BY ONYENWE PRINCELY
Without doubts, Nigerian electorates are discomfited over the pattern of governance the All Progressive Congress is displaying and if the whole lots of political think tanks and old time godfathers in the APC party cannot resolve the pressing anomalies before hand to be able to synchronize the plights of the people, APC may fizzle out to come back no more. Hence the removal of fuel subsidy must not be the reason for the increase of fuel pump price at N145.00 naira per liter. This in turn is an additional adversity to the masses, pending its U-turn to affordable price.
Political technocrats are aware that there is always a way out in situations like this which can be realizable only when the doctrine of politics is well applied. As a result, politicking is a common factor successful politicians cannot avoid to navigate the ship of governance. Therefore, Nigerian APC must agree to converse over crucial issues with the major opposition parties to succeed. Hence governance is a continue process.
Moreover, if the government must keep enforcing the civil servants’ approach into governance it cannot work because in power politicians must enmesh politicking to unlock the hearth base of governance no matter how lackadaisical or saintly political facilitators and gladiators of such a government may be. Thus, making Politicking a spicy component of politics.
At this point in time, Nigeria is reasonably matured enough to have stabilized its government. Consequently, the truth of the matter is that if we continue to chase corruption while the house is by now on fire, vis-à-vis untold hardship caused by greed and wicked insatiable selfish leaders, then the people will continue to perish and this could create a resultant effect of state of lawlessness and rebellion.
But God forbid! And this may have been the chorus line of the people suffering from such paucity. The presidency may revert to publish a comprehensive account of looted funds recovered for immediate use as he had already promised. This may stop the overt belligerence at this point and re invent the remaining leadership energy to enforce policies and programmes inline to restrain corrupt practices and proffer solutions to cushion effects of fuel agitation to trim down economic hardship.
It is no longer a hearsay that Nigeria is crumbling over persistent rate of unemployment, political manipulations, Nomadic attack on citizens and in most cases words of mouth and conflicting contradictory statements by some politicians that lack rational ability and moral standing have continued to trail the polity and Imo state may not be an exception on critical issues that surrounds the government.
Eventually, the potentials of good leaders if harnessed properly can help to bring back Nigeria on track of prompt delivery and quality service. Former governors Fashola of Lagos state, Godswill Akpabio and Sullivan Chime of Enugu state are exemplary qualities of excellent governance highly commended nationwide. If one could take a critical study of their leadership proficiency heeded on the people. These personalities are my types of leaders that have engraved emulative standards in gold just like our own Rochas is working because amid unwarranted criticism by success detractors in the state, Governor Okorocha is still creating roads where there is seem to be no way. I commend his doggedness and focal points.
On this therefore, as days run into weeks and weeks run into months and months run into years, changes will always occur because it is an indelible constant that no matter how we may shuffle it something will continue to happen whether good or bad as it may be appropriate unto man.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is a man that has oratory prowess to excel and even to convince political enemies to follow him. He is great Leader of history in the political book of records. He is an unpredictable man embellished with wonderful ideologies. He is equally a noustrademous politician that saw the future politics of his country and overpowered all hustle and bustle in the game and joined the newly metamorphosed APC Party where he won both the gubernatorial election and in proxy the presidential election. His onetime predecessor had called him the “Wisest” and “Richest” Politician ever seen in the state by the level of gimmick he exhibits in politics. He may also have over rated Owelle’s personal Acquisitions on landed properties as the highest in Imo coupled with his bounteousness. Records have also indicated the fact that above his equals he has wonderful life changing dreams for Imo State on the quirk of fate that these vast dream projects may not be completed in his tenure as governor.
Even at that, Dum Spiro Spero is a Latin maxim that says, “While I breathe, I hope” and honestly, it has made me concede the fact that things do not turn up in this world until something turns them up says (James Garfield.).This is the reason Imo people on large need to be guided correctly through valuable communication not to over-react on the present predicaments that we are experiencing. We must therefore have to have to be more careful to avoid the use of statements that may cause discord to address the issue of corruption once and final. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state is a man I can doff my cap at anytime because of his philosophy of “Rochanomics” which has endeared him excellence in leadership pattern and humanitarian services not only in Imo state and Nigeria but deeply in the mind of the global humanity.
One of the reasons for his greatness is the passion he has to save the masses while protecting the interest of the reach to justify the trust of Imo people. This has not made him lose focus in his administration. He is a business leader and an extraordinary philanthropist and Imo people are expected to have understood his business style of management of wherewithal. He may not have been a money pump dispenser rather a money manager that believes on work equivalent for any disbursement made. Hence the biblical translation of our lord Jesus Christ came to win souls for God has made business indoctrinated from creation.
Imolites have seen that his leadership is not a jamboree as usual but if the Governor can heed to the predicament of the people outside the walls of government house, he should try as much as possible to open his hands and allow money flow. He should not be so a penny pinching leader whose adherents are feasting on top of hunger and pennilessness. As the father of the state, Imo workers are expecting him to reverse the 70:30 pay format and endavour to make the payments regular as much as possible as he had promised abinitio . He should understand that one day he may as well grow old just as the pensioners are groaning without pay.
If he can recall back in the wee days of electioneering at Sam Mbakwe Exco chamber Imo government House Owerri on several courtesy visits i was apt to implore him not to mis-manage or downgrade the voices of the masses that stood for/with him during the elections. Again, if he can lend me his ears, it will be wise for him to understand the voice tones of the people that voted him to power are injuriously embittered against him. There is an emergency need to reverse to these voices immediately to correct the wrongs. This recommendation can go a long way to consolidate his credibility.
Another remarkable thing he can do for the state is to open his inner eyes and raise a potential successor that can be able to defeat the task ahead 2019 election. The successor must at least be able to make a difference to maintain the good works and continue from where he will stop to industrialize the state. I suggest he may co-opt an investment driven and widely experienced political guru that is acquainted with the tenets of governance, local and international administration and industrialization.
The would-be is expected to be a deserving personality whose ideology, elegance and tenacity will certainly take Imo to a higher level and command respect for the state. We wouldn’t want to retard to ill governance again. The anticipated leader will not be the types of politicians seen parading tomfoolery and raising ugly heads on the front pages of the newspapers. These groups of people are the kleptomaniacs and political wolves reserved to siphon and engulf the moving parts of Imo state government.
I don’t think that it is a crime to ponder over his good part of life as a governor. Maybe after him then Imo people can understand his worth. It is certain he cannot be loved by every Imo person at a time. This is not an illusion rather it is a message from Divinity that had disturbed my consciousness at about 24:03hrs to engrave this piece on paper not minding how painful or sonorous it may sound to the understanding of my erudite readers. The basic truth is that there is no perfect human being or politician anywhere in the world and as such Gov. Okorocha is a preferable entity for his super thriving ideologies of governance if time could permit him establish all he has proposed for Imo state.
It is on record that Governor Rochas Okorocha has invested much in Education and if the entire lots of Billionaires in Nigeria have as well thought this wise to invest 1/3 of their cumulative wealth into Education Development, Nigeria will certainly run a free-to-nothing quality education for all citizens. Though it is not late, the rich and mighty can begin to redirect their financial muzzles to settling up more acquisition centers, building of schools and sponsor free education programs to encourage quality education. Possibly, his imperfections and mistakes as a political sojourner to rescue Imolites and democracy cannot be understated. ‘I feel there is still hope because in the game of politics we are all expecting..’
Imo is expected to benefit from the first part of 2016 budget of change effective enough to peel off general crash down on sectors of economy that must be corrected hastily if we must grow above corruption and these include, instilling a flourishing synergy between the three arms of government and to empathize the plights of the people. Others are to re-invent other sources of Energy and Power supply to compliment EDDC services, Transport, Civil Workers welfare, Increase on the payment of Journalists and Media workers equivalent to their the job, Funding of SMES through special intervention fund, Disbursement of special grants to indigent Nigerians, Poor health services, Tourism, Agriculture, Rural development, Industrialization, Housing and Education.
As a result, Imo people have to to be at ease with the gift of governor they have who was honored at the great chantam house London above his contemporaries at such a classical height. We need to laud him. He is truly an apostle of transformational leadership whose name is synonymous with success.
This he has exemplified in the implementation of 20% minimum wage for workers, creation of Parastatals and merger of certain ministries, infrastructural development, and good security network, beautification of Owerri city and development of Okigwe and Orlu cities. The renovation of streets/traffic light in the municipality is also kudos to his government. His introduction of Community Leadership (C.G.C) is the first of its kind. The state Assembly Complex, The Twin House, Freedom Square, Hero’s Square, IICC, Water Fountains, Government House new look, Owerri/Port Harcourt road Tunnel and 4th Avenue Nekede by-pass which are ongoing and many ongoing road Dualization projects achieved within 5years as a governor.
I also believe that before the middle of next month the visit of the commissioners of works and CGC Obilimba on Naze/Nekede/Ihiagwa road to ascertain the level of danger posed on road users shall facilitate its maintenance approved by the governor. As we look up to benefit from the federal might, “anyi nekwu nke o ruru anyi, owelle ka no arukwa otutu ndi ozo”
It is now the responsibility of ndi Imo to beam their searchlight widely to locate the integral personality needed most to maintain the tempo of good works governor Okorocha have set in place by 2019. The personality e coming must have every capacity to industrialize Imo and this has been our prayer.
Of a truth, there are a lot to do with governor Okorocha even as he has crushed his political critics to hoist APC flag high avow to assist the presidency in his capacity as the leader of the governors’ forum to convey solutions to Nigerian pressing challenges. We are hopeful that what other politicians say cannot be done; Owelle Rochas Okorocha can make it possible.
Princely Onyenwe is a public affairs analyst, human rights activist and a renowned journalist. 08036856526