Ihedioha And Matters Arising – By Kennedy Eweama
Loading ...If there are two leading governorship hopefuls in Imo State, whose names evoke mixed reactions and elicit all manner of arguments, it is Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and others. I deliberately chose to re-echo this axiomatic position because of the divergent political permutations among many Imolites as well as among friends of the state, who desire a comprehensive over-hauling of all facets of the state administrative machinery.
Imo, as at today, is in a reverse gear and heading uncontrollably towards the precipice. The state is in dire need of a visionary, charismatic, people-orientated and altruistic leader, who has the panache to revive her socio-economic and political well-being without much ado.
It needs not be over-emphasized that true leadership is in-built while sound political tutelage helps to sharp the skill and broaden the leadership horizon.
Conversely, leadership by accident or deceit is sine-qua-non to nepotism, aggrandizement, complex phenomenon and hydra-headed administrative style, which ultimately foist hardship, sufferings and despondency on the led. Unarguably, Imo as she is now, is choking and bleeding profusely under the latter.
However, all hopes are not yet lost. There is still a glimmer of hope that God will salvage the state and deliver the people from the hands of the reigning plunderer and proto-type of late Field Marshall Idi Amin of Uganda. Imolites only need to do the right thing in 2019 with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and the happy days and smiles will return to various homes again.
However, the problem with the electorate in Imo is their penchant to be easily hoodwinked by politicians whose source of income and administrative pedigree are alien to the people’s knowledge. Each election year, all manner of sermons emanate from so many seasonal politicians yet the electorate listen to them. I called them ‘seasonal politicians’ because after election, they disappear and only surface at the twilight of the incumbent’s four year tenure of office with alluring posters and messages. This is the bane of Imo’s political growth and development.
Imo people must begin to ask questions independent-mindedly about those who seek to either govern them or represent them in any legislative house. How is their background? Who are their parents? What are their antecedents? What contributions have they made to the state’s socio-economic, cultural or political development? Why do they seek our mandate? And more.
Perhaps, the failure to ask these questions is the harbinger of the plethora of sufferings the people of Imo are facing today. God told the Israelites to have patience while He chooses a good king for them. But they said ‘no’ and hurriedly opted for Saul. When Saul came down hard on them, they ran back to God for help.
I really think Imo people need to run back to our creator now and seeks for His face over the wrongs and campaigns of calumny heaped on Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha in 2015. The people allowed themselves to be misled by plates of rice and filthy money dishonorably thrown at them by enemies of the state, who had first impoverished them.
Ihedioha, a man whose word is his bond, came to salvage the situation then, they tagged him “arrogant, an Mbaise man and uncompromising”. The enemies of Imo people went to market with funny, petty and ludicrous commentaries about an innocent and humble man and waooh, the gullible electorate bought the expired commodities sold to them! The consequences thereafter, have continued to jeer at them. “Had we known” has become their companion.
While I sympathize with Imolites whose shops, buildings and various other means of livelihood have been destroyed thus pushing them to the threshold of kwashiorkor and starvation; while I feel the pains of our civil servants, whose salaries, allowances and many other official and legitimate goodies have been wickedly slashed down as well as our pensioners, who regularly gnash their teeth over man’s inhumanity to his fathers and mothers, I urge them to cheer up. All hopes are not lost after all.
By next year (2019), they will have another opportunity to re-write the leadership story of Imo State. They should learn to entrust power on somebody, who is tested and trusted. There is no more time for gambling or bet naija.
Emeka Ihedioha, we all know, has the capacity to revive Imo honestly and faithfully. His story is very pleasing to any rational mind. His track record remains a reference point. He has knack for hardwork, excellence and dexterity in service.
Some myopic people (though infinitesimal) have accused Ihedioha of being arrogant and not corrupt or greedy. I ask: if Ihedioha’s insistence that excellence must count in whatever assignment given is arrogant, won’t Imo people prefer that? If a contractor is a given a job to execute, and Ihedioha insists that such job is done precisely according to contract specifications, is that uncompromising?
What of the issue of being an Mbaise man? Here, the innocent man is being blackmailed even when his own Mbaise people are accusing him of assigning duties to people of non-Mbaise origin. Most of Ihedioha’s friends and associates or those he facilitated their employment into the federal civil service (at least 65%) are not from Mbaise. The records are there. How then can such a patriot, trust-worthy and humane Imolite be branded a clannish politician? Tufiakwa!.
It might suffice to re-produce this except below from Temple Okonji (a legal practitioner) on his description of Emeka Ihedioha. “He is a boss to so many. A Principal to countless others. A model and mentor and leader to his generation and the generation next. Indeed, a caring father and loving husband. His legacies and accomplishments earned him “Omenkeahuruanya”. It is a conferment, and honour measurably earned, very deserving”. Okonji is from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area in Orlu geo-political zone of Imo State.
But, I ask: what is wrong if an Mbaise man becomes governor of Imo State? An Mbaise man’s governorship might provide the much needed focus and direction Imo needs. For the avoidance of doubt, I am from Ikeduru Local Government Local Area, lest I be mistaken for an Mbaise man blowing his own trumpet.
We have seen Orlu, and Okigwe zones in Imo State Government House, lets try an Owerri zone administrator vide Ihedioha and I bet you that the “difference will be clear” An Mbaise indigene is dogged, hard working, sincere in his dealing and is very reliable. He or she hardly wavers.
For instance, the former Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and later, Education) Prof. (Mrs) Viola Onwuliri, was given a Commissionership position by Governor Rochas Okorocha in 2011, but she boldly rejected it. This was even when her political future was uncertain after PDP lost the 2011 governorship election. While others were gullibly jumping at the offers our maverick governor dangled at them, the Mbaiseness in Viola Onwuliri kept faithfulness to her party, which culminated in her meritorious appointment afterwards as a federal minister.
Who then says an Mbaise indigene cannot be trusted? Let him or her cast the first stone
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Signed
Kennedy Eweama
Media Consultant
Owerri, Imo State
