President General of Association of Igbo Maritime Practitioners in Nigeria (ASIMPIN), Eze Ambassador Damian Emeka Obianigwe on Tuesday, April 12th, 2022 in Lagos, raised alarm over what he called calculated attempts by a group of disgruntled people that claim to be elders of the association to cause disaffection and plant bad blood amongst their members.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant, Media, Godfrey Emeka Nwosu, Eze Obianigwe said unequivocally that nobody constituted any council of elders in the association and that a purported meeting by the so- called elders is a ruse. In his words;
“I wonder who constituted the council, elders in Igbo cosmology are men of wisdom whose predominant attention is peace, rectitude and prudence. These attributes are deficient in the proponents of the meeting and their spurious claim of belonging to council of elders.”
“Eze Obianigwe does not give a whimper over such grandstanding with a fathom group of self-glorifying persons masquerading as elders.”
“It is noteworthy to state that he has since taken bold steps towards constituting a committee to organize elections in the nearest future but for the effects of Covid 19 and unfortunate demise of two members of the association namely: Chief Dom Obi, Secretary General of the Association and the former first electoral committee Chairman, Chief Achike Molokwu.”
According to Eze Obianigwe, Chief Austin Kelly and his co-travellers might have been too late for intervention and making erroneous statements over genuine and pragmatic steps taken to move the association forward.
He said; “Genuine members of the association are advised not to be cajoled into chasing shadows. It would come to those who know the stand of the founder of NAGAFF and ASIMPIN as a shock over the sudden interest being shown by this group of faceless elders and disgruntled elements.”
The royal father further assured all genuine members of the association of his unalloyed commitment and efforts to keep hope alive and stand the great association on a solid ground better than it were from inception.
He also advised all those that embark on campaign of calumny by writing frivolous releases to turn a new leaf and genuinely help in contributing to the success of the association which the President General nurtured from infancy to greater heights today.
“It should be noted that these individuals that orchestrated the release are not active members of the association either by chapter or proxy. Their stock in trade is causing disaffection amongst members.
“Productive members of the association are advised to ignore their rantings borne out of mischief and calculated attempts to tarnish the good image of Eze Obianigwe.”
“Interestingly, these group of people are those that have benefitted most from the magnanimity of the President General in both cash and kind”, the statement concluded.
