Executive Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has said that the Igbo must become more politically active and conscious as community influence carries little weight, unless it is applied to the choices that shape people’s lives.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary of De Pinnacle International Social Club, which held in Abuja at the weekend, with the theme; “A Decade of Excellence and Impact” at the in Abuja, Okonkwo said he has observed that prominent individuals and groups in the South East often fight fiercely over who becomes a town union leader or traditional ruler, yet are passive when it comes to electing governors, local government chairmen, and other political positions.
The elder statesman, who was installed as the patron of the club, said these offices wield far greater power over the collective future of the South East, therefore, the energy spent on town union elections should be matched by equal attention at all levels of governance.
He stressed that he was not calling for social clubs to become partisan. Instead, he said civic participation includes examining the records of those seeking office, engaging candidates on the issues that matter to their communities, encouraging informed voting, and using collective influence responsibly. Concern for the welfare of a community, he argued, should extend beyond philanthropy and fellowship to a responsible interest in the quality and character of the people who govern it.
“If we are prepared to invest so much energy and influence in determining who leads our communities and traditional institutions, we should be equally prepared to ask the more consequential question of who governs the larger political jurisdictions within which those communities exist,” he said.
Okonkwo said that the Igbo people should think beyond state boundaries, pointing to Igbo communities in Rivers, Delta, and Cross River States, whose experience, networks, and resources could strengthen a more cohesive region.
He then accepted his installation as the patron of the club, urging De Pinnacle to make its second decade more consequential through stronger fellowship, deeper service, wider partnerships, and more visible impact. He said the resources for national renewal lie not only in government institutions or large corporations, but also in the people, relationships, and voluntary associations that make up Nigerian society.
“I accept that responsibility fully, and I look forward to playing my own part in helping Pinnacle translate its considerable social capital, fellowship, and influence into even greater service to our people and society.
I congratulate De Pinnacle International Social Club on 10 remarkable years and wish the organisation an even more impactful second decade,” he said.