Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife is leading a campaign for the  re-orientation of the people of the South-East geo-political zone in diaspora  to prioritise the infrastructural development and  economic growth of the zone.

 Ezeife, who chairs the South East Leadership and Development Initiative, SELDI says their initial action plan includes hosting an edition South East Youth Economic Summit, SEYES, slated for October 2016.

 The former Anambra chief executive told journalists in Enugu that  the summit whose theme is: “Think Home and Build Home,” was aimed at enlightening the people of the zone to invest at home. According to him, “It is time for Ndigbo to think home and build home. It has become imperative for the people to reflect more deeply about their future and strategic essence in the larger Nigerian community.”

 Ezeife decried the “deplorable infrastructural state of the South East region,” as well as “the huge gaps in infrastructural development, economic growth, political and social transformation in the region compared to other regions,” due to lack of federal attention saying that the situation must be redressed by the people themselves. He, however, bemoaned the situation, whereby Igbo entrepreneurs were busy developing other places instead of their own areas, since their own “charity does not begin at home but abroad.”

 The summit which would be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, has scheduled top Igbo leaders to deliver papers including Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige and  Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

 Others include  the immediate past Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former Secretary to the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Sen. Ben Murrey Bruce; former Central Bank Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo; Mr Tony Elumelu and Mr Oscar Onyema. 

 Also slated to speak at the event are  former Minister of Finance, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu; Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; the former National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh; Dr Orji Uzor Kalu; Senator Hope Uzodinma; Rear Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe (retd); former Governor of Lagos State, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (retd) and Mazi Peter Ejiofor. They also include Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi; Prof. Pat Utomi; Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; Prof. Emeagwali; former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi; Chimamanda Adichie and Ndidi Nwuneli among others.