Chief Anthony Onyeanuna is a liberal democrat, community leader and philanthropist from Akpahia-Ikenga in Umuahia North Local Government Area. He is also the Vice President of Ohuhu Welfare Union Worldwide. In this interview with the NewsCritic online, Chief Onyeanuna said that Ndi Ohuhu has a man of vision and passion in Sir Obi Aguocha. He urged all to support the new leadership of OWU both morally and financially to take Ohuhu to the next level. Excerpts:
Q: Who is Chief Anthony Onyeanuna?
A: I am sir Anthony Onyeanuna, a democrat from Akpahia community, Ohuhu Umuahia. I’m a liberal democrat, not too hawkish and I like community development.
Q. What influenced your decision to run for the Vice President position in the Ohuhu Welfare Union Worldwide?
A: I have been the President of Akpahia Development Union for the past nine years, I have a natural tendency to want to serve my people, especially in community leadership. I feel pains when I see people suffer, when I can help so I’m like that contributing my quota to help the society.
So when it comes to a larger call to serve Ohuhu, I see it as a similar thing I am doing in my community but now on a wider scale, so I have no option than to heed the call to render service to Ohuhu in that capacity.
Q: What do you have to say about the new Ohuhu leadership led by Sir Obi Aguocha?
A: I am very excited that for the first time I have seen the man of my dream to lead Ohuhu people and I have been wondering when shall it happen, that we can see a leadership in Ohuhu land that is altruistic and not self-centred. A leadership that wants to impact on the lives and development of Ohuhu land.
In just few months he came on board we have seen the way he has galvanised the Ohuhu community, everywhere we went you can see this air of excitement, of repentance on the faces of our people. Their spirit is now awakening to the things concerning our community. We have a man with the vision and passion and energy, it is not easy to be moving about almost on a daily basis to meet and see your people in the various communities to identify with them and to know how they feel. Someone, who ordinarily should be very comfortable in his home going into the bushes to see things for himself to make his people comfortable is indeed commendable. This is what I love in the President Genera, he is a man of charisma.
Q: What does your leadership intend to achieve with the ongoing community tour?
A: The vision I will follow is the vision the PG has for us; he has got so much that I don’t know if I can deliver 10 percent of the expectations he has for me. I just have to give him that support he needs; he is the driver so we follow him. I think so far, so good and my vision is his vision and all what he is after is to make Ohuhu to be great again. He loves humanity. This is a leader who is sacrificing everything to make others happy.
Q: We understand you are also into philanthropy; can you tell us about the building project you are doing for your community?
A: It is actually the remodelling of our home church. We are changing the entire look to make it look like a 21st century church hall suitable for the service of God. I have been involved because I don’t joke with God. There is nothing I have or know that other people do not know. Let me tell you there are people who made first class degree who are still looking for food, so everything one has in life is a privilege and that privilege is grace, and when you get that favour it becomes of you to give back to God and humanity that is what God expects of us. This Is the least you could do to facilitate the work of God.
Q: Beyond the remodelling of your local church are there any other social welfare programmes that you also embark on to help humanity?
A: I have the natural tendency to help the less privileged people in the society, from time to time I buy wrapper and share to women in my community and cash donation of about N10,000 each to the less privileged. Ten people have already graduated courtesy of my scholarship programme and many more are still in school under my scholarships.
Q: Do you have any message for Ohuhu people?
A: I have a message for our people and that message is that we need to rally round and support the vision of our President General, Sir Obi Aguocha. He is talking about developments, the least we can do is to support him morally and financially to move Ohuhu to a new level. He is putting his energy and resources into this Ohuhu project and need to be supported. Ohuhu has a true leader now, one who is straight forward, so this is the time for Ohuhu to be lifted up. I have been praying God to give us men like Okpara in Ohuhu land.
