Igbanke General Union Worldwide Re-Elects Usiagwu As President -By Isaac Asabor

Engr. Arthur Osaretin Usiagwu has emerged unopposed as the President of the Igbanke General Union Worldwide (IGU Worldwide), thus retaining his position as the president for a second-term tenure.

The election took place amid IGU Worldwide 2022 Conference that was held on Saturday in Oligie, one of the communities that made up Igbanke Town.

While ostensibly showing his report card to stakeholders of the Igbanke Community who graced the event, Usiagwu said, “In the light of our avowed resolve to sustain the all-round development of Igbanke Community, especially as re-echoed at the National Conference of last year, I am glad to report that the stake remains high, and our developmental efforts for our homeland have continuously assumed a positive trajectory. Quite exhilarating is the highly exciting fact that our sub-national communities now bask in the same euphoria of melodious songs of developmental accomplishments. As this wind of change now blows across Igbanke land like a hurricane, mini and micro-developmental initiatives have become the order of the day. This is indeed the soul-satisfying change we all desire as a people of a common heritage. I must not fail to admit that we are on this positive pedestal, not because my Team and I are super competent, but simply because Igbanke sons and daughters here and in the Diaspora remain dogged in their trust and confidence in us while entrusting the Community and her plight in the hands of God, our Divine Providence.

He recalled that in accepting the responsibility four years ago, he emphasised that the task of moving Igbanke forward remains a collective responsibility, and added that he at the time urged all men and women of honor to step out to be counted in the all-important assignment, saying that the assignment remains the community rebirth everyone seeks. He noted that while trying to address mounting challenges encountered as a community that the leadership of IGU engaged in areas that can guarantee quick wins in line with its quest to take Igbanke to the next level of development.

Against the foregoing backdrop, Usiagwu proceeded to list the developmental strides that were recorded in his first term in office, and they cut across refurbishment and re-installation of all-street signage originally installed by the Association of Igbanke Professionals (AIP) across Igbanke and justified the move by saying that Igbanke community remains formidably united under one umbrella leveraging on technology as an enabler.

In the same vein, he listed the upgrade of the Igbanke Police Post into a full-fledged Divisional Headquarters, and procurement of a Police Patrol Vehicle for the take-off of the Divisional Headquarters in Igbanke even as he said that Igbanke General Union now has a functional and interactive website and a huge presence across all Social Media Platforms.

Usiagwu added that rebuilding and upgrading of the old Rest House (Olor Eboh), the review and reprinting of the IGU Constitution, the desalting of portions of Clog Drains along the new 8.5km road network across Igbanke, and the Construction of a Health Centre by SPU Department of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as facilitated by Mr. Jude Ighomor, one of the community’s prominent sons, were some of the achievements recorded in his first tenure.

Other achievements recorded in his first tenure cut across repair work on damaged portions of the road along the hospital road, and repair of a broken culvert at Igbanke Market Square as well as the construction of police constabulary in Oligie, Igbanke.

Other achievements recorded under his first term tenure cut across the reconstruction and upgrade of Igbanke Magistrate Court, and orchestrated Media Outreach to Place Igbanke on the Map.
Also on the list of his achievement are the Installations and commissioning of over 400 units of Solar Powered Street Lights in synchrony with the Developmental Philosophy tagged, ‘Operation Light Up Igbanke’ wherein he gave Special thanks to Mr. Fredrick Omoregbe for playing a pivotal role in bringing the initiative to fruition and the Visitation to the Executive Governor of Edo with his executive and Igbanke leaders of thought.