Day Abuja Stood Still for 'Ochendo'
Few hours after he participated in the successful inauguration of the 8th session of the National Assembly on June 9, 2015, the immediate past governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji who represents Abia Central at the Senate, was honoured by the Ngwa people resident in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Ngwa people under the aegis of the Ngwa Cultural Development Association trooped out in their hundreds as early as 10am to the venue of the occasion, Thisday Dome located at the Central District of Abuja, to celebrate a man who they referred to as the equity keeping leader.
According to them, since the creation of Adam and Eve, Orji happens to be the only leader that sincerely fought to ensure that power was ceded to the people of Ukwa Ngwa. Today, the hitherto marginalized people of Ukwa Ngwa have produced their first ever governor in the person of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who won the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Those also present at the grand reception organized in honour of Senator T.A.Orji include his close associates, friends, former commissioners and other aides who happily moved round the spacious hall to exchange greetings with one another.
Musical troupes from Abia and Niger states were on hand to enter guests with their skillfully mastered traditional dancing steps.
The atmosphere inside the hall became more charged with the arrival of the celebrant, Senator T.A. Orji who sauntered into the massive hall in company of his wife, Mercy. The duo was given standing ovation immediately the master of ceremony announced their arrival with shouts of 'Ochendo Global' renting the air. The former first family of Abia State acknowledged the thunderous cheers from the crowd with the waving of hands.
The crowd became uncontrollable immediately Senator T.A.Orji and his wife, Mercy, took their seats in the front roll. Everybody in the hall took time one after the other to greet the amiable Senator and his wife. But the ceremony later commenced with an opening prayer by the former Secretary to the Abia State Government, Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa.
The atmosphere literally got charged again with the arrival of the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who walked into the hall in company of his wife, Nkechi. The Governor received standing ovation from the guests immediately the master of ceremony announced his arrival. Shouts of 'Okezuo Abia' rented the air, as the grand reception for ‘Ochendo’ was put together by the governor's people resident in Abuja.
When Ikpeazu mounted the podium, he described Senator T.A.Orji as a shining star adding that his coming to the Senate will help to showcase to Nigerians his God's given talents.
"He is our eagle on the floor of the Senate. We expect him to be our leader and he should promote peace in the Senate. Ndigbo in particular and Nigerians at large have a good leader in Senator T.A.Orji. I want to reassure him that Abians will rally round him in Abuja. His stay in the Senate shall be successful," he said.
On his part, former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. ACB Agbazuere described the Senator representing Abia Central, Senator T.A.Orji as a leader not ruler noting that he is one man who cannot be forgotten in a hurry "because of his monumental achievements in all sectors of the Abia State economy."
The former SSG, Prof. Mkpa A. Mkpa described Senator T.A.Orji as a complete gentleman whom he said had given Abia State a face-lift.
"He is a man of equity, fairness and justice. He made equity possible in our polity. He is a man who decorated Abia with legacy projects. Above all, he is a man who brought smiles in the faces of Abians," Prof. Mkpa enthused.
Senator T.A.Orji who was apparently humbled by the accolades poured on him when the mounted the podium, enjoined Abians to see themselves as brothers and sisters.
"I feel highly excited by the accolades poured on me by several speakers. The accolades are in appreciation my good works in Abia State. Candidly I want you to extend the same cooperation you gave my administration to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. What you wanted was what we gave you. Let's see ourselves as brothers and sisters in Abia," he said.
Earlier, wife of the former governor of Abia State, Mrs. Mercy Orji, was given an award as the "Nneoma Ndi Obioma Ngwa" meaning the good mother of the people of Obioma Ngwa.