Imo Politics reviews and complaints

OHAKIM FOR A SECOND TERM?

The only thing that defies change in human existence happens to be change itself. A system or an entity survives only so long as it embraces change. The more a thing yields to change, the more it remains the same.

The pervasiveness of change is evident in Heraclitus’ view that the world is in a constant state of flux; that we cannot step twice into the same river. What is known as evolution is propelled by the reality of change. By developing higher faculties as he evolved from Australopithecus to Homo Sapiens via Homo Erectus, man developed better skills and greater capacity for dealing with the challenges posed by changes in his environment - including economic, social and political environments.

Since its origin in ancient Greece for instance, politics has not been spared the ineluctable wind of change as it has had its fair share of metamorphosis. In the practice of democracy, the claim of which we proudly brandish, demographic explosions and growing complexities of human ecology ignited the evolutionary trends since its Greek days, that led to delimitation of constituencies to herald the origin of representative government or representative democracy.

Here in Nigeria, the task of Nation building has prompted the evolution of certain principles and hybrid political models all aimed at providing political solutions to some political logjams. Some of these principles include: Federal character, Zoning, derivation etc aimed at achieving equity, justice and peace needed to move our country forward.

Critics have lampooned such hybridities, describing them as aberrations of the original models or systems which appellation they bear. Zoning is for instance criticized as being the caricaturist’s idea of democracy. But should our emphasis not be on “practical political solutions than on theoretical purity”. Prompted by his impatience with theoretical conformists, Edmund Burke observed that “one sure symptom of an ill conducted state is the propensity of people to resort to theories” As William Penn rightly observed, “no system of government was ever so ill devised that, under proper men, it wouldn’t work well enough”. It is a fact that peculiar circumstances do give rise to modifications by countries in their operation of political models. Ronald L. Watts posits that “one cannot just pick models off a shelf. Even where similar institutions are adopted, different circumstances make them operate differently”.

In Nigeria, one political malaise that has hindered economic and social development is policy discontinuity which is the major cause of projects abandonment. Take a trip through cities and local governments of the country and you are greeted by hundreds of thousands of relics of projects initiated by past governments but were never completed. They include: Administrative buildings, factories, hospitals, roads, bridges, rail lines, dams, schools etc. They were initiated by past regimes which had their tenures terminated abruptly either through military coups or disruptive political pressures. Succeeding regimes rather than inherit and complete the projects embark on new ones which are in turn abandoned.

In older democracies where political parties possess well articulated manifestos with which they are identified, when a political party comes to power, the people already know the programmes and polices they stand for. The candidate that wins election as Governor or President is obliged to inherit the projects of his or her predecessor.

But in Nigeria, except for the first Republic and to some degree, second Republic when political parties like AG, UPN, PRP, had clear cut ideological identities and polices, the situation is different. We are yet to attain that level of political maturity of having policy oriented political parties that can be identified by an ideological commitment and disciplined enough to carry its programmes through irrespective of who flies its flag in government house.

It is in consideration of all these that the notion of second term of office is of great significance. It gives the people the opportunity of exercising their political power to vote out the leader whose tenure leaves no political, economic or social imprints and to return to power, the leader whose tenure has marked a watershed in the economic and social life of the people through the provision of amenities and infrastructures.

These projects fall into short, medium and long term categories. In most cases, it is usually short term and often ephemeral projects that can be concluded within a four year term taking into considerations, logistic constraints that border on economic and political uncertainties. Landmark projects imbued with the capacity to meaningfully enhance the fortunes of society will, understandably, take longer time frame. In acknowledging this fact, Henry Clay wrote. “In a scheme of policy which is devised for a nation, we should not limit our views to its operation during a single year or even for a short term of years. We should look at its operation for a considerable time and in wars as well as in peace”.

More importantly too, no government the world over can truly boast of having all the funds it needs to execute its projects readily available in its coffers. They need to be generated over time. This calls for the drawing of budgets containing projected income and expenditure. The realization of the projections is subject to vagaries and uncertainties. H.L. Detridge sums it up when he wrote that “our destinies are controlled by the cosmic roll of the dice, the whims of the stars and the vagrant breeze of fortune that blows from the windmill of the gods”.

Here in Imo State, a glossary of what Governor Ikedi Ohakim has accomplished and the calibre of projects that he embarked on that are still on-going have no doubt forced a second term need upon him.

Besides his clean and green initiative, dualization of Egbu, Orji and Orlu roads, Expansion of Assumpta and Akwakuma Round about, New Government house, IRROMA, water and other projects executed in parts of the state, Ohakims commitment to health care and youths empowerment is indeed worthy of commendation. His massive job-for-youths programme is an indication that he grasped the import of Napoleon Bonaparte’s admonition that “youth energy must be maintained and moderated so that they do not turn slaves or anarchist”.

Perhaps, the Governor read the lips of late Justice Akinola Aguda when he warned of the horrifying spectre of catastrophe that unmitigated youth unemployment would unleash upon the state. As James Brewer insightfully observed, “one of the tests of leadership is the ability to discover a problem before it become an emergency”. Ohakim appears to be the alter-ego of Richard Nixon whose commitment to youths empowerment was betrayed in his observation thus “Nothing matters more to the future of this nation than ensuring that our young men and women learn to believe in themselves and believe in their dreams”. His offer of scholarship to over 50 physically challenged youths of Imo State is an eloquent expression of the fact that his passion for the youths is all embracing.

His commitment to healthcare received external recognition last year when Imo State Annual Technical Report on Onchocerciasis control programme was rated best among the few states that qualified for the review by TRC4, a body set up by African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC), WHO and the Federal Government. Thomas Jefferson reminds us that “the care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction is the first and only legitimate object of good government”

Some of these programmes have attracted criticism from some quarters as being either ill-executed or outside state priority. I have not heard the Governor lay claims to infallibility. He is thus a mortal, and as a mortal he has no immunity against mistakes. As Edward Philips would put it “the man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything”. Those in charge of the execution of his programmes may have erred or run short of perfection in the process. We cannot throw away the baby with the bathwater. In the words of Kouffi Amouare, “perfection is never for mankind to achieve but a realization of the elements heralding the imperfection is the basic step for onward advancement”.

Albert Corel was indeed right when he observed that “there is an eternal dispute between those who imagine the world to suit their policy and those who correct their policy to suit the realities of the world” The fact of every policy is that execution or implementation generates problems that call for adjustment and reshaping of approaches. Again, what is seen by some, as state priority may be considered parochial interest by others. Plato observed, many years ago, that “our object in the construction of the State is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not of any one class”.

Beyond all these, of great interest should be the massive construction works going on in and around Owerri capital Territory, including New bridges across Nworie River, overhead bridges, Dual carriage ways, extension of the inner ring road which will provide a by-pass for vehicles travelling from other States, the new government House Complex, all aimed at decongesting the city centre and bequeathing to Imo an ennobling new face.

It is only wise that Imo people act wisely by voting Governor Ohakim in for a second term and have him complete these projects. That, for sure, is the best way to ensure the completion of these projects. With high level of beautification and infrastructural development, investors will find Imo a haven for investment. The multiplier effect of that will be more jobs for all as industries will blossom.

Prof. NATHAN UZORMA PROTUS

Owelle Rochas on Hostage or Rescue Mission in Imo?

For nearly three years now, the socio-political stature of lmo state has remained in deplorable condition, so have other states, Nigeria and almost every other nation- state in Africa. This is the general mentality of the common man in the concerned polities who everyday long for the advent of new things and who at the presence of the new things longed for reminisce about the past socio- political experiences and leaderships revolved by these anti-theses. This same reality has resulted in both pessimistic and optimistic views on the dreamt new things.

The pessimistic yearnings on new and ameliorated sitz in leben has the then bemused expression of Ayi Kwei Armah as benchmark for future critics on advents of new governments, or what Benson Omonede would call “Trying Another Leg”. According to Armah, “in the life of the nation itself, maybe nothing really new would happen. New men would take into their hands the power to steal the nation’s riches and to use it for their own satisfaction. That of course was to be expected. New people would use the country’s power to get rid of men and women who talked a language that did not flatter them. There would be nothing different in that. That would be a continuation of the Ghanaian way of life”. This forms the backbone of his theses that The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born, and as a simulacrum, the good leaders are not yet born. All we have are the same people- The Ugly Ones. Our yearnings for new leaders are just for trying another leg.

This ideology seems anti-change, especially with his insistence that there is no difference between all old and new leaders, “no difference between all the white and their apes, the lawyers and the merchants, and now the apes of the apes, our Party Men. And after their reign is over, there will be no difference then. All new men will be like the old”. Yet, it bears in se, optimistic inclinations that characterise human rational sociality: Desire, yearnings, cravings, dreams, aspirations, etc (all in their grandeurs). The optimistic view is powered by the African mindset that anaghi ano otu uzo eti mmonwu (masquerade does not gyrate in a place, it strides), which essence is against the saying that old wine are tasty.

But we need to ask Ayi Kwei Armah what we should do in this circumstance. Do we just fold our hands and wait for the advent of the beautiful, the good? Or should we do away with the old fellows of our sort and specie? Perhaps, his answer might be no, because like his interlocutor, The Man said, what our leaders ought to do is to have attitudinal change, which concentrates on the commongood of the masses, and not to be backed up by the suffering masses themselves urging the erring leaders to speed up in the wrong directions like every other citizen.

Whether adjudged from the Armah’s purview or from the lived-reality, all our leaders are the same, they are from the same ugly generation; all the Imo gubernatorial candidates inclusive. No beautiful one is there because none has been born. The new comers in the terrain are in the same ugly generation of our rational sociality and zeitgeist. And just as Armah said, they are “men who know nothing about politics [who] have grown hot with ideology, thinking of the money that will come. The [retired] civil servant who hates socialism is there, singing hosanna. The poet [and novelist] is there, serving power and waiting to fill his coming paunch with crumbs. He will no doubt jump to go and ### on us. Everybody who wants speed goes there [into politics], and the only thing demanded of them is that they be good at fawning.”

In this category of politicians, new men are against the old, the incumbents. INEC has released 352 names of gubernatorial candidates in 26 out of 36 States of the Federation (in their website), Rivers having 28 as the highest, Imo 20 and Gombe State 6 as the smallest. Everyone comes against the old powers, for “change” and in Imo State for rescue mission. But according to Armah’s prediction, “for those who had [triumphantly] come against the old power, there would be much happiness. But for the nation [or state] itself, there would only be a change of embezzlers and a change of the hunters and the hunted”.

Informed by these, the Imo gubernatorial candidates have deployed and employed every possible means to get to the apex leadership seat of the State, their ugliness not withstanding. Inscriptions, calligraphy, bill-boards decorations and beautiful marks on campaign buses and posters, like orations and ovations at campaign grounds are no novelties in the Imo and Nigerian electoral stratagems. They are like the cyclic liturgical calendar of the hierarchical churches of European origin.

Inscriptions in campaigns ought to be innocuous and cryptic. My reflections since two months now have been driven to a focal point- the political inscriptions and brief campaign slogans of gubernatorial candidates in this forthcoming April polls, and have discovered their vagueness than cryptic or even innocuouss nature.

Take a look at the local journals and wake up your innate inquisitive eyes from slumber. Grab a copy of bi-daily and weekly journals or even bill boards and posters. You will see- Ohakim 2011 (Lets Do More!). The provocative questions that this aggravates in the minds of the oppositions are: What has he done the much to deserve more? Are they verifiable? If we give him our mandate, will he not just do only the more as he declares instead of giving us the superlative, which is our collective dream? Truthfulness and faithfulness to these questions set him on the gubernatorial seat again. But, is he (Gov Ohakim) the beautiful one to be born? No! He is ugly, the opposition will quickly respond. Although a second tenure for him is like the African mindset on reincarnation, in which the returning ancestor certainly swears and determines to come and live excellent and perfect existence in order to be accepted back in ancestry. This is evident in some good works hitherto initiated in Imo by Ohakim.

If you scan elsewhere in the same journal pages, you’ll see Araraume for Imo Governor 2011- (For a Better Imo!). This too provokes the mind more, especially when the gubernatorial candidate’s annals and past historic are reviewed. Has there been a Good Imo under him? Faced with this reality, one asks: What has he done ‘Good’ that guarantees the credence for the ‘Better’?

Mike Ejeagha, the Igbo Vocal Artist said that ‘a gucha otu, a guo abuo!’ Can he who could not count [protected]) or count [protected]) in the Senate, make a numeric leap to 3 without the initial springboard of 1 and 2? Can one ‘Go!’ without first being on his mass and getting set? What has he done the Good that satisfies our conscience or assures our hopes that he will arrive at the (comparative) Better? Are they verifiable? If we give him our mandate will he not give us the opposite of the Better he now speaks of, as he did during his double-tenured senatorial leadership? Sincerity and reassurance on this lost confidence in his leadership deliverability set him on the Imo apex seat. But let me ask, is he the beautiful one who is to be born? No! He is uglier. Although governorship for him is like the Platonian transmigration of souls- now from a lower ill-lived sphere of nature to a supra-rational nature of which he can never meet up.

Look elsewhere too, you’ll find Rochas for Governor Imo State (On a Rescue Mission!) This even is the worst. Its lack of comparative slogan shows his apprenticeship to the apex administrative political position. It shows lack of experience, neither good nor bad- a greenhorn-political aspirant. This reminds me of Ayi Kwei Armah’s bitter regret on the calibre of political aspirants that spring up in Africa, when he wrote: “men who know nothing about politics, have grown hot with ideology, thinking of the money that will come”.

Despite his pitiable pot of inexperience, the untrained civilian is going on rescue mission in a war front. Perhaps his return, a simulacrum of the lineage vacuity created by the “fallen heroes” of the Nigerian-Biafran war whom kiths and kin gave up hopes of rejoining their fraternity after 40 years of still absence.

The great problem here is not even the certainty of the lineage vacuum after the April Polls outing but the similarity of his On a Rescue Mission to the minion’s declarations engraved on stickers that are adhered on bikes, cabs and buses- God Is the Answer! (To which question?). Rochas’ On a Rescue Mission is suggestive of inexistent sitz in leben: Imo in Bondage, Imo a Hostage, Imo in Captivity, etc. This captivity-suggestive implies too, the bondsman status of the intending Imo Rescuer.

To rescue literary means to save somebody or something from a dangerous or harmful situation. While socio-political rescue entails first and foremost a captivity siz in leben; what Karl Jaspers called boundary situation, the extreme and poorest condition of living.

Going by this trash on the Rochasian rescue mission, an unbiased analysis must arrive at ‘Bad Governance’ as his intentional referent. But if the democratic rule of Governor Ikedi Ohakim has degenerated to the level of this referent, perhaps to tyranny or anarchy, the organs altogether involved in the principle of checks and balances in the State would have reacted to the purported deplorable situation. Yet, up till now there has been harmonious relationship between the three arms of government in the State right from the time the Executive Arm of Government was from the minority party.

Ingratitude certainly is the arriere-plan of this evident calumny; this causes the urge to try another leg. It is an eternal truth that just as the merchants and boutique owners in the Eke Ukwu Market Owerri, will never accept selling inferior or lower-grade items to customers, no gubernatorial aspirant will accept being incompetent in trying to lead the State. But cautious scepticism must be our disposition against the imminent deceit in these enthusiastic amateurs. The governorship seat is like a vessel, which being a dockyard staff does not qualify one to pilot, and no sane Harbour Master can approve a trial sail with a preciously loaded vessel.

I am not saying that we don’t need a rescuer. Certainly we do; perhaps, just as the Jews did, even though they hallowed and assassinated the God with them, notwithstanding his godsend status. Before one can lead he must pass through the hurdles of following, for no man can lead well when he hasn’t learnt the art of following and passed the hurdles of leadership-apprenticeship.

Every self-imposed rescuer, leader or judge surely has the possibility of answering the Mosaic question- ‘Who made you to be prince over us and judge? (Ex. 2:14)’. Every gubernatorial rescuer in Imo State is welcomed but let the rescuer not be Prophet Hananiah to Imolites (who prophesied contrary to Prophet Jeremiah’s words, and broke the wooden yokes of the exiled Israelites only to provoke God’s imposition of an iron yoke of enslavement (Jer. 28:1-17). Rochas’ rescue mission is pre-emptively Hananian.

Leadership is like God’s favour and the emergence of Gov Ikedi Ohakim is like that of King David against whom Jesse made pass his seven sons and none was favoured except the haggard wilderness boy-shepherd, David (1 Sam 16:1-13). Like King David, Ohakim is the Governor after God’s own heart. He has his favours and where there is favour, much toil is not needed. The intimidating height and appearance of the biblical Eliab (son of Jesse) did not make the oil in Samuel’s horn flow. This is analogous to the gubernatorial choice of Gov Ohakim. Giants in the history of the world have been constantly defeated by underrated heroes.

All over the world, and in the present day democracy, nowhere have giants and the richest ruled. The most affluent do not rule instead they sponsor those with leadership charisma- the Philosopher Kings. Aliyu Dangote is a million times richer than Rochas Okorocha, yet he maintains his huge height in the field of life where he excels and is gifted. That Owelle Rochas Okorocha is a renowned philanthropist is an adorable reality but that his philantropism is the criterion to govern Imo State is pure fallacy. If philantropism gives such qualifications, St JohnBosco, Blessed Luigi Guanella, Blessed Chiara Bossata, Blessed Thomas M aria Fusco and Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta, to mention but a few renowned, top-notch and world-class philanthropists of our zeitgeist, would have become Presidents of their countries, Roman Catholic Bishops and Popes or Heads of the Vatican Nation-City.

Mother Thereasa of Calcutta of the blessed memory travelled all over the world without visa and flight fees but her holiness, charity-charisma and philantropism did not make her consecrate Holy Communion for Catholics or assume clergy. Philantropism like holiness is different from a State’s apex leadership position (or the priesthood). While the occupier of the Governorship Seat can tomorrow turn a philanthropist, if he so desires, the philanthropist can never have such smooth personality-transmutation to the Governor’s seat.

But let me ask, is Rochas that beautiful one who is to be born? No! He is even the ugliest. But a good start from the lower cadre of elective leadership position certainly gives his palpable neophyte status a balanced swift sail and possible landslide victory in an apex leadership position like the one he is now eyeing or the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly. Certainly, he will be a good prospective gubernatorial candidate and possible-winner of the seat in Imo State after passing through lower leadership cadres for apprenticeship. But, who does not eye heaven? Everyone desires heaven, even sinners, the atrocious and the depraved do. Recently Rochas apologized to Imo people over his ugly comment of condescending so low to rule Imo.We all know that it was his arrogance that made him lost 1999 chance of being a governor. Is unfortunate that in this twenty-first century Rochas has promised restoring Okada if he wins, dissolve and probe LG council, re-conduct LG polls, review the so-called 10, 000 jobs as government can’t afford to pay to mention but a few. Imo people shine your eyes!

That Rochas or Araraume promised Imolites scholarship from Primary to Secondary School does not make the incumbent Gov Ohakim incapable of or neglect such as an essential want of his people. Rochas first promised it, Araraume followed and added more but certainly the people-conscientious Governor must as a matter of priority give Imolites the sum of Rochas and Araraume’s scholarships and even exceed them with an “un-leap-able chasm”, as it has been in his 2011 agenda ever since he declared his intention to run for a second term. Free education is a State’s philanthropic policy, which any government can declare after making strategic arrangements for its success and operations, and not a charismatic quality for leadership or for rescuing prophets (not sent by God like Prophet Hananiah) to erode and deceive Imolites who here are the arnawims (the remnants of the Israelites). Imolites tending to Rochas or to any gubernatorial candidate for rescue must first discern the Hananiah from the Jeremiah.

The Concerned Citizens of Imo State

Owelle Rochas’ Do-Or-Die Politics

Our attention has been drawn to the horrid activities of the APGA gubernatorial candidate, Owelle Rochas Okorocha in the State, which for sometimes now have remained in the realm of rumours and which started unveiling their non-rumour nature during the gubernatorial grand finale rally in Owerri, the Imo State Capital on 31st March, 2011.

Every Nigerian, every foreign country interested in the affairs of Nigeria as well as International Organisations can testify, the degree of societal unrest that do-or-die politicians have dragged some local communities, states and Nigeria at large into; all in view of achieving their egoistic aims and disrupting the peaceful conduct of the General Elections in Nigeria this April. These fusses have sporadically resulted in several losses of lives in the Niger Delta Region, in Plateau State and recently in Akwa-Ibom and Ebonyi States.

On the gubernatorial grand finale rally day in Owerri, the Capital City of Imo State and in the presence of Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s detailed campaign and rally organisers in accordance with their designed antics and electioneering stratagems purposefully blocked the passage of motorists and of the Incumbent Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim’s convoy heading to the Dan Anyiam Stadium, an entourage that had very esteemed Nigerian Leaders.

To this assault, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Ikedi Ohakim remained calm during the affront and afterwards, perhaps to avoid any loss of life and destruction of people’s properties, to the annoyance of the generality of Imolites, grace to the prompt intervention of the Security Agents. We have been reliably informed that Rochas Okorocha has brought in tugs with heavy ammunitions as he has promised to make the conduct of the election a do-or-die affair. We are hesitant in concluding our general conviction whether Rochas Okorocha’s boast of having the Nigerian Police in his fingers is not giving him the guts to incite intentional crisis between the supporters of Chief Ohakim and himself, using the Youths and his gladiatorial campaign rally strategists as commissioned agents.

Even if his claims of having the Nigerian Police Force at his fingers are true, perhaps ALGON being his referent contact-link, though we have unflinching confidence in the enormous stateliness of the Great Nigerian Elephant-Force, having supplied ALGON then of security vans is not a condition sine fine for such incitement and rude attack on a political opponent who is at the same time the Number One Citizen of the State.

These belligerent schemes and claims notwithstanding are coupled with further threats and assurances of having his men already on ground and in town to execute to last details every iota of their bellicose plans. This too has given other political parties and aspirants the impetus to do same to their opponents and innocent citizens of the State are at the receiving end.

Based on the implications and inimical nature of this imminent, insidious scheme in the already self-unveiling vicious politicking, the aggressive electioneering ruse must surely end up with jeopardising the esteemed lives and properties of the general Imolites before, during and after the polls.

We thus draw the attention of the Amnesty International, the Red Cross Society, International Election-Monitoring Bodies and the Nigerian Security Agencies and Forces on the snags lurking ahead of Imolites this month of April, if prompt and cautious actions are not taken to obviate the actualisation, ugly consequences and ripple-effects of these premeditated plans of Rochas and every other depraved politician.

The advisers of Rochas Okorocha and other political aspirants and politicians in the State, including the Incumbent State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, on a matter of urgency should caution them and their scallywags and fanatic supporters against jeopardising the lives and properties of innocent citizens of the State. No Imo citizen’s head is greater than the other and our youths must not be incited again or used for ego-tussles and selfish demonstrations or to disorganise the about to take-off general elections in Imo State. These too should be extended to the grassroots: Wards and Council Areas where they have launched their opinions on each other, on the innocent Imolites and non-indigenes resident in the State in order to realise their targets.

The impending crisis and skulking peril in these depraved mind-frame is like the harmattan fire, once enkindled, must surely outdo the ab initio planned-sphere of the enkindler and affect both innocent and blameworthy, thus turning our renowned peaceful State to the experiences in Plateau State. The Nigerian Police Force and the State’s Security Agencies should promptly caution Owelle Rochas Okorocha against these combative acts and watch his allied-tugs in order to forestall the looming disaster.

Prof.Nathan Uzorma Protus Mr. Stanley Okoroji

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