By Chigozie Igbo Jr
Business leader and 2025 Anambra governorship aspirant, Valentine Ozigbo, has issued a stirring 12-point message to Ndigbo, calling for spiritual introspection, unity of purpose, and a renewed commitment to responsible leadership as the South-East and Nigeria at large navigate a defining moment in national history.
In the open letter titled “A 12-Point Letter to Ndigbo”, Ozigbo described the past weeks as a period of “deep reflection and spiritual awakening,” shaped by a series of encounters that prompted him to address the Igbo nation.
Ozigbo cited three recent events that moved him to speak: his visit to detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the worsening security situation across Nigeria, and his exposure to new historical insights after reading The Interesting Narrative by Olaudah Equiano.
According to him, these experiences reinforced the belief that “we have entered a consequential season in our collective story.”
Ozigbo stressed that his message was not from a place of superiority, but from “a brotherhood rooted in shared identity, concern, and hope.” He urged Ndigbo to recognise the current moment as one that requires sobriety, unity and divine alignment.
Drawing on Biblical references, he said nations move according to divine timing, noting that impatience or agitation cannot alter a season that God has appointed. Using Jeremiah 29 as a metaphor, he explained that difficult phases often serve as preparation, not abandonment.
The former Transcorp CEO argued that historical patterns show the Igbo as a “covenant people” preserved through migration, hardship, and adversity. He likened the Igbo experience to that of ancient Israelies, scattered but resilient, wounded but never defeated.
He stated that the South-East is currently in a “prophetic season of refinement and awakening,” and called on the region to align spiritually, morally, politically, and culturally to usher in a new chapter of national relevance.
Ozigbo referenced comments by several religious leaders—among them Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, Bishop David Oyedepo, and global prophetic voices like Tomi Arayomi—whose messages, he said, reinforce the belief that Nigeria is approaching a divine turning point in which the Igbo will play a strategic role.
He also acknowledged remarks by national figures such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, and Professor P.L.O. Lumumba, who have publicly praised the Igbo contribution to African civilisation.
Reflecting on the life of the 18th-century abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, Ozigbo emphasised the value of perseverance, divine guidance, and purpose-driven living. He likened Equiano’s journey—marked by pain, displacement, and triumph—to the Igbo story.
“Adversity is not the end of purpose,” he wrote. “It is often the soil in which destiny takes root.”
Ozigbo reiterated that Ndigbo must return to God and uphold moral discipline, humility, and responsibility as prerequisites for collective progress. Quoting 2 Chronicles 7:14, he said national renewal requires repentance and spiritual alignment.
He warned that blessings such as wealth and enterprise lose their value when they become substitutes for God. He urged Ndigbo to embrace CUSP—Courage, Unity, Strategy and Purity—as a framework for moving forward.
Ozigbo clarified that his message to the Igbo nation was not a claim to superiority but a reminder of responsibility. He acknowledged that every tribe in Nigeria carries unique strengths and that a flourishing Igbo nation should be an asset to the entire federation.
“We Are Closer to Restoration Than We Realise”
The governorship aspirant however expressed optimism that the Igbo nation stands close to a moment of restoration. He called for collective discipline and the rise of new, principled leaders—men and women comparable to the Biblical Davids and Samuels—who embody courage and spiritual clarity.
He ended with a prayer for divine intervention, urging every Igbo son and daughter to seek spiritual renewal and national healing.