“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm” Abraham Lincoln, legendary American President said. But, when the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha dared to confront the organized Labour, following the unconsciensous sack of three thousand Imo Workers in one fell swoop, I know he was not standing on the right place, and I would cave in sooner than later.
On Wednesday, he ate his words, and recalled the sacked workers, after he had boasted no power would make him revisit the matter, as it was a foregone issue.
It is quite unfortunate that Owelle Rochas Okorocha has squandered the good will that exists between him and the common man in Imo State, including the elites he treats as a conquered people.
It worries me when I see a Leader loved by his people losing respect of the led, either due to high handedness, arrogance or playing god.
When Okorocha assumed the mantle of Leadership of Imo State in 2011, a majority of the citizens felt a messiah has come, and they sincerely gave their support to Okorocha, by obeying every word that came from his mouth; including subscribing to every of his policies.
The Okorocha Government began by dismantling every visage of past administrations in the State, including levelling some heritages of the State like the State Library, bulldozing roads constructed by past administrations instead of building new ones, introducing strange policies like the Community Government, where Traditional Rulers became politicians instead of custodians of culture and Tradition; Government started taking over village administrations by appointing Community President Generals that hitherto evolved thorough communal settings. Suddenly, revered Traditional Rulers started taking part in March Pasts during Children’s day and August Meetings.
Despite the strange nature of these new policies, Imo people still moved along with Okorocha, with high hopes of reaching the elderado. Not that the masses were gullible, but they felt that Okorocha’s posture of indentifying with the common people, especially during his campaign days, when he ate Akara, and Corn was the new face Imo people wanted. Not the PDP era when only big men were sharing the money.
True to expectation, Okorocha shook Imo State in his first Nine months in office, with all the roads in Imo under construction at the same time, gates springing up in every corner of Owerri, pupils going to school free, old school buildings going down for new ones, gigantic General Hospitals dotting all the twenty seven Local Governments of Imo State.
Civil Servants wore new looks with their white and black uniforms. Within a year, Okorocha became the national anthem of Imo denizens, why not?
How could a Governor do so much in so a short time, with the meagre income that comes into the State without being a Hero!
Then suddenly, the J-pross matter came up. The former Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso was flushed out. Okorocha’s erswhile Personal Assistant, Prince Eze Madumere replaced him. The Secretary to the Government, Prof Anthony Anwuka became Okorocha’s in-law when their children got married.
And again, Okorocha’s long serving loyalist, Uche Nwosu became Okorocha’s son in-law after marrying the daughter. The youthful Uche rose rapidly in ranks and became a Defacto second in command of the father in-law.
With this set-up, Okorocha having surrounded himself with in-laws and trusted allies slowed down the pace with which he was running the affairs of the State which endeared him to the heart of all. He felt there was nothing else to prove, having settled down and dug deep in Government.
This was the scenario when the Governor went for the second term election in 2015. Because of his new posture, he lost alot of his unsolicited followers, those who stuck their heads out for him for no rewards, in 2011.
Therefore, thinking that his foot soldiers were still legions as in 2011, Okorocha went into the election battle with Peoples Democratic Party PDP, nay Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, with over- confidence, but was shocked when the election went into a re-run despite Ihedioha losing his home base, Owerri zone.
If not for the likes of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume who collapsed their structures, including some other PDP Chieftains who sold out at the last minute, and joined forces with Okorocha, the re-run election would have been devastating to the sitting Governor.
Indeed, Okorocha could not believe it that Imo people could subdue him to such pains before he could make his second term adventure possible. This because Okorocha believes he has done alot for the State and therefore should have been paid back easily with an election that would be won with a land slide.
In other words, that Gov Okorocha has changed in his approach to Governance in his second term cannot be divorced from the stress Imo populace subdued him when he believed they ought to have paid him back handsomely.
Any observer of Imo politics since Okorocha’s second coming can see a trace of change of approach in the Governor, as he does things now without minding whose ox was gored, forgetting that as a politician there may be need for him to need Imo populace in the future.
Before the current confrontation with the Labour, following the sack of three thousands Imo Citizens from their sources of survival, the people had tolerated the Governor enough.
Okorocha had defied many unwritten Laws of the State without a whimper from any quater.
Okorocha is the first Governor to appoint his son in-law as Chief of Staff, appoint his In-law Minister, appointed another TC Chairman Owerri North, the sister is Special Adviser, appointed Commissioner and Special Adviser from his Local Government Area, Ideato South, when Aboh Mbaise and Ngor Okpala LGAs have no body in the Expanded State Executive Council. Before, no Governor appoints Commissioner from his own LGA, as it is assumed the position of Governor covers alot of patronages from one individual.
He is the first to sack senior Government officials from office without query, and nothing happened. He is the first to Governor the State for eight months without State Executive Council. The first to tell Imo people in their faces that the State is broke, yet those around him are smiling. The first to say his family will never be poor again.
He is the first Governor to declare Public Holidays during his birthdays, with guns booming at the seat of power in celebration .
He is the first to give scholarships in far flung States, when Law students in Imo State University cannot be paid Bursary.
While Okorocha was accomplishing these firsts, Imo people did not react. They were still optimistic that their Leader will see reason one day and turn back to the people. Therefore, if the Governor has lost the love between him and the people, he should pulse a little, and ponder when this line of love was shattered.
The confrontation with the organized Labour was the height of Okorocha’s complacency with the masses. And I congratulate the Governor for caving in to the Labour’s demands. Because it saved the State from a calamity waiting to happen.
Every average Imo inhabitant knows that the masses have lost touch with the Government. And rather than appeal to the conscience of the people, the Governor most times force down the throat of the people hook, line and sinker whatever policy that is propounded, whether they are draconian or not.
Therefore, had the Labour demonstration stretched hours further, disgruntled Imo masses, abandoned APC foot soldiers, restless sacked workers, unemployed teeming Imo youths, hungry PDP followers, used and dumped Keke Drivers, 10,000 sacked workers, demobilized Youth Must Work employees, mechanics and artisans being forced to relocate to Avu, and others.
who have issues with the Okorocha Government would have joined the demonstration, and is your guess what would have happened in Imo State.
Now, recalling the sacked workers is not the major issue facing the government now. What about all those new Doctors and Nurses already employed to replace the old ones? What happens to them now? What happens to the concession matter? What of those who had already paid and qeued behind the concession policy? How do they get their monies back?
However, it is pertinent to state here that when Governor Okorocha accused staff of Imo Health sector of being lazy, he hit the nail on the head.
It is not only the staff of the Health Sector. Many Government Employees are guilty of this accusation. Civil Servants don’t take their jobs seriously and yet want to get paid every month. Only that those in the Health sector are more guilty than the others.
There is no consultant or Medical Doctor that does not have a private Hospital, where they direct sick people to, with the pretence that it is not theirs, only for you to see the same lazy doctor at his best in his private Hospital.
Okorocha is spot on on this one only that he did not properly handle the matter. A Labourer deserves his wages; that is if he or she works. Therefore, all workers in the Health Sector in Imo State must be up and doing. They may escape Okorocha’s hammer now because of the Labour backing, but subsequent administrations may follow dues process and send them parking. To whom much is given, much is expected.
Is kudos to Okorocha for bowing to popular demand? When one person cooks for the community, the food will not be enough. But when a community cooks for an individual he or she cannot finish it. That is the Imo scenario now. Though, no victor no vanquished.
The Labour knew that had Okorocha succeeded, other State Governors would have followed suit. Therefore, Ayuba Waba and his forces have saved the Nigerian workers from a calamity that would have been referenced to Gov Rochas Okorocha. God forbid!
