I have a bosom friend who resides overseas. My friend who it is not necessary to name his identify and country where he stays to make ends meet, attracts my attention whenever interesting political developments occur in Imo State. The new dawn in social media and internet in terms of information flow has turned the society into one global village. This singular act keeps my friend on his toes concerning latest news at home.
Despite my background as a media professional in my home State, Imo, the guy in Diaspora keeps alerting me on crispy development at the home front. In his usual element, the fellow called me recently to confirm what he just read online about the verbal expression of the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha in one of his political outreach to people of the South East. My friend started in a foul manner when he inquired if we carry money in trailer in Imo State referring to a statement credited to the governor during a recent APC rally in Enugu, Enugu State. My friend went further to ask if the stage is set for him to come back and get his own share of the national cake”, I was astonished at his unbecoming tirades but managed to keep my cool to hear him. “I hear say una go use trailer share money now” began the fellow who likes discussions with me in what we refer to as pidgin English. He continued, “Oh boy, I hear say una governor say him go match PDP chieftains money for money and cash for cash. Oh boy, money go flow ,e be like say I go come back home come fellow una share the money ooo” .
Initially, I was dazed and failed to regain balance immediately. I merely responded with “Boy, na wao for you, who tell you nah, a beg tell me make I join una share the money. Abeg where be the place make we go share the politics”. This time, appearing more business, like, he fired back in good English “what do you mean, you mean that you are not monitoring what is happening in Enugu today. I just read that your governor, (Okorocha) stated at APC rally that he will match PDP money bags in the “share-the-money philosophy adding that “if they come with truck load of money I will come with trailer load too”! I informed him that since I am not in Enugu and non of my editorial staffers is in the governor’s convoy to the Coal City, I reserve my comment.
But later developments have proved my friend right in his earlier hilarious submission about the latest trend in “share the money” politics Details of what transpired in Enugu indicate that at the rally of APC, Okorocha while informing party men that APC is Igbo party enthused that he has what it takes to match the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, cash for cash warning his members not to be worried that notable Enugu politicians like Jim Nwobodo, Ken Nnamani, Sullivan Chime et al in PDP.
Okorocha who took a swipe at the PDP by saying that the party has failed God and humanity in the past 16 years it has held sway, made the statement about the trailer-load of money in Enugu when he said “APC is an emergency party for new Nigeria, if PDP is doing well, I won’t have joined APC, when God wants to do something, he does it from anywhere, it doesn’t matter whether Nwobodo, Ken, Nwodo, Ekweremadu are with us or not, I heard that some of them are boasting of money but tell them that Rochas has come; any day you hear that PDP brought money with pick up, tell me so that I will bring money with trailer, all these PDP leaders in South East, if you put their money together, it is no equal to half of my money.
“Somebody told me that our party (APC) is popular in Enugu but there is no money, I have come to Enugu today, you will see the difference, go back to your ward and campaign” he added.
Since the governor or his media unit has not publicly denied this report, revealed first by my friend, I consider the information as a true account of what happened in Enugu.
This latest words oozing from the mouth of the state governor speak volumes of his verbal license to observe the inalienable right of free speeches. Interestingly, Okorocha’s unguarded comments can be likened to that of a popular Kano state former civilian governor during the Second Republic, late Alhaji Aliyu Barkin Zuwo.
Barkin Zuwo may appear unfamiliar to the young generation or neophyte in Nigerian politics. Born on Dec 31, 1934 Barkin Zuwo between 1979-83 was a Senator before emerging governor of Kano state October 1983.
Though his tenure was short-lived as the Buhari-led military struck to truncate the democratic system. One peculiar aspect of Barkin Zuwo is that he was a colourful and outspoken politician similar to the present Imo state governor. They share certain similarities in terms of public comments. Okorocha’s outpouring views can be said to be a pastiches of Barkin Zuwo’s account.
Unlike Okorocha, Barkin Zuwo had no formal education but was said to have attended Mallam Aminu Kano Political school under the People Redemption Party, PRP formation. One common denominator in tandem with Okorocha’s style is his effective use of the media that made him popular in the Northern part of the country than any other politician in the Second Republic. Barkin Zuwo was always in the news. But the garrulous politician with the honour as the only Senator with highest Bill in senate always offered a comic relief whenever he handles the red microphone reserved for the Chief Executives of the state. That aspect made him famous as his interviews and speeches carried by the media appeared to be a laughing stock in the public domain.
For instance, in the run up to the 1983general elections, newsmen asked Barkin Zuwo who was his running mate for the governorship race. The late Kano state governor quickly responded by naming an opponent in a rival party, Abubakar Rimi as his Deputy. Rimi ironically was Barkin Zuwo’s main opponent and challenger to the number one position in the state. Prior to the election, Rimi was the incumbent governor and elected under PRP. But the late Rimi dumped PRP for National Party of Nigeria, NPN, thereby allowing Barkin Zuwo to pick PRP governorship ticket. To the late Zuwo, his opponent is a running mate
Barkin Zuwo’s satirical tendency was further observed when he was said to have agreed to a political debate with Rimi in the heat of the 1983 polls. When queried on the legacy he will bequeath Kano people, the vociferous politician came up with the famous saying in local politics “I will water and fire Kano people” which simply implied that he would provide pipe borne water and electricity to the people. Behaving as he was one medieval royal court jesters who puts on a funny garb and fool’s cap to amuse and entertain people in palaces, the dimwit status of Barkin Zuwo manifested when he was asked by journalists to name the mineral resources he intended to develop as Kano governor after the election. Trust Barkin Zuwo, he fired instantly by stating that there were enough minerals in Kano at that moment wondering what next to develop in the state. According to reports during his era, the politician who died in 1989 expressed in funny Hausa language intonation, that “We have Fanta, Coke, Mirinda, 7-Up etc, as existing minerals that warranted no further development of the natural resources of the state”.
Barkin Zuwo’s theatre of absurdity reached its apogee when the military took over reigns of power three months after he became governor. His media-friendly status and ceaseless relief endeared him to the Talakawas who backed his aspiration to oust incumbent, Rimi. Surprisingly about N3.4m cash was found in his private home in Kano by the military who took over on Dec 31, 1983. That discovery earned him 300 years jail term. Earlier before the military junta, Zuwo said Kano state money belonged to him, therefore no need going to bank for safe keeping.
Recent developments concerning the choice of words of Imo governor brings fond memories of Barkin Zuwo. Two weeks ago, before the voyage of comedy to Enugu, Okorocha while swearing in new commissioners and inaugurating Transition Committee Chairmen of some councils informed his audience that he will “empty” Imo treasurer ahead 2015 lection.
Not many understood what the governor meant by emptying Imo treasury ahead 2015. A hindsight information reveals that it could be the release of money to relevant government structures like CGC and LGAs perhaps for projects”. A parody of Barkin Zuwo was recorded when Okorocha went further to put a caveat that there will be no money remaining in government coffers because the money is for the people.
Okorocha went to Enugu for the trailer-load of cash message as the self-acclaimed richest Igbo politician existing at the moment
It was at the same Enugu, Okorocha, who has not publicly declared to run for any office few months to the general election boasted that he will be Nigeria’s President in 2015.
While the likes of Buhari, Atiku, Kwankwanso, and Isiah Nda Isah have collected forms to run for APC Presidential ticket, Okorocha is undecided yet and only roving around without perching like a political butterfly. But in 2015 he will carry APC Presidential ticket banner, but will he be Mr President perhaps after routing the would be PDP standard bearer and present head of state, President Goodluck Jonathan without running for the APC primaries?.
