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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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NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

The Gleamer

By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC

As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.

Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.

Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.

But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.

As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.

Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.

Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.

Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.

As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.

Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.

Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.

As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.

We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”

To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.

To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.

And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.

Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.

The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.

Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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