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SILENCE IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE: THE ISI-UZO EXAMPLE

Published

5 years ago

October 5, 2020

By Ifeanyi Ogenyi

Bishop Desmond Tutu once said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality”.

The above quote aptly captures the position of most of the Isi-Uzo people who have chosen to be silent in the face of injustices against them in their Senatorial District.

A few days ago, I posed a question: “WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE POSITION OF ISI-UZO IN THE POWER SHARING EQUATION IN ENUGU EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT SINCE THE RETURN OF DEMOCRACY IN 1999 TIL DATE?

The above question attracted a lot of reactions but unfortunately, the answers elicited from the question were full of sympathy for Isi-Uzo people who have been strangely seen as a political orphan and the most unfairly treated Local Government Council in Enugu East Senatorial District has been so long denied the opportunities to represent the zone in any elective or representative capacity since 1999 till date.

Many agreed that for a very long time now, Isi-Uzo has been in political oblivion in the politics of power-sharing in the Senatorial Zone.

It is crystal clear that the injustices against Ndi Isi-Uzo are numerous and as an L.G.A, it has been practically excluded in the political dimension of power-sharing by the “Core Nkanu”.

The situation of political haplessness in which Isi-Uzo people found themselves in the Senatorial calls for concern of all the Stakeholders in the zone and all men of good conscience and a good sense of justice in Enugu redress the injustice.

It is very crucial to remind our brothers from other parts of the zone that Isi-Uzo is part and parcel of Enugu East Senatorial District and all other local government councils in the zone have benefited immeasurably from the zone except Isi-Uzo people.

In fact, it is safe to state that all the persons who had represented and still representing the zone in the Senate from 1999 to date seamlessly attained that position by leveraging on the block votes of Isi-Uzo people which had always been the deciding factors of who wins. Isi-Uzo has the most politically conscious people in Enugu East Senatorial District.

And it is indeed very unfortunate that after many years of a show of support and solidarity to other parts of Nkanu land by Isi-Uzo people, the kind gestures and goodwill extended unreservedly have not been reciprocated, rather, Isi-Uzo people appears to have been judged negatively by their brothers from other parts of Nkanu who incidentally were great benefactors of the goodwill.

There is no local government in Enugu East Senatorial District that has never had a fair share in the power-sharing except Isi-Uzo. All other five local governments namely: Nkanu East, Nkanu West, Enugu East, Enugu North, and Enugu South had once, twice, or even thrice had a bite on the cherry by representing the zone in one capacity or the other. Why is Isi-Uzo relegated to the background in the power-sharing? Why is Isi-Uzo dressed in the toga of “Political Orphan? Is it deserving of them?

Is 2023 not an opportunity to redress the injustices and unfair political treatments meted out to Isi-Uzo people in their Senatorial District? The time for the healing of the wounds should be by 2023. The moment to balance the imbalances.

The cardinal principles of justice, equity, and fairness should be applied in power-sharing especially so in choosing who occupies the Lion Building come 2023 when it is expected to be the turn of Enugu East Senatorial District to produce the next number one citizen of the State.

Hence, Isi-Uzo people should be allowed this time to occupy the seat of the Governor of the State if eventually zoned to Enugu East Senatorial District in line with the long-standing zoning arrangement in the State.

As deliberately poised as politics may appear, conceding the governorship position to Isi-Uzo will not only give them a sense of belonging in the zone but will also meet the ends of justice, equity, and fairness.
The case of Isi-Uzo is so pathetic that no Stakeholder in Enugu with an acute sense of justice should rest comfortably without seeing that justice is done because you don’t know when such a thing will befall any other L.G.A for whatever reason.

But the most worrisome of all is the pretentious attitudes and political posturings of most of the Isi-Uzo people in the face of the imbalances in the zone.

In the face of all these injustices, most of the Isi-Uzo people have chosen to hide in their trenches and to die in silence.
Where are the men? The time is now! Are Isi-Uzo people naïve? Not at all. While some have chosen to remain silent in the whole pathetic situation Isi-Uzo found itself, some have opined that it is too early to be talking about Isi-Uzo being allowed to occupy the Lion Building by 2023; and I asked what makes it to be too early for Isi-Uzo people to state the obvious? One thing that is clear is that power is not always gotten on a platter of gold, it is taken most time though not necessarily by force but by constructive arguments, agitations, engagements, and lobbying which all tools of power politics. And this is what is expected of Isi-Uzo people now, having known their political status in the power-sharing in the zone.

And for those who have chosen to be neutral and silent, it is very important to remind them that they are on the side of the oppressors and posterity will not kind to them.

Let there be justice, let justice, equity, and fairness reign in Enugu East Senatorial District.

In all, let our brothers from other parts of Nkanu land support Isi-Uzo come 2023 to be in the Lion Building. It will serve the best interest of justice, equity, and fairness; and Nkanu will ever remain great.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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