UNITED Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, has rejected the
erection of statue of President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, in Owerri by
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, including naming a street in the state
capital after Zuma.....
While demanding that the statue be pulled down, ULC
described honoring of Zuma by the governor as highly insensitive and
contemptuous of not only the people of Imo State but also possess the dangers
to Nigeria if not roundly condemned and excoriated by well-meaning Nigerians. ULC in a statement by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero,
urged the people of Imo State and other patriotic Nigerians who feel outraged
over this act to immediately demand that Okorocha should pull down the infamous
statue. The group called on the people of Imo State to demand a return of the
money used in this ignoble project and march to the legislature to demand that
Okorocha apologises to the citizens of the state for bringing this national
shame and disgrace to them. The statement read in part: “We are not against
honouring great men and women who have contributed positively to the
development of the state to encourage them to do more but we know that whatever
must have informed the choice of Jacob Zuma at this time must be everything but
altruistic and patriotism. “How he became a Nigerian or Imo State champion
cannot be explained and beats our imagination. Zuma is not a Nigerian patriot,
contributed nothing to the Nigerian project and the Imo State effort at
development. He is not Shehu Shagari, Sam Mbakwe, Awolowo or Zik of Africa;
either is he any of those patriots from Imo State or other parts of Nigeria who
are well-deserving of such honour and who have not been honoured. He definitely
does not deserve a statue in Imo State talk less of naming a street after him.”
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