A Yoruba adage says ‘‘omo osan loun ko poun-po loba iya re nile’’. It is only a prodigal son that brings dishonour and shame to his mother. This proverb can best describe what some persons in Imo state want me to do in the name of politics. They tell me, dump your mentor Nanah Goodluck Opiah, join our team. We will treat you well. Follow us to support Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Ihedioha is coming. Dump your support for Hope Uzodinma. What have they done for you? You are not recognized.
I am not seeking for recorgnition. I am the Unknown Servant. I do what I do for the overall good of the overall majority. I am recognized by the Lord . Good name is better than silver and gold. You see, Opiah is a good man. Honestly, we have good men in all walks of life. Opiah is one of such men. He has integrity. He is cool-headed, principled. His outstanding records during his time at the Imo State House of Assembly and at the National Assembly, even as a Special Adviser to Governor on Oil and Gas Matters are there for everyone to examine. If he is for you, then someone is for you. If he is against you, then you are in trouble. As a politician, he has proved his mettle. He has made the people of the oil kingdom proud. Since he joined politics he has transformed the oil areas of the state from neglect to recognition, from instability to peaceful co-existence, and from indignity to human dignity and respect. All these transformation would not have been possible without political will, vision, mission, foresight and fear of God in leadership. I admire such men. He has my support.
My advice to these people who want me to dump my mentor Opiah is to keep their okro mouths shut and concentrate on what they know best- posting fake news to deceive the people. Their days of reckoning will soon come. In fact, it will be earlier than they expect. On that day, there will be no hiding place for them. Even those that are giving them shelter will not come to their assistance.
Do not expect me to abuse or play with semantics to tell the entire state that our ex-Governor, ‘Professor’ Emeka Ihedioha, alias “Uncle Go Slow”, aka “Professor’ Do Little” was a magician when he was Governor of Imo State. Nothing can be more retrogressive and disdainful than this. I will not handle the pen in such a manner no matter the condition I find myself. I will not dish out untruth in robes labeled truth to my teeming fans. I will not contravene a basic rule in Imo’s quest for sanity.
Ihedioha’s tenure was deceitful. The fear people entertain about him is his impulsive and compulsive drive to eat up the future today and the next day he fumbles for worker’s salary. Simply, he was a squandering and prodigal Governor. He chose the path of greed and stone-deaf sadism, and tempted the people, and the whole state felt provoked by this villainous apolitical rubberneck. Compassion seems to be an anathema to him. When he was a governor he acted like a ruffian and a gunboat diplomat who defected to opportunism and became a psychotic with power.
Public ratings of Ihedioha especially as they pertain to politics have nose-dived drastically in the last two years. Curiously, he is not doing anything to rehabilitate his bad image or return his public rating to the graph of ascendancy. His actions smack of the theory of he who is down fear no fall. But that is always the fate that befalls those who work at cross purpose with public interest. They are shot to the centre of attention but they always fizzle out soonest. It is the case of the philosophy of Starey which notes: “ability may take you to the top but it takes character to keep you there” And since character has an inherent latitude in meaning, goodwill can be said to constitute part of one’s character. The man in reference appear to be notoriously deficient of this important social capital. I will never support Ihedioha and his rebuild Imo project, not today, not tomorrow.
If we know what is good for this society, no petty-minded person should be given the reins of authority for such a person would abuse it to our chagrin. We must not even allow them to ascribe leadership onto themselves on our behalf as they lack the sterling values of leadership.
We thank the lord for Senator Hope Uzodinma who God used to deliver Imo from the Lion’s den. We know where the rain began to drench us in Imo. Through Hope Uzodinma, Imo did the simplest thing: re-strategized and traced the way out of the bush. Uzodinma is on a divine mission to rebuild Imo. This is about God hearing the cries of his children and sending a deliverer. The misconceptions and campaign of calumny being peddled by fifth columnist cannot stop him.
Governor Hope Uzodimma has proved that truly, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. He placed the interest of Ndi Imo above self. After proper review of all the road contracts awarded by his predecessor, he approved all of the contracts and asked contractors to go back to sites. And by so doing, he disappointed the naysayers and scaremongers.No matter how one hates Uzodinma and his government, one cannot speak against the many solid roads that were rehabilitated and constructed by his government.
Governor Uzodinma ensured Prompt payment of salaries. Every labourer deserves their wages. Payment of salaries has not been delayed. As a matter of fact, workers and pensioners in the state receive their pay promptly. He procured and presented official vehicles to senior civil servants to aid them in the discharge of their duties. When the Covid 19 pandemic was reported in Nigeria and was spreading across the country, the Imo State government immediately swung into action to prevent the disease from entering the state. A 9-man Committee on Prevention of Coronavirus disease in Imo State was constituted, with an erudite scholar and Professor, Maurice Iwu, as Chairman. Uzodinma provided six well-equipped isolation centres at Okigwe General Hospital, Aboh Mbaise General Hospital, Orlu General Hospital, Federal Medical Centre Owerri, General Hospital Umuguma, and the Ultra-Modern Well-being Centre, Owerri; as well as an operational Test and Treatment Centre for Coronavirus in Owerri metropolis, with a molecular laboratory to test all viruses.
He launched a security operation codenamed: “Search and Flush”.He provided over 100 security pick-up vans for the operation. Gov. Uzodinma has assented to the Imo State Revenue Ammendment Law, 2020. On March 12, 2020, he signed the Criminal Justice Administration Bill into law. With this law in place, the judiciary is once more equipped to dispense justice without fear or favour.He has also really given hope to peaceful co-existence among the different tribes in the state. It further portrays him as a detribalized man who sees everybody as one. The entire workers will not forget in hurry the sanitation done in the workers wage bill. Payroll fraud and pension crime have become a thing of the past. The government has embarked on several youth empowerment programmes.
Government has attracted a massive agricultural project that will be sited in Owerri West Local Government for provision of feedstocks. maize, cassava and soya. The government knows the importance of peace and security and has fought hard to restore peace in the state. The introduction of a societal re-orientation programme in the state has been helpful. This programme whether one likes it or not, has brought about some level of discipline, decency, honesty, cleanliness, moral uprightness, respect for leaders, respect for the rights of women, proper upbringing of children, fear of God and respect for the rule of law and order among the people.
Ndi Imo are not disturbed by any wrong impression created by the opposition against the hard-working and performing leader as Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. In the political parlance of Nigeria, it is not easy to glorify one’s achievements. That is why in spite of the achievements recorded by Ochinanwata, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, he could not get second term to consolidate. This is why in spite of the achievements of the late General Murtala Muhammad within six months, he was still overthrown. If our Governor was not prepared for leadership, the situation in Imo would have overwhelmed him.I score him high on infrastructure, education, empowerment, security, and welfare of the Imo citizens. He has capable men around him, men like Goodluck Opiah, Nnamdi Anyaehie, COC Akaolisa, Cosmas Iwu, Raph Nwosu . The governor should reconstitute his cabinet. You cannot work without a cabinet for this long! Mbanu!
Kenneth Uwadi writes from Mmahu Egbema, Imo State
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