Going by the social contract theory of John Locke and Co, while the individuals, out of their own freewill decided to create the State (as represented by the Head of government) to which they owe their allegiance, the State also has the responsibility for the welfare of its citizens. The underlying element in this principle is trust in the fact that each party will live up to its responsibility. This element of trust happens to be the basis of all relationships – marriage, friendship, business association, etc. Without trust, human existence would be meaningless – the child would suspect that there is poison in the food given to it by its mother, the woman would suspect that her husband is sleeping with other women and vice versa and we would always be on edge, suspicious of others’ intentions.
But trust is not an easy thing to build. It is difficult to get somebody to trust you. It is even more difficult to sustain because even after the building of the trust, that feeling of uncertainty will still be there. Something like, should I continue to trust him/her? etc. It will remain so until the confidence and trust becomes deep-seated.
In April 2011, Imo people chose Chief Rochas Okorocha (the courts have now put an end to further litigations) as their governor for four years.
In keeping with the social contract theory at our level, the people assumed that Okorocha as the representative of Imo State, would keep his election promises all of which summed up to making life more meaningful and worth living for the people. Now, over two years on, that seems to be a mirage. All we see, at best, is a government of deceit, driven by sweet sounding nonsense and manifest in infrastructural window–dressing and administrative hocus-pocus all intended for personal aggrandizement. The concomitant effect of the above state of affairs is that the electorate in whose name he possesses and exercises the executive powers (which he now uses according to the dictates of his whims and caprices) are palpably disgruntled and clamouring for a change. Why not? The Civil Service structure which drives the machinery of government has been completely destroyed, the much touted free education at all levels is a charade, the few roads which he shouts on roof tops as building started failing even before completion and are already being patched, economic life in the State has come to a standstill except for the economy of his immediate family and cronies which is being fed from the resources of the State at the expense of the rest of us.
It will be foolhardy in this small write up to dwell on the many deliberate and ill-intended actions and policies of the Okorocha administration. He has evidently betrayed the trust reposed in him by Imo people. All we need to do now is guard our loins for the two or so long year of suffering ahead of us and work towards a change.
Many Imo sons and daughters seem poised to offer themselves as credible alternatives for the purpose of ending this un-bargained disaster called government. One of such persons is Hon. Emeka Ihedioha the current Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who is serving his third term as representative of Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala in the Green Chambers. I chose him for consideration because of the key position he occupies at the national level and how it hinges on the element of trust and the governorship of Imo State.
I attended the constituency briefing which he hosted at one of the Secondary Schools in Mbaise in December and took my time to listen attentively to his stewardship account as well as to people’s reactions and testimonies. A dispassionate and objective assessment of my findings in that ceremony in comparison with what I noticed in similar events by his contemporaries/opponents shows that the man is a genuine, unassuming person who speaks from his heart and means everything he says. Apart from the empowerment materials which he gave out in large numbers to his constituents (which others also give to their constituents), it was clear from his extemporaneous speech that he was not playing politics with the event. He was down to earth and related to the people even from the podium on a person to person basis. He invited majorly, people from his constituency of Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala as if to say, this is a mere constituency briefing, and this gave the event the needed unofficial and community setting for conviviality. I attended that briefing uninvited, to enable me to gauge the level of trust enjoyed by a man who is generally perceived as eying the governorship of the State. I came out satisfied that mutual trust exists between him and his constituents. It was clear.
I was even more satisfied with the level of achievements recorded by him within his current tenure – roads, electricity and water projects, employment and appointments etc. As he made his presentation almost effortlessly and to the admiration of his constituents, I could not but wonder if the rest of us were left out since, by his current status he represents Imo not just his local constituency. But I did not wonder for too long as he also itemized key projects he used his position to attract to other parts of Imo State – the Isinweke – Uboma – Okigwe road being powered by NDDC, the dualization of the Owerri – Port Harcourt (Omanelu) road, the on-going Waste Recycling Plant Project in Ohaji/Egbema L.G.A. among others.
Since after that event, I have taken my time to find out more about these and other projects and I discovered that he has run several human capacity and entrepreneurship development programmes for youths and women across Imo State. For instance, he has conducted an agricultural training programme for women in Imo State at the AICE, Owerri, he has also collaborated with the NDE in a State wide women, youth and handicapped empowerment and training programme and is at the moment running a 4-day entrepreneurship programme for 150 Imo youths at the Federal University of Technology Owerri. At the end of each of these programmes the trainees are given some cash with which to start something. I am also aware that Hon. Ihedioha is currently funding a free Eye screening programme across Imo State in conjunction with the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. From available information, he has attracted over 147 projects and programme ranging from roads, water, electricity, training and manpower development etc to the South-East of Nigeria and Imo State in particular.
All these and more, leave one in no doubt as to why he enjoys so much support and trust from his constituents who have sent him to the House of Representatives three consecutive times since 2003. An unbiased observer would have noticed like me that Hon. Ihedioha also enjoys the confidence of his colleagues (from all over the country) in the Green chambers as a result of which he has been majority Chief whip and now Deputy Speaker. He has also headed many sensitive committees and led House delegations to important conferences abroad. They trust him. If the Honourable thinks so much about those he represents and their well being, relates equally to the high and low, builds bridges of friendship across the country and maintains a modest lifestyle, then he deserves to be trusted.
Imo State needs a governor who says what he means and means what he says NOT a cheat who plays to the gallery and governs by deceit. It is my considered view that since it is the turn of Owerri zone to produce the next governor and the zone has a quality personality like Ihedioha who has eloquently proved his leadership mettle, all Imo people should give him their support and encouragement to boldly pick up the mantle of leadership in the State. He can rescue Imo State.
By John Keke.
