A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and House of Representatives candidate for the Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo constituency, Esom Nwafor-Orizu has urged public office-holders to embrace what she termed “sacrificial leadership,” placing national prosperity above personal ambition.
Her appeal came in an Independence Day goodwill message as she campaigns for the 2027 National Assembly election, framing nation-building as a generational project that demands leaders willing to build enduring institutions rather than chase short-term gains.
Nwafor-Orizu drew heavily on the legacy of her late father, Dr. Akweke Nwafor-Orizu, who served as Senate President from 1963 to 1966 and briefly as Acting President of Nigeria during the First Republic.
“My father’s sacrifices and commitment to Nigeria continue to inspire me,” she said.
“They remind me that service is about what we give to our people and what we leave behind for generations to come”, she added.
The Late Nwafor-Orizu, a member of the Nnewi royal family and a U.S.-educated nationalist, was a prominent figure in early post-independence politics and is remembered for his role in legislative leadership and constitutional development during a turbulent era.
Highlighting her father’s early activism, the APC House of Representatives hopeful recalled how, while still a student in the United States, he founded the American Council on African Education (ACAE) in the mid-1940s, securing scholarships for African students at a time when access to higher education was severely restricted.
According to her, the ACAE ultimately facilitated more than 250 scholarships for young Nigerians and other Africans in the 1950s, demonstrating that meaningful leadership is measured not by political office but by lives touched and opportunities created.
Historical accounts note that the ACAE, incorporated in New York in 1944, established offices across Nigeria by 1946 and ran a structured scholarship programme with multiple categories, rigorous screening and strict rules governing scholars’ stays abroad.
Addressing Nigeria’s current political and social realities, Nwafor-Orizu called on citizens to treat the country’s cultural and regional diversity as an asset rather than a fault line.
“Beyond our differences, we are one people with a shared destiny,” she said.
“The Nigeria we desire is possible when we choose to build together.”
She argued that national development remains achievable if both citizens and political leaders make the necessary sacrifices to secure it, warning against leadership that prioritises personal enrichment over institution-building.
Nwafor-Orizu, listed among female APC candidates seeking election to the House of Representatives in 2027, used her message to wish Nigerians a peaceful Independence anniversary celebration and a prosperous month ahead.
She expressed optimism that national growth and economic opportunities would soon reach families and communities across the federation, positioning her candidacy as part of a broader push for a leadership culture rooted in legacy and long-term thinking.
