Since the inception of Imo State in 1976, every administration had come with its own style. Even that of the pioneer Military Governor, Ndubuisi Kanu, came with the laying of foundation of Imo State, with the Owerri Master man, as a pivot.
Subsequent military administrations also came with their jackpot policies, which led the likes of late Gen AK Adisa flogging some civil servants for coming to office late.
However, let us here concentrate on the civilian Governor that ruled Imo State, before the emergence of Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
We had Dr Sam Mbakwe, Senator Evan Enwerem, Dr Achike Udenwa and lately, Dr Ikedi Ohakim.
Mbakwe came with a revolutionary zeal to turn the old Imo State, comprising of the current Abia State and part of Ebonyi State into a Utopian Model. He was out to work for the people, to the detriment of his comfort, and he succeeded.
Mbakwe did this by following the “road – map” Ndubuisi Kanu laid. He believed in continuity and started developing Owerri based on the master plan Kanu originated. That was how Mbakwe succeeded in developing Owerri master plan to the letter until he left office.
Mbakwe in his administration did not know where you come from provided you are equal to the task of doing the job assigned to you.
Because of his legacies, he still lives in the mind of not only Imo people, but Igbos, even after his death.
Senator Enwerem was the next, and the short time he spent in office could not allow him to exhibit his talent to the fullest yet there are some legacies to point at for his brief stay in office. It includes the Imo State University IMSU, which he sited at Owerri, instead of his village Atta, in Ikeduru LGA.
Udenwa came with the “Umunna Government” which he used to benefit his Orlu brothers and that brought to the front owner of Imo politics, the zonal bias which has remained a sore pointer in the lexicon of Imo politics.
Udenwa was a humane and good man, who did not like offending anybody, and was at reach of the masses due to his easy – going mien.
Though he tremendously helped the people of Orlu he equally had good feeling and respect for others who came close and worked with him. His Government helped a lot of people and Imo State had money in circulation then than any other administration. And he listened to people’s advice.
He also believed in continuity and completed some projects initiated and started by Senator Evan Enwerem. It is a fact that Enwerem started the State Secretariat along Portharcourt road, but Udenwa completed it.
Ohakim came with “Elitism” and raised the bar of governance. His thinking and posture were high and it reflected in his appearance and those who worked for him.
He began with cleaning Imo and planting trees and grasses and the masses were asking if “this our Governor is mad”. Today, after years past, the masses have realized that Ohakim was not “mad” only that he was ahead of his subjects with his vision.
Newton and Socrates were also called mad because they saw far. President Dr Goodluck Jonathan can travel to Brazil to attend conference on Environment while there were bombings in some parts of Nigeria.
Ohakim began constructing fly – overs, putting street lights and traffic lights, which many generations in Imo had not seen before except when they traveled to Lagos or Portharcourt. Twelve months after, the people know better. They have now understood the man and his policies.
Ohakim also believes in continuity in governance. That was the reason he maintained most of the policies and projects he inherited from Udenwa. That include the Imo Orientation Agency, the Local Government Development Centers etc.
Ohakim even retained all the political appointees nominated by Udenwa till the end, even after they fell out politically.
Ohakim retained the Chief cook at Government House which he inherited from Udenwa, including all the drivers on the Governor’s convoy who worked with Udenwa. He retained the staff he met at Government House for the four years he was there, including cooks and gardeners.
Now, we have Gov Rochas Okorocha, and he came with his own pattern of Governance which I call “Almajiriand handout system”. A type of communal administration, where only the leader has the wherewithal to call the shots, while all people gather around under one tree to collect morning, afternoon and night rations from the leader. However, this is a good type of policy, as it binds the people together in one love. But the only problem here is that, Okorocha wants to demolish whatever was left behind as legacies by his predecessors, for this “Almajiri system” to succeed.
That is the reason, Okorocha is busy demolishing and rebuilding all structures errected right from Ndubuisi Kanu to Ohakim era, therefore spending tax payers money on yet again a project that had already been executed by a previous administration with Imo peoples money.
Pray, why embark on the various renovations going on in the old Government House Owerri, instead of moving to the permanent site at New Owerri, which wiould also help decongest the traffic in old Owerri? These projects if he site them there, will bear Okorocha’s imprimatur forever.
All the drivers, cooks, gardeners, civil servants working at Government House since Enwerem, have either been posted out or sacked, therefore throwing Imo people into the unemployment market.
Trees, flowers including pathways constructed by past administrations at the Govt House have been uprooted and new ones planted. With whose money? Imo peoples allocation! Development Centers which were introduced by the Udenwa government and retained by the Ohakim administration has been scrapped and yet Fourth Tier Government which looks like it is formulated, at what cost to Imo people? Why not continue with the Development Centers, since they are closer to the masses, even if it is devil that formulated the policy, after all it belongs to Imo people.
The fly – overs that were started by Ohakim has been abandoned. The construction of street roads going on in Owerri is good, but the fly – overs will connect the major outlets off Owerri, and easily ease traffic congestion in town. That is why despite the “Dubai roads’ going on inside the city, traffic jam still persist.
Already, the abandoned fly – over at Akwakuma Egbeada round – about is causing serious hold – up with erosion, which may be more devastating to the people. Of Imo State.
The same situation is raging at Toronto round – about at Uratta/MCC road. Also at Naze, Aba – Owerri Express road. These projects were started by the last administration and Ohakim has gone. Therefore, allowing these projects to continue to decay and cause numerous dangers to Imo people is unjustifiable.
Another wahala is the problem of mountains of refuse dumps springing up in Owerri every day. Daily or weekly evacuation of these dirts are not enough. Why can’t the present administration maintain the monthly sanitation started by the last administration since it is good?
That is continuity in governance, and does not in any way diminish the incumbent administration. Shall we all die of epidemic because of ego on the side of the incumbent administration?
It is a statutory rule that those who served Imo state must be paid – off after their assignments. It has been there since Mbakwe.
But the present administration has refused to pay those who served under the last administration. Judges and Magistrates are lamenting that their salary structure which has remained intact even during the military era has been tampered with by the current administration, therefore making a mess of continuity in governance.
Local Government Chairmen who have tenure of service were sacked, until recently recalled back by court.
Judiciary Commission, State Independent Electoral Commission, ISOPADEC, Education Secretaries, all with tenure of service sacked were with impunity.
Ten thousand youths of Imo extraction who were employed by the last administration were sacked in one swell swoop. And yet government is talking of providing employment opportunity for Imo youths. These 10, 000 sacked youths are they spirits? Are they not carrying Imo blood running through their veins? Why not continuity in governance here?
The Okorocha government has said there is free education in the state, and parents are happy over this development, but the bad side of it is the “Almajiri” angle to it where pupils would be paid cash of N100 every month or thereabout, I don’t exactly know what for? Will that not corrupt the children? Many families don’t give money to their children until they enter secondary schools to know the value of money and how it is made and spent.
In a bid to carry out these numerous window – dressing agendas at the same time, the Owelle Rochas Okorocha government is under pressure put by itself, for itself and into self. By embarking on various projects at a time, including those that would have been left alone since Mbakwe or Udenwa, Enwerem or Ohakim had already done it, the Okorocha government faces too many financial obligations, and thereby less funds for other minor demands that would have lead to money circulation in the state.
And since there are no jobs and money hard to come by, youths take to crime, and today no day passes here without one kidnap incident. People are afraid to come to Imo, those who brave it stay in doors which is even dangerous.
Okorocha slow down! Slow down and gradually build your on legacies, by leaving the legacies behind left by others to stand. Refurbishing others legacies, and in the process demolishing them also deprives you of yours.
What the Governor should do is to gradually prioritize his own targets and pursue them systematically, and yet complete those projects started by Mbakwe, Udenwa, Enwerem or Ohakim that are of importance to the development of Imo State as he promised Imo people during his campaign days. These people have had their time and left, but what ever projects they left behind belongs to Imo people.
Okorocha promised to out – do Mbakwe, but with the look of things, that prayer looks a mirage with the concentration on refurbishing old structures. Though we give him kudos for the Heroes Square and Ojukwu Centre, though they have no economic value to the poor man in the street.
The Governor has spent one year and two months in office. We have three years remaining. Out of this three years, next year is for work. 2014 is for politicking and May 29, 2015 is for another swearing – in. I know what I am saying. God bless Imo State.
