Christmas is the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, celebrated every December 25th in this part of the world, by mainly those of Christian faith.
Therefore, in a place like Imo State dominated by Christians, the celebration is not taken for granted by every parent, and children inclusive.
The lubricator of every celebration is the fund to actualize it, because during Christmas period, no matter what you tell your wards, they will never wish to put on their old clothes on the Dday.
Therefore parents are expected to do their best in providing those necessities that gladdens the hearts of their children, since the occasion is a annual event. You are expected to have prepared enough since January.
Apart from the kids, there are other important people that you must celebrate, no matter how small, if you call your self a man. These include your parents, inlaws, relations in the villages etc. And if God deepens your pockets the more, you can extend hands to the indigent widows and down trodden in your area.
After these, you also need to prepare your home for visitors. Therefore you must buy enough drinks and foods. Because, while you visit friends and eat what they give you, so also will your visitors expect from you.
And what makes Christmas to task parents to no end is because it has a “dateline”. It is like the production of Newspaper, which “MUST” come out on the agreed date, come rain come sun.
Because Christmas is on December 25th every year, there is nothing any body can do about it because the date is sacrosanct. Though Christmas continues after December 25, but the target of every body is that major date, December 25th.
Those who live outside their states may get home and see their compounds over-grown with weeds, some plumbing damages; water pump packed up, the stand-by generator not working, bed sheets eaten up by rats, your chairs damaged by leaking roofs etc.
These unexpected “troubles” you MUST take care of before your family steps into the House. If you are unlucky, snakes may pursue rodents into your deserted building and settles down with new “babies”.
Under this circumstance, you call fumigators that will charge you an amount you never bargained for. Before you could make your house habitable again, thousands of Naira would have left your pocket without budgeting for it.
Unfortunately for Imo citizens, this year was one of the toughest years for the inhabitants. Forget the usual stories and pictures you see on AIT, NTA, Channels etc, things are not rosy as portrayed by these Media Houses carrying out the “Master’s voice”.
Although some people are relishing in raw cash in the state today, it is just a minute percentage as the majority are wallowing in abject poverty.
Outsiders will think those residing in Imo are in eldorado, not knowing that all they are seeing is nothing but “window dressing”.
It is true that you can count about twenty round-abouts going on in Owerri and its environs. But for nearly three years now, none has been completed, and the contractors are baying for blood as most of them have not been paid a Kobo.
Workers in the state were to be feted by the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha at the Heroes Square the other day, but most of them stayed away, grumbling about various allowances and salaries owed them, yet you hear that Imo Civil Servants are paid as at when due.
In Owerri now, it has become a regular occurrence, that Disables every other week paralyze the state capital with demonstrations which keep motorists on the roads for hours, demanding unpaid promises made to them by the Government. Before, such demonstrations were rare.
For the first time in the history of Imo State, we saw Government in a squabble which to closure of Banks in Owerri without any warning so much as that Owerri residents had to travel to neighbouring states to look for money. The state is demanding huge taxes from the Banks they said.
And unfortunately, this action took place when those who have little cash in the Banks wanted to make early purchases to avoid the Christmas rush.
The grouse Imo people have against the Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration is that things look as if they are moving, yet every body is in a motion without any movement. While the administration is dishing out humongous estimates as money spent on projects, the masses are not happy because they can not see the dividends of democracy, in terms of cash flow that lubricates the living condition of the people.
The current situation in the state makes a large percentage of the masses have a nostalgic feeling of the administrations before Okorocha’s.
Then, money was in circulation that even if you do not have a relation in Government, there is the hope that your Christmas would glow, with a stretch of hand from others, who received from others. That is the means through which money circulates in the society. When money is in a few hands, the others suffer.
No matter the amount of roads destroyed and renovated by any administration, no matter how many roundabouts and Halls constructed, if there is no bubbling Economy, where the people can easily see food on their tables, the Leader is simply building castles in the air.
True, many people may not be disposed to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because of its arrogance and a winner takes all syndrome, but the party does not eat alone. You can accuse the party of any thing, but not hoarding cash for a few relations and their inlaws.
One of the major things that has hit Imo economy today is capital flight necessitated by the penchant of the current administration to favour foreigners as contractors than home based ones.
For instance, the Billions of Naira the Okorocha administration is alleged to have spent on importation of School Uniforms for Imo children. It is learnt the cloths were imported from China.
Imagine what would have happened to Imo economy if Okorocha had lavished Imo based tailors with such mouth-watering contracts. Today, as we celebrate Christmas, many tailors, their relations, friends and inlaws would have been beaming with smiles.
And remember, the tailors would want to build houses, own cars, buy electronics etc. Will a tailor in Imo State not patronize Ekeonunwa Market? While doing so, other traders will benefit, but Okorocha prefare Chinese to Imo tailors. And these alleged Billions remain in China till date for the Chinese to develop their already developed environment.
And I am surprised that nearly three years in Office, Gov Okorocha is yet to bring into fruition any of the promised investments in the state. Because of Okorocha’s back-ground prior to his election in 2011, I was thinking that by now, Imo would have had at least one functional factory, even if it is a ‘Pure Water’ factory. It seems as if there is something in the Government House that changes our leaders immediately they step into that office.
Is it not shocking that Okorocha who was a business guru before emerging as Governor cannot attract any factory to Imo State, not even the Energy Company from Kosovo for which he met that Nation’s Leader?
How could Imo Economy be facing such a harsh condition that even some Commissioner cannot do “Christmas” to his relations and workers? They complain about lack of money. Does it mean the Governor does not allow them their monthly imprests or slashed as claimed? Does the Governor supervise the contracts executed by these Ministries? Did Government appointment change under Okorocha’s regime?
This bleak Christmas in Imo would not have been if the Governor had retained some of the policies of the last administration where party members were given contracts to execute in NEPAD, SUBEB, NAPEP etc, for every body and family to feel the good impact of Government. Today one European Company handles all these, including setting of Christmas flowers and trees.
Okorocha can build the best squares, like Freedom, Bongo, Heroes Square and which has no economic value to Imo people, with the best band stands and all, but if a man has no money in his pocket he cannot take the family out. Are the edibles and drinks there for free?
If things are rosy in the state, the Blind, Cripple, Dumb, and Communities cannot be taking to the streets almost every week of the month in the state.
Demonstrations are a means of expressing agitation to the Government in a democratic environment. And it is done, may be after many peaceful means were ignored. It does not show hatred to the sitting Government, but for it to reappraise its policies, because Governments are there to serve the people. There is no Government without the people. Nothing is wrong, if Gov Okorocha revisits some of his policies by listening to the people’s demands, provided they are in the majority. Nelson Mandela said that a Leader should not always assume that his personal needs are the same needs of the masses.
But unfortunately, the Okorocha’s administration sees criticisms as an affront, when it should not be taken as such. An elected Government must be under the scrutiny of the masses who put it into office. Even some Military Governments are challenged by Activists.
Although Okorocha listens sometimes, but only when push comes to shove. Like the proposed demolition of the State Library that has been in existence since the Ndubuisi Kalu era. But how could an administration like that of Okorocha’s that prides itself as Education friendly contemplate demolishing a Library?
The roaming 10,000 Imo Youths sacked by Okorocha who were employed by his predecessor contributes to the bleak Christmas in Imo State. This bulk of youths would have made life brighter for their parents and friends this Christmas. But unfortunately it cannot be because of the hard situation the Okorocha Government placed them.
What of the appointees who served in the past regime Okorocha succeeded. The Governor has sworn not to pay them their two months salary and severance allowances running into millions of Naira. Most of this people are dying without this statutory allowance owed them by their state, which the incumbent State Governor has refused to pay, not that there are no funds, but because of political vindictiveness. Even the vehicles forcefully retrieved from them cannot be seen any where in Imo State since Okorocha bought new Prado Jeeps for his appointees.
When shall some politicians imbibe the inner peace of mind of late icon, Mandela, who forgave his jailors, after spending 27 years in prison for asking for his right in his Father land.
Now we are celebrating Christmas, and Gov Okorocha has be doling out rice, money and cows to Traditional Rulers, workers, students and others who can been reached through their various recognized channels, but what about of other Imo citizens who feel tormented because of their political beliefs?
Can’t Okorocha in the Spirit of Christmas recall the sacked Imo Youths? Gov Theodore Orji of Abia State has recalled the Imo Civil Servants he sacked. What stops Governor Okorocha turning a heart of meekness for ones and remember all those who served Imo State he refused the pay their Severance Allowances?
Leadership must be blended with large heart. Did these sacked Imo youths annoy or offend Gov Okorocha by voting him? Because most of the youths confessed that they supported him in 2011.
Why we remember all this is because no State Governor in Nigeria is a Royal Father. It means he or she must leave office one day and join others as ex this ex that.
May God give us what to enjoy this Christmas. May we manage whatever we have this Christmas. What is important is life, because next Christmas may be better.
