The Mbaise Nation, I wrote a few weeks ago in this column, is a homogeneous entity, who does its things with concerted deliberations, devoid of outside influences that may undermine the Mbaise Unity. This I illustrated with the various successes recorded by Mbaise nation because of their sense of purpose and respect for elders, especially when such an endeavour is for the general good of Mbaise clan.
I write this week to say that my postulations few weeks ago are being demolished by the recent events emanating from Mbaise Nation. The Mbaise homogeneity seems threatened following the fight for Imo Governorship, come 2015.
As I earlier wrote, Mbaise is parading a plethora of tested technocrats and politicians as the journey to who becomes the next Imo Governor hots up. I had hoped that despite the number of Aspirants coming out from Mbaise, in the end the clan would arrive at one person who will carry the flag of Mbaise in pursuant of Owerri zone Governorship in 2015.
Contrary to my earlier praises heaped on Mbaise, I have been proved wrong as, change which remains the only thing constant, seems to be hitting Mbaise people. Dynamics of nature have taken over Mbaise Nation, as Dog has started eating Dog in the scheme of things.
I was wrong to have said that no matter what happens, political intrigues and ambitions will not put a wedge between Mbaise people. But from the look of things, before the end of the current battle for Douglas House, Mbaise Nation would be in tatters. Why am I saying so?
Late last year, one of the privileged sons of Mbaise in this present political dispensation, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, a member of the House of Representatives, who doubles as the Deputy Speaker of the Green Chamber, hosted certain personalities of Mbaise extraction, who called on him at his Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise home.
These visitors came with a message. They said they represented the three Local Government Areas of Mbaise clan namely Aboh, Ezinihitte and Ahiazu. They were led by Chief Joe Ndu, a former Commissioner in the National Population Commission.
Ihedioha received his guests and presented Kola nuts to his visitors, waited with apt attention for them to deliver their message. Their leader, Chief Joe Ndu rose up, cleared his throat, and told the people available at the occasion, that their visit was a brief one as they had come to inform Emeka Ihedioha, their son, that he has done well in his office, which he has used to touch the lives of many people in his constituency and Imo State in general, since there are many staff of his that are not from Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala constituency.
Joe Ndu went ahead to reel out a list of some of the infrastructure and projects sited in Imo State attracted by the Deputy Speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha.
But everybody in that hall still believed that all that Chief Ndu was saying could not have been the only reason why they Mbaise Elders in that team came calling.
Then, Chief Ndu threw the Bombshell “With all we have seen around us these while, you are qualified to be the Governor of Imo State, and we are here to beg you to please join the Imo Governorship race for 2015”
There was clapping of hands, and exchange of banters, as Ihedioha beamed with similes, but uttered no word. For a few minutes, he gathered himself to make a response. Journalists at the event at that juncture strained their heads, stretched their legs and brought out their pens, recorders, cameras waiting for the Headline reply that will come from the Deputy Speaker. But they were all disappointed.
Ihedioha with just a sharp and short response replied that he has heard their plea and will go home and sleep over it. He however added a clincher, that he will take the visit and message seriously as “a person sent errand by his people will hardly refuse”.
The next day, all the Newspapers in Nigeria, mostly those based in Imo most carried the story, with various captions that caught the fancy of the Editors.
But unfortunately, a few days later, there was a total media war in Imo tabloids as various groups from Mbaise land descended on Ihedioha and his visitors, for ever daring to say that Mbaise has adopted Ihedioha.
The brouhaha was much that those of us in the Press World started asking what went wrong. Ihedioha was in for total attack from his kinsmen, for the simple reason that another set of kinsmen told him to join Imo Guber race and that they had endorsed him. And truly speaking, this Group of people who endorsed Ihedioha are authentic borns of Mbaise clan saying that they were representing Aboh, Ahiazu and Ezinihitte. Some of them were former Commissioners, retired Permanent Secretaries, Captains of Industries, known top politicians. So, the question is, are they not Mbaise sons and daughters?
But the problem was, why should they say that Mbaise Nation has endorsed Ihedioha, when it was a handful of “Mbaise leaders” from the three LGAs?
Let me state here that I am neither Ihedioha’s Spokesman, nor am I his staff. But I am involved in this matter because I am an Imo citizen. With what is happening now, Mbaise is headed for war against itself.
Now, when can a people endorse a person and it will be accepted that all the people really did it? Even if President Jonathan comes to Imo State today to take a chieftaincy title from all Traditional Rulers in Imo State, there is no way it can be possible that all of the them will be present. It can never happen.
Therefore, I advise that rather than go after Ihedioha, what all other Aspirants from Mbaise nation ought to do is to have their own endorsement from other set of Elders or Leaders from the three LGAs in Mbaise, than dwell on attacking that of Ihedioha.
In politics, every aspirant has his or her own strategies. Ihedioha has his own, and may have been executing them step by step. And I seriously believe that other Mbaise aspirants have theirs too. Rather than move on their own and live up to their own programmes, the Mbaise Aspirants are there waiting and wasting their time for Ihedioha to do one thing and for them to react instead of focusing on their own plans, while Ihedioha does his.
Such politicking looks counter-productive and may cause collision among Aspirants which may unleash mayhem. Instead of allowing Ihedioha dictate the pace, other Mbaise Guber Aspirants should task Ihedioha by introducing innovations that will question Ihedioha’s strategies.
Recently, Ihedioha visited some Elders and LGAs in Imo state. At a particular stop in Mbaise land, youths “endorsed” Ihedioha, including donating money to him to purchase Guber form. Instead of his opponents to adopt their own methods to put their challenger on his toes, they besieged the Press again announcing that the endorsement of Ihedioha by the youths was phony, and not real.
What sense does it make for an aspirant to wait on his colleague before making a political “statement”? It sounds defeatist and encourages Ihedioha the more, than cowing him.
My fear is that this type of politics may cause conflagration as we near the d-day. For Mbaise Aspirants to be mentioning Ihedioha and countering every of his moves is an acceptance that he is usually one step ahead of them. Reactionary tendencies in politics create monotony and causes disinterest by the populace.
Let Aspirants set agenda, pursue them and enliven the environment. Variety is the spice of life. There should be no dull movement now that INEC has released the Election time table.
This time, we need issue-based campaigns, not name calling. Rather waste time castigating an opponent, aspirants should be busy telling the electorate what they can do, than dwell on attacking each other.
If for instance, Ihedioha is endorsed by Orlu youths, why bother, let the next Aspirant approach Isu women to endorse him or her.
Imo electorate are getting sophisticated by the day and do not want anything less from Guber aspirants in 2015. They want aspirants with ingenuity that will show-case new innovations in politics, not disturbing them with old stories of how a co-aspirant was endorsed or not. If what Imo Guber Aspirants in 2014 are telling us is how Mr B did this or that, instead of introducing his or her fresh ideas, it means Imo electorate are in for minnows.
And very unfortunately, Mbaise people are watching with hands akimbo as Dog eats Dog. What has happened to the perceived Mbaise way of doing things?
Any way, nothing lasts forever. It seems that this 2014 and 2015 will make or mar Mbaise unity.
As the politics of 2014 engages gear two, I foresee Mbaise clan tearing into pieces if the Elders allow the Goat die on its titter.
There are apprehension every where in the land that 2015 election will reshape Nigeria for good or bad. It is therefore unfortunate if the scenario unfolding in Mbaise land is not nipped in the bud. For non-engaging minds, I may be writing rubbish, for those who burn the mid night candle to retrospect, they can see tomorrow.
Imo politicians, especially those running for various positions, should mind their strategies, and execute them as deemed fit, and should leave others unleash theirs.
Waiting every day to counter that of the opponent is a mark of phobia and the beginning of failure. The political space is too large for all to execute his or her own plan. Let no one heat Imo polity as we approach the days of Armageddon, as predicted by prophets of doom.
For those of us in the Media, having been in this profession for nearly 20years now, and seen many political transitions, I had hoped that the current campaign will be an issue-based matter.
Politics is a serious business as we have all opened our eyes to realize that showing apathy towards who occupies what political position is the biggest mistake the populace make. Every body is a political animal. Politics is played in every aspect of our lives, both at home and churches.
Therefore, if the electorate give their mandate to a person who can deliver the goods, their lives will change. Take a visit to Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ekiti or Edo states and see what positive changes can do to a peoples life.
In other words, Governorship Aspirants, Assembly to Senatorial hopefuls in Imo state, should tell the people what they can do for them when they get into office.
Imo people are too informed to be hoodwinked again. Aspirants that have no programmes should not over crowd the political space for the serious ones, so that the people can be able to chose who to entrust the lives in 2015.
Politics of issue please, not campaign of calumny. For the peace of Imo state, its politicians and politics. Don’t say I did not say it.
