In the words of late freedom fighter and international icon, Dr.
Nelson Mandela, “what counts in this life is not the mere fact that we
lived. It is what difference we have made in the lives of others that
will determine the significance of life we lead.”
The Present Chairman of Isi-Uzo local government council in Enugu
state, Hon. Augustine Nnamani has demonstrated in practical terms that
the difference between a successful leader and others is not lack of
knowledge but lack of will. He has added value to the lives of the
people of Isi-Uzo L.G.A. His values are embedded in proactiveness,
sagacity, non pomp and pageantry that accompany other council
chairmen, accessibility and his courage to take decision despite whose
ox is gored.
The ongoing and unprecedented infrastructural development in Enugu
State and Isi-Uzo LGA in particular is not as a result of a bang. It
is neither an aberration nor a flash in the pan. The development is
cast to last for years to come.
There is the veracity of the fact that Hon. Nnamani, in his first
tenure has fulfilled his social contract with the people of the area.
It is also an indisputable fact to a keen observer with an accurate
measuring stick that his achievement in his first tenure beats the
standard set by erstwhile Chairmen of the Council Area since return of
democratic governance in Nigeria. It is no wonder his admirers code
named him “Asphalt mayor”.
I will not join others to start enumerating the unparalleled
achievements recorded by Hon. Nnamani in the annals of history of
Isi-Uzo L.G.A. On the contrary I will sojourn in critical analysis of
reasons why he was able to make such a quantum leap in just twenty
four months.
It is often said that one who wears the shoe knows where it pinches
most. Hon. Augustine Nnamani felt the heart beat of Isi-Uzo L.G.A long
before he became the Council Chairman. In other words he may be
likened to an infantry detailed to raid an area well known to it at
night. The analogy being established here is that Hon. Augustine
Nnamani had native intelligence and crafted to be the Council
Chairman; he needs no local guide. He was able to appreciate the
problems, yearnings and aspirations of the people of the area. He had
a fair share of the problems associated with the terrain of the area
because of the business he did in the area.
Like father like son, our people used to say that when the mother goat
chews the fodder, the kids watch the manner she does it. Hon. Nnamani
as a transformational chairman keyed into the four-point agenda of
Governor Sullivan Chime. These agenda are development of physical
infrastructure, economic expansion and employment, rural development,
service delivery and good governance. The agenda sharpened his vision,
made him focused and organized. This also made his admirers to
describe him as all round achiever.
Another indices that propped up the Nnamani Administration is the
plumage of birds of like feather. His administration was blessed with
the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Local Government Chairman who had
been the Council Chairman in the person of Chief Chijioke Ugwueze. The
duo of Nnamani and Ugwueze went through the same school of political
thought. They also have the same pedigree of being faithful party
stalwarts, held several position in political party administration;
held both elective and appointive positions in the Local Government
before now. These paraphernalia made his administration to be
impeccable brought synergy of experience and a perfect mix.
The Chairman has applied the system theory of input-output matrix in
his day to day activities. The theory is made up of four related
parts: input, output, conversion process and feedback mechanism. Hon.
Nnamani awarded contracts inform of input and it is expected that the
contractors complete the project in form of output. Hon. Augustine
Nnamani checkmates project in form of conversion process. He monitors
the project to ensure that the contractor does the work according to
specification. The onus in this process is not awarding the contracts
but monitoring the contracts. Hon. Nnamani is not a palace chairman
who awards contracts and expects result or believes the reports from
his aides. With his local intelligence he knows the locations of all
his projects sites. He personally supervises these projects to
corroborate the report of his aides. It to what extent projects are
monitored that determines output (value added).
On the issue of feedback mechanism, he regularly held meeting
bi-monthly with wider stakeholders like traditional rulers, political
appointees at all levels, party executive and elders of Isi-Uzo L.G.A.
They give him feedback to what extent the people appreciate the
project. These wider stakeholders criticize contractors who do shoddy
jobs or use sub-standard materials.
Furthermore, another index that gave impetus to the streak of
achievements recorded by Hon. Augustine Nnamani is internal cohesion
within the ranks and files of his administration. He cultivated good
relationship with the members of the legislative council and eschewed
unnecessary bickering. This made the executive and legislative council
a formidable squad walking towards the same direction with common
goal. He avoided altercation within the ranks and files of PDP. This
endeared him to PDP chieftains in the council area. As this was not
enough, he extended hand of fellowship to those whom described as
aggrieved member of PDP, not opposition. Today he has galvanized
Isi-Uzo Local Government as an invincible political block.
There has been wider stakeholders’ satisfaction that many people in
the area have the impression that Hon. Nnamani has created a yawning
gap between him and would be successor in one tenure. Therefore, the
people of Isi-Uzo L.G.A cannot settle for a political charlatan for
his successor. He may etch his name on gold if his second tenure is a
continuum of the first.
