The Isi-Uzo Youth Congress (IYC) has stated that it will resist any attempt to alienate its people from their Nkanu historical origins and as residents of Enugu State’s Enugu-East Zone.
Mr Thankgod Ogenyi, President of the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area (LGA) Youth Council, issued the warning at a news conference on Tuesday in Enugu.
The news conference took place following an IYC meeting in Enugu on December 20.
Ogenyi stated that the IYC condemned the recent twisting of historical facts by some youths who claimed that Isi-Uzo was not historically and genealogically from Nkanu land and was not part of the Enugu East Senatorial Zone.
Ogenyi claimed that the people of Isi-Uzo hailed from Nike, Ama-Nkanu, and Ibegwa Nike areas, all of which were historically within Nkanu land and have localised items and landmarks to prove it.
“We are here to correct the misinformation spreading on social media that Isi-Uzo people are not part of Enugu East Senatorial zone and are not part of Nkanu land,” he said.
“We, the youths of Isi-Uzo, have come to the conclusion that Isi-Uzo, as a local government area, has equal rights as the other five council areas within Enugu East Senatorial Zone, which is constitutionally recognized.”
“The people of Isi-Uzo are full members of the Enugu East Senatorial Zone and have the same right to run for any position within the zone as other council areas.”
“We, the Isi-Uzo people, are more Nkanu in origin than any self-proclaimed Nkanu.” We have historical evidence of Isi-Uzo people descended from Nike, Ama-Nkanu, Ibegwa, and Oba.
“Some people are out in public distorting historical facts and evidence against our people, and we will not tolerate it.”
“They have the evil and ungodly intention of driving Isi-Uzo people out of Enugu East Senatorial Zone.”
“As a result, we are a part of the Enugu East Senatorial Zone and of Nkanu land.”
“The council area, with a very large voting population, had assisted our brothers in Nkanu land in producing former Governor of Enugu State, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani; Sen. Gilbert Nnaji; Sen. Ken Nnamani, Sen. Jim Nwobodo, and others.”
He stated that anyone who excludes Isi-Uzo LGA from the scheme of things in Enugu East Senatorial Zone does so at his own risk and should be “warned.”
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was praised by the IYC boss for his purposeful, people-oriented, and youth-oriented governance in the state.
“By appointing them to various positions to serve and learn, His Excellency, Gov. Ugwuanyi, has given youths a sense of belonging and a platform to excel and contribute their quota to the development of the state,” he said.