaozuoha), deputy Chairman of Imo State Council of Elders and former Chairman, Iwuanyanwu Nationale as point of universal reference.
Chief Iwuanyanwu was among the greatest leaders of all times not just because he did great things.
He was because in the words of Ronald Reagan, “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”
He encouraged collaborative conducts among the people in order to bring out the best in each person for the good of the society.
The genuineness of his leadership remains his connection with the people, readiness to answer whenever they called.
He did not see being the leader as a mere title.
To him, it was a sacred calling to influence, empower and be the roadmaker for the renaissance the people sought.
In life, he worked for the unity of Nde Igbo.
He was passionately worried and concerned about their place in the national schemes of things and beyond.
He espoused a vision and articulated workable mission statements.
He braced the challenges as they came and was always grateful to the people for providing the opportunity to lead them.
I am sure, among his greatest regrets were the lingering insecurities in Igboland, the eroding Igbo consciousness which he sought to restore and of course, the non release of Mazi Nnamdi Kalu in spite of his spirited efforts.
I am sure again, that he would be sad in his grave, with the awareness whenever he is summoned by the Igbo ancestors that this emerging great young leader of Nde Igbo (Mazi Nnamdi Kalu) is still in detention.
Symbolically, Kalu’s continued detention ranks pari passu to the detention of Igbo’s values and aspirations.
Therefore, the President Tinubu led federal government should release Mazi Nnamdi Kalu unconditionally, as a mark of honour to the memory and legacies of Iwuanyanwu. This indeed, will be the greatest tribute to him and Nde Igbo as a whole.
As the remains of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (*Ahaejigamba Nde Igbo*) was committed to mother earth, it is my prayer that God forgives him of all human flaws and admit him into his paradise.
May the great Igbo ancestors also welcome their worthy son and brother.
©️nzejameschinonyerem2024.
