man’s life. The day he was born and the day he died. Fortunately, nobody knows or experiences these two important days in one’s life. However, for every living human being there are several moments of joy and several moments of unhappiness.
If one has begun life as a pupil, perhaps one would not be happy on the very first day of school. Because as a child, such a child would be missing village square playing, running, penetrating into bush in search of palm kernels, snails or other interesting inhabitants of the bush. But if such a child was living in an urban city, certainly such a child was bound to miss playing around in a public yard, watching television films or even whiling away throughout the day. So in all probability, he would not be happy forgoing these common past-times which he was engaged in.
The first happy moment of a child’s life would be when his result was handed over to him showing a pass result. He would like to fly home to show mummy and daddy the result. This could continue until he passed out of every level of schools. Certainly, every day of school at every level would be his happiest moments.
Having undergone series of educational pursuits, if the person had passed through a University education, another happiest moment of his would be the day he passed out of service. Then another would be when he secures a job, so on and so forth. So for every living human, he had to have several happiest moments, of course including some unhappy moments.
However, for me at forty five, my two happiest moments were the days I got news from radio that I had been appointed Honourable Commissioner for General Duties under Owelle. We passed through screening in Imo House of Assembly. To me, it was a done-deal screening because of all the multitude of Commissioner Appointees, except one that had a problem of a member representing his LGA, but later cleared anyway. The exercise was nothing for one to worry about even for a moment.
The first shocker I had after we had been sworn-in was that the principal secretary and the Chief of Staff told me that my portfolio was General Duties. This means that “whatever I am asked to do on the order of His Excellency must be carried out without question.” Because, I was supposed to queue in along the restoration Agenda of His Excellency, “ the all knowing Governor of the most controversial and contracting state”.
I listened with rapt attention but with seeming skepticism. Then, I asked myself, “what if I am assigned to go and bring my most beautiful sister of mine to accompany His Excellency the very Commander-in-king. In such circumstances, what do I do?”
My mind told me that such assignment would not come because the Governor is such a decent man who would not condescend to such a level. Then, I picked courage, believing that even if “undoable assignment” was given to me, I would use both my number six and number twenty-one senses to dodge such an assignment.
Another shocker was when I was given the same office with SA 11 to His Excellency on Refreshments, conviviality and Abuses. And another SA 11 on Cultural Cooperation with other Cultures.
In the first place, these two SAs have nothing in common as far as functions were concerned. Besides, both are well past their fifty years. I wonder how both can stay in the same office with Commissioner for General Duties. On reaching home to narrate all these first day experiences to my wife and my few friends, they advised that I should resign soonest. But my wife, a typical woman who wants to answer Commissioner’s wife would not have such action on my part. Saying, “if you do, I will walk out of this marriage with my two-year old baby.”
The third shocker was at the end of end of the month, all the Commissioners were asked to line up in the Office of Chief of Staff to receive our salaries for each and by hand. To me it sounded strange but others quickly filed in to receive their salaries one after the other. As they received, they just made a move to recount what was given. I discovered that the amount for every Commissioner was not equal. And nobody answered asked questions because we were not given any appointment paper, specifying what was our salaries.
The next shocker I got was when we were informed by the SSG that we should attend the first expanded EXCO. The time was given to be 10 a.m. into the Exco Chambers. As a newly appointed Commissioner, I was excited to participate in the first Executive Council meeting. So, I put on my very best kaftan dress with guinea brocade material. By 9 a.m. I was there. So also were other newly appointed Commissioners, but some of the returning Commissioners managed to come in by 10.30 a.m. because they knew that nothing works accordingly and normally in the system.
Another shocker was that more than five times, the arrival of the Governor was announced but all in vain. It was not until 11.55 a.m. that he came in with air of authority, looking disdainfully at us. He did not sit down before he began to address us. First, he turned to the SSG and gave him a mild raw deal for not coming to see him before leaving for the Exco meeting. At his Principal Secretary with whom I gathered he has some kind of genealogical relationship, he praised him for keeping to the instructions he gave him two days ago in respect of a letter concerning one of the other Governors. Equally, he picked on few old returning Commissioners, some he had good words, others he abused for one reason or the other. In fact, before he sat down, he had taken a swipe on few of us.
Once he sat down, he merely welcomed us all. For all the returning Commissioners, he asked them to thank their stars for coming back because, “after all some of you have poor performance records. I merely brought you back to manage you because I believe that the job of governance should be spread among the LGAs so that some of you who are disturbing through several sources could be helped to find something to eat, if nothing.”
Then he explained, “if any of you has come here to make money, you better go to Somachy Car dealers’ stand. I will not take any bribe and therefore will not allow you to take bribe because this state must be better”.
I took a deep breath because I remembered all the bad press reports against him and some contractors in the State. Could all that be false or could he just be putting a good face over a bad and unhealthy situation? To me all I said was, “time will tell.” But I asked myself, “of what use is it for us to be here? Poor salary, no appointment letter, no fixed salary or remuneration, no imprest to the ministries, everything is too tight and we could not even give contract even if to buy dusters or chalks for the school, no travelling allowance not to talk of out of station allowance? Then I asked myself again, “does this appointment worth it”? The thought of resigning flashed over my mind but my wife and my friends told me to stick with the job if only to take the pride that “you are an Honourable Commissioner”.
Few minutes into the meeting, he stood up announcing to us that he was on his way to Abuja.
After giving instructions, orders and directives, he was gone. No question was asked, no interaction of whatever kind. He left us behind as an irate teacher would leave his pupils.
I was wondering what had happened. And every other subsequent Exco meetings took the same pattern. One of the Commissioners used to refer to the Exco meeting as a classroom setting and relationship. But the difference is that in a classroom, pupils ask questions of their teachers and there used to be friendly atmosphere. No, not with this Governor.
For two years I managed to tolerate the situation, only being satisfied with answering Honourable Commissioner for General Duties. My duties were not only general but some were dishonourable, insulting, lack of decency for a man of my age to execute. Some would be fit for errand boys or servants but I persevered. But for nearly six months, we were being fed with threats of sack or dissolution of the cabinet for which I prayed fervently because I could not resign because my people and friends would regard it as a betrayal if I should have resigned.
To the glory of Almighty God, my second happiest moment came on the day the Governor addressed us to thank us for services rendered. His speech was so flat and bereft of any substance or even parting gift or positive and robust thank you. Yet, I was so happy to leave if only to regain my honour, personality and integrity instead of being treated with disdain and incredulity.
Thank God I am out of the government, preferring to be Chairman of Free Readers Association at a popular four square round about vendors stand. Yet life goes on as Nigeria turns round.
