Speaking Truth to Sen. Hope Uzodima
Since the dawn of democracy after years of military rule in Nigeria, Imo State has been ruled by five democratically elected governors with a lopsided zonal spread. Orlu had three slots Achike Udenwa, Rochas Okorocha and Hope Uzodima. Owerri had one short lived slot while Okigwe had one slot. On the scale of equity and fairness; Orlu Zone has unconscionably dominated the Douglas House and still counting.
Each of these five governors had its moments of low and high, fans and adversaries; achievements and their failures. They were criticised and mobed, hero worshiped and cheered from the gallery of selfish and self centred people, driven by the gods and goddesses of stomach infrastructures. Wherever belly face, hangers-on. Ndi ngabashi!!
Emeka Ihedioha because of the brevity of his tenure did not experience in full scale people’s venoms and disenchantment like his predecessors and immediate successor.
Who knows he could have broken the jinx of bad governance and perhaps won the heart of Imolites with achievements unseen or become the worst of them all?
His unusual exit saved him from such full scale assessment and criticisms. Hidden under such lee he claimed to have had the magic wand to turn Imo around. No thanks to the supreme court judgement that aborted the supposedly destined and miracle baby. If he had stayed longer, perhaps he would have become that Messiah that eluded Imolites after years of democracy, causing suspended expectations , like that man who has been tickled but can’t cum because of some reproductory defects. Imo people sadly have been in suspense for years.
How frustrating it has been for this 24 years? Yearning and trying to experience sneeze of success but couldn’t.
Can they possibly sneeze that sneeze now? Under the watch of Sen.Hope. Can they experience good governance after years of waste and reckless display of public funds by previous governors, making good governance, economic stability and security a delayed orgasm. Can Imolites sneeze now and have a good relieve?
For 3 years and few months Sen.Hope Uzodima has been on the saddle; pulling Imo State from the depth of oceanic Tusnami caused by previous governors. How far has he gone? How successful has he been able to change the stereotype stance of public servants to public funds and the inordinate extravaganza for political loafers who like lices always suck the blood of the state treasury dry or has he been adding to the mess?
We can see the various moves by his government to give Imolites fragrances of good governance under his shared prosperity. We have seen the road constructions and other far reaching viable economic policies of his administration. One can say without equivocation that his government has shown capacity, though not without cacophony of voices speaking against such and describing them as illusions. Such is governance; nobody is seen as a Saint by all. Oppositions will always have their field day, turning whatever molehill of your error into a mountain and reducing the mountain of your achievements into a molehill through strategic propaganda. That is politics!
Since the time of His Excellency Sam Mbakwe till today, this is the only Administration that has favored my old boys. Sen. Hope ‘ political intimacy with my old boys has great and rewarding impact. The APC State Chairman is my classmate and friend. The Chief economic advisor is my classmate and friend, the Chairman of the Christian pilgrim board is my classmate and friend. I believe too that one of my classmates may through his aid and benevolence become the Governor. With all these it should be given that our support for his administration should be unquestioned and total, without any ney voices.
In the contrary that isn’t the case. The reason isn’t that we don’t like Hope or averse to the success of those old boys in his government which largely is the conspiracy theory of many.
In the contrary we wish him well and would want him to succeed. However, we are people of various political backgrounds, orientations and preferences. Even if you were a high preforming governor, many will still pick holes and make scathing criticism of them.
Many Imolites notwithstanding the litany of the achievements of your administration feel that Imo State is largely struggling, with unemployment at its peak rightly or wrongly, their truth and reality such impressions are.
Lately the spate of killing in Imo State is gradually gaining momentum again. In a question of one month, not less than four police men and a couple lost their lives along Okpala axis. The Orlu axis and Mbaise are brewing with insecurity on daily basis. What about the devil den of Okigwe zone! Though you are not a magician but the truth is , you are the Chief security officer of the state. Primarily, the safety of life and properties should be your major consideration and any lapses should be your responsibility and blames taken, not wishing it away or turning it into tools for political propaganda.
November is close by , just by mere snap of fingers the poll’ day will come and votes will be casted for the emergence of the new Sheriff that will supervise the affairs of Imo State for the next four years. It could be you or any other.
Let nobody deceive you that it would be an election to beat you. People are angry. The change mood and its tsunamic tendencies are not completely simmered down. It may seem to have gone down, the embers of its fire is still glowing waiting to be fanned into glowing flames.
Let nobody deceive you that it will be a walk on the park more of a tea party for you. The last State House of Assembly elections may have been very fantastic for your party. Very magical and miraculous for the uninitiated. However, using it as measure for your gubernatorial election may be delusional and unstrategic.
Get to work! Let your good works speak for you not your political thugs and loafers. You may be heading for a collosal failure if what happened both at the Presidential and State House of Assembly elections is your strategic plans for replication this November.
By the way the 1000 pilgrims your administration sponsored to Isreal and Jerusalem was received with mix reactions by Imolites. It is expected that many will kick against it and they did. Their argument which largely was based on economic waste may not have resonated well with you and the beneficiaries who were privileged to visit such historic sites for the first time. Who says no to honey effortlessly put in their mouths? I can imagine the number of votes this singular gesture would garner for you. This is politics! . If your intention for such a sponsorship is to score some political points however cheap, I guess you hit the bull’ eye but if it is for spiritual refreshing for the pilgrims, there are a lot of sites in Nigeria for them to have such refreshing moments and the huge sum spent saved for other masses friendly projects.
I speak my truth from a heart of love. I know many foot soldiers of yours may find this, an attack on you, such is expected at least to justify the handouts they enjoy from your administration.
I speak my truth with a heart of love. Many sycophants are around you. Many have defected from other parties and many will in the coming months change ship mid stream. Sadly majority of such political prostitutes have no electoral values. They are just scampering and scavenging around to keep body and spirit together.
I speak my truth to you with a heart of love. You have made money from your days at the senate. Nigeria and your constituency have been good to you. How best can you possibly give back to the society? Imo people are crying. Your zone the worse hit in insecurity!. You may be sincere in tackling insecurity but your good intentions may not have translated into tangible and perceivable change for real shared prosperity.
I speak truth to you with a heart of love. Few months to go, who gets the nod of Imolites to occupy Douglas House for the next four years is neither here nor there. You still have a good chance which can either be bungled or processed to good use.
Imo people are crying! You may neither see nor hear because your hangers-on are giving you wrong narratives , hyping you just to justify the quantum of money they steal and waste.
Wish you all the best. Let there be free and fair elections. Carrying of ballot boxes is outdated and writing of fictitious results not envogue anymore.
Let Imo be good and cool. This is my heartfelt desire. Whoever that can achieve this let “Chukwu okike, Chukwu Abiama” etc grant such person success. My truth from a heart of love!!
Jarlath Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
