The day was frigid. It was all windy, rainy and a bit dark. Hell was breaking loose. The Street was deserted. No taxi. I was really excited to see Johnson’s Toyota car come down the street so I could jump in and get the hell home from this meeting. However, Johnson (not his real name) didn’t stop. He did slowed and almost came to a stop but instead, he kept going much to my dismay. I was not sure why he even bothered pretending like he was going to stop. All that he did was get my hopes up and eventually piss me off. With no taxi and Keke around, I did the trekking, soaking wet, musing on Tuface Idibia’s you are my African Queen.
On getting to my place in Owerri that day,I met Mama B my neigbour outside her door. Mama B is 80years old to be précise ,yet bouncing like a woman in her 50’s . She was outside, speaking in her own way to her sea gods. With unknown algae, sand and incense; She prayed to her sea gods in a tongue that plants and whines. How many incense sticks was she burning? Na she sabi! I tried covering my mouth and nose with the sleeve of my jacket in an attempt to breathe somewhat normally. This did not help . Then my phone rang. It was Johnson. He apologized for not stopping to give me a ride. That he was rushing to the Imo State House of Assembly to see Hon Emmanuel Orie who asked him to come. Hon Orie is the member representing Ohaji/Egbema LGA in the Imo House of Assembly. Johnson an Engineer from Egbema told me that Orie saw him at a burial in Obeakpu-Egbema and invited him to Owerri saying he had something for him. On getting to Owerri , Orie instructed his Aide to tell him he was not around. He said before embarking on the journey he called Orie on phone that he was coming and he got the nod to proceed.
Several persons have alleged that the House of Assembly member is fond of making promises he never adhere to. That he is not a man of his words and he tells too many lies. That he is an expert at treachery as he does not keep to agreement and understanding. From a moral point of view, what’s wrong with deception is that it is a betrayal of trust. You cannot deceive someone unless they trust you, believing that you’re being truthful with them. When you succeed in deceiving them, you exploit that trust, using that person for your own ends. In every domain of life, such betrayals weaken or destroy the trust relationships essential to our vital institutions. The health of a democracy depends in part on the ability of its leaders to muster popular support for their policies, and that requires widespread trust in those leaders. In fact, the trust of constituents is one of a political leader’s most valuable assets. But lying to your supporters squanders that trust and diminishes your capacity to lead.
As citizens, we have a responsibility here too. We have to impress upon those who would lead us that we do care about truth and honesty and that losing our trust is an unacceptable cost of deceptive politics. First it was Luke Chukwu, now it is Emmanuel Orie . So like Luke Chukwu like Emmanuel Orie. Luke Chukwu was very deceitful, weak and unconcerned about the plights of Ohaji/Egbema. He had no shred of honour and lacked integrity when he was representing Ohaji/Egbema in the House. Mr Clement Maduka then Special Adviser to the Secretary of Imo State once described him as a shameless ingrate reminding him of how he was unconstitutionally foisted on his constituency.
Now we have an Orie who churns out lies to his constituents daily and has no shred of honour.All the political appointments done so far in Imo, no reference is made to Hon Emma Orie for his state constituency. Indeed an elected representative!. Appointments will be flying all over yet our House member will be in the dark . Shall we because of the beauty of our girl friend,climb a pear tree that is protected with fetish objects ? God forbid. We must call a spade a spade. Hon Emma Oriel I must confess is not trying at all.
Schools, water, road and hospital rehabilitation in Ohaji/Egbema remain in their same dilapiladated state and Orie has not said anything about this. Ohaji/Egbema youths are jobless and Orie is doing nothing about it. He has not attracted a single state or federal job for any member of his constituent. All he does is to post fake request for CV’s for jobs on Facebook . He should tell us who and who he has attracted jobs or political appointment for since he was sworn in.
His presence in the House of Assembly is meaningless for the State Government continue to punish his constituency with denials, underdevelopment and pains. He has not condemned in any form, oral or written in any media, the incessant violations of the law establishing ISOPADEC (law no. 13 of 2010 as amended). Spurious nominations for appointments are made for the ISOPADEC Governing Board without due regard to the provisions of the law as earlier quoted. Even in NDDC Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta don’t have a representative currently. Like Sample Ekwe would say ‘ e dey pain me gaga’.
We are angry we are from the oil area and the oil companies in our area are refusing us jobs, we are angry with the irritating pain of driving on potholes riddles roads in Ohaji/Egbema month after month and year after year and angry with the no power supply to Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta for 6 years now, the unbearable experience of lack of potable water in many parts of our area. Where are the jobs for the youths? What is Orie saying about all these? I kept my pen under my bed for one year and did not say a thing. But not anymore! I am hot with anger. Just like Luke Chukwu, Orie will not avert or postpone his date of reckoning with the Ohaji/Egbema people. He must change now.
-Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria
