……….PRESS RELEASE….

By Iheanyi Enwerem

In a swift reply to rumours making waves about the health of former Governor of Imo State, and Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Sam Onwuemedo says his boss is in good health.

In a press release made available to IKORO OKIGWE on Thursday morning it read;

1. On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, a group of people, came up with what they had described as “breaking news”. And what was that ” breaking news?”. That, the former Governor of lmo State and former Senator Representing lmo West Senatorial District, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha had fallen sick and taken to London hospital where he died. And what was the sickness? They said, it was” Acute gorilla”.

2. To all men and women of conscience and good tidings, the correct breaking news is that, Rochas Okorocha was neither sick, nor dead. Okorocha has never had even headache since he left as the Governor of lmo State in 2019. In other words, Rochas Okorocha is hale and hearty as we write.

3. Okorocha had spent almost one week in Owerri for the burial of Chief Emmanuel lwuanyanwu. On the burial day, Friday, November 1, 2024, he was at the burial Church Service and was present at the burial site.

4. After the burial, he went to his Owerri to residence to receive and host Nigerians from all walks of life who had come for the burial. He hosted them, including the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Benjamine kalu and many of his Colleagues.

5. Okorocha was in his Owerri residence receiving visitors from far and near, until Monday, November 4, when he went back to Abuja with some other guests for the the Night of Tributes at Yardua Center for another great Nigerian and illustrious son of lgboland, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu. On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, he was at the Service of Songs, equally in honour of Ogbonnaya Onu.

6. Twenty four hours after, the ugly breaking news came up. We know those behind the unfortunate breaking news. We equally know their motive. We know their problem . And they have our sympathies.

7. It’s very disturbing, that, at a time like this, what some people could come up with as their own version of breaking news was to ” allocate” “acute gorilla” they had, perhaps, invented, to someone who didn’t have fever. And equally pronounced the person dead, when the person is alive. Hale and hearty.

8. Those behind this evil breaking news need our collective prayers and heartfelt condolences. They’re dead in Spirit. They need spiritual rearmament. They need atonement. It takes the evil ones to know the latest disease or infection in the atmosphere or in town. Evil ones take stock of diseases. That’s their stock in trade.

9. Those behind this alarming breaking news were angry because of the resounding ovation that had followed the introduction of Okorocha at lwuanyanwu’s burial. You do not curse who GOD, in his infinite Mercy and wisdom, has blessed. You do not declare dead, someone GOD has kept alive.

10. The Scripture says, “tell the wicked, it shall not be well with them”. But we won’t do this. Rather, we tell those behind this unimaginable breaking news that, it shall be well with them. We do not belong to their group. We do things differently. We are not the ones to judge them. God has the final say. We leave them to their consciences if they have any.

11. To thousands of people, both within and outside, who had directly called Owelle or called those close to the former lmo governor to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of the nauseating breaking news, we say, thank you. We thank you immensely. All things worketh together for good, to them that love God.

Finally, we continue to pray for these couriers or distributors of “acute gorilla”, until they have genuine repentance and begin to live normal life. Those who live normal life do not wish people dead. We annoint them with fresh oil for genuine repentance. May the GOOD LORD meet them at the point of their need. We sympathize with them.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State Council has lauded the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma for appointing a Journalist, acting Head of Service, Imo Civil Service, Mrs. Chikodi Emenalom.

In a release signed by the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Ifeanyi Nwanguma, JP and made available to newsmen, NUJ commended the Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma for finding the Journalist worthy of the exalted position of number one civil servant in the state.

“The NUJ family is deeply appreciative of this gesture. We assure the Governor that Emenalom will not disappoint his Government. This has gone a long way to show how much of regards and love the Governor has for the journalism profession”.

The NUJ Chairman, Nwanguma equally called on the new acting Head of Service to make the Journalists proud by preserving and protecting the sanctity and tenets of the Imo State Civil Service, stressing that the civil servants await new ideas that would support and further the ideals of the 3R administration of the Governor.

Before her appointment, Mrs. Chikodi Emenalom, was the immediate past Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, former Chairperson of National Association of Women Journalists, Imo State, Member of the National Institute and Nigeria Union of Journalists.

She comes with experience gathered over the years from different ministeries since joining the Imo State Civil Service in 1990 as Information Officer.

She was a 1988 graduate of Linguistics from the old Imo State University, Okigwe. Emenalom was promoted a Permanent Secretary in 2018 and has worked in the Ministeries of Information, Finance, Agriculture, Women Affairs, Special Duties as well as in Government House.

It would be recalled that during the 2020-2021 Corona Virus pandemic era, she was appointed the Imo State Communicator for the World Bank Assisted programme dealing with COVID in the State.

Nwanguma urged her to bring her wealth of knowledge and experience garnered over the years into her new office, adding that the pen profession will always be there to support the Uzodinma led administration and the Civil Service of the State.

“We are proud of you and other Journalists out there that are showing good examples of what the profession represents”.

It would be recalled that this is the first time a Journalist will be appointed the Head of Service of the state.

Abuja

The late President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo (worldwide), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, will be exceptionally buried with full funeral rites, the chairman of the Central Burial Committee, Senator Ben Obi, has said.

Obi disclosed this during the inauguration ceremony of the sub-committee and the local organizing committees at the Imo State Lodge, Abuja.

This is however, contained in a release issued by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr, Alex Ogbonnia, and made available to newsmen,on Tuesday.

Senator Obi explained that the late business mogul/politician was a global citizen and a nationalist, whose contributions to national development were legendary.

He added that Iwuanyanwu was a success story in the field human endeavour, who served the Igbo nation at elderly age with utmost dedication and sincerity.

He said that there would be days of tribute for Iwuanyanwu in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Owerri, adding that it would be followed with service of songs on Tuesday, October 27, 2024, at Attah, his home town in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.

He said, “The grand finale will be on November 1, 2024, when his remains would be committed to mother earth.”

Meanwhile, the programmes indicate that there would be more elaborate ceremonies in Enugu, which would include taking Iwuanyanwu’s corpse to the headquarters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide situated at No. 7 Park Avenue, GRA, Enugu.

Obi further said that the authentic burial committee for the funeral was the one set up by the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

He said, “I advise this to eschew clash of interest. Any other group that wishes to organize any event concerning the funeral rites of Iwuanyanwu should contact the central burial committee for clarification.”