By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The National Vice President of Ohanaeze, Ichie Damian Okeke-Ogene, has called on bloggers to embrace the task of criticizing and informing leaders of the country about the worsening state of the country.

Addressing bloggers at a one-day bloggers summit in Anambra State organised in collaboration with Life International Hospital, the Ohanaeze chief said that bloggers and media practitioners could help to change the narrative by re-orientating the youths to take over the country from the old block and bad leaders.

He recalled that the people who laid the foundation of the country were all youth then and wondered why people who were above 80 years were still desperately struggling to be the President of the country.

“If things continue like this, that means time may come when people would even go and exhume a buried corpse to come and contest election in this country. They keep saying that youths are the leaders of tomorrow; when will that tomorrow ever come?” he queried.

In agreeing with saying that the pen is mightier than the sword, Ogene added: “You must use your pen to disengage them because we don't have the arms to do so, but you have your pens. Pen is mightier than sword. I like the way you criticize, even though there may few junks among you.

“Also, always try to be objective in your criticisms. Always check and investigate well before publishing.

“Bloggers are usually freer because they and their addresses are not usually known, unlike the conventional media which are known and can be sued or sanctioned at any time.”

Reacting to the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja, and attack last Tuesday night, Ogene urged bloggers to openly remind President Muhammadu Buhari that the country’s system has totally collapsed, and that people were no longer safe.

The elder statesman who chaired the summit, also called on every qualified Nigerian to get his or her PVC and get ready to change the narrative in 2023; even as he also called for the restructuring of the country.

He noted that every part of Nigeria was being marginalized today, judging from the current state of under-development in every part of the country.

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