THE ADDRESS OF THE NUPI GLOBAL ADMINISTRATOR, DR UCHE OGUIKE, ON THE 2022 AWARD NIGHT TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF DR AUSTIN AGBAHIWE, THE PIONEER GLOBAL ADMINISTRATOR. 29 DECEMBER 2022

Let me stand on the existing protocol to welcome your Excellencies, Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Professionals, Ladies & Gentlemen present here today.

I sincerely thank all NUPI members and indeed all Umuaka people for deeming it fit to set aside a day to celebrate our own; the best of the best, Dr Austin Chidi Agbahiwe, PhD.

I am glad that the pioneer GLAD, Dr Agbahiwe with the able leadership of NUPI laid a solid foundation on which we are building on.

When it appeared that the creation of various autonomous communities in Umuaka will put a knife in that which hold us together, Dr Agbahiwe led the charge for the establishment of this noble association. NUPI which is the apex association in Umuaka is a dependable umbrella for all natives of Umuaka to freely commit their talents, time and resources through joint efforts for developmental purposes. It has grown from the proverbial mustard seed to a healthy tree, and still growing.

We in NUPI are very grateful for your dedication and selfless services to lift the association above any other one in our community. This award night to celebrate you is quite remarkable and fitting. I am happy to be associated with it.

During your leadership of NUPI, Umuaka as a whole, made giant progress in bring all the autonomous communities together and in infrastructural development.

NUPI successfully held ground-breaking conventions that brought our people together, organised a highly successful and memorable pan-Umuaka Oghu festival that brought back the sweet memories of yester-years. NUPI led the upgrading of the community electricity infrastructure by the replacement of the injection substation from 2.5MVA to 5.0MVA at no direct cost to any individual or the community. NUPI under your leadership also carried out lots of women, youth and community empowerment programmes, including the education and sensitization of our people during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic on preventive measures and distribution of palliatives to the needy in our community.

The summit of your glorious leadership of NUPI was the acquisition of over 25 plots of lands by NUPI that will serve as our secretariat and our primary development site, going forward. This singular achievement automatically increased the land mass of Umuaka and refocussed NUPI.

I thank all those that worked with you to achieve these feats. As I have assured our members, this is just the beginning. There will be subsequent award nights to recognise and honour other deserving members.

As we will expect, this award is being organised and hosted by NUPI but actually it is an Umuaka award to a worthy son who has touched many lives positively. This can be attested to, by the number of dignitaries from far and near, present here today to honour him.

I do not want to pre-empt the content of the expected torrents of tributes from our members and distinguished guests. Dr Agbahiwe is the Phoenix (bird) of our time. When some disgruntled elements wanted to distract and derail Dr Austin Agbahiwe and NUPI, thinking that the world of the “caterpillar has ended, the caterpillar turned into a butterfly” and is still soaring higher (Proverb).

I thank and celebrate Dr Agbahiwe on behalf of all NUPI members for standing firm even in the face of adversities. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said,” If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavour.” The rain water that is pouring on an eagle is only washing or bathing the eagle (Igbo Proverb)

I thank these distinguished friends, guests and well-wishers, who despite their other commitments, chose to join us in this busy Yuletide season to celebrate a community icon. I am convinced that NUPI will be blessed by your presence and generosity towards the association to fulfil her mandate, particularly the development of our vast land resources. We are ready and willing to partner with any credible individual or organisation to achieve this pressing objective. I am appealing that you seriously consider this my humble request.

I equally thank all NUPI members that make this award night possible and the Youths directorate that led in the organisation of this event.

Let us relax and enjoy the events of the day. NUPI is very prepared for you all and I am with you in spirit.

Dr Uche Oguike, BDS, MPA, MHPM, MFDS, RCS (Eng), MSc
NUPI Global Administrator
29 December 2022