Otti calls for unity and collective action at World Igbo Day celebration
Abia Governor Alex Otti has urged Igbo people to put collective interests above political and economic differences, saying unity need not mean agreement on every issue. At a World Igbo Day event in Umuahia, speakers also emphasised education, heritage and responsibilities to future generations.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has called on Igbo people to deepen unity, cooperation and collective action to advance the community’s development. Otti spoke in Umuahia on Tuesday at the 2026 World Igbo Day celebration, hosted by Abia under the theme “Njiko Ka”, meaning unity is supreme. The governor said unity did not require unanimity.
He said the Igbo republican tradition allowed people to hold different views while working towards the common good. Otti urged Ndigbo to replace discord and acrimony with peace, understanding and sincerity. He also asked them to look beyond immediate political and economic interests and consider the effects of their decisions on future generations.
He advocated dialogue, consensus-building and cooperation on development initiatives. Education and the transfer of knowledge between generations, including through apprenticeship and the tradition of “omugwo”, were identified by the governor as important to Igbo development. Otti cited Abia’s free and compulsory education policy and urged parents and community leaders to confront substance abuse, violence and other social problems affecting young people.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, John Azuta-Mbata, said the theme highlighted the need for unity among Igbo people in Nigeria and the diaspora. He urged young people to preserve and advance their collective heritage. The celebration included a church service, wreath-laying at the Aguiyi-Ironsi Cenotaph and tours of selected projects executed by the Otti administration across Abia’s three senatorial districts.
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