When the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha swore-in his new set of Commissioners on Monday made up of Twenty Nine (29) persons, I sent my reporters with the instruction to be alert for policy statements that will come from the Governor, since such occasions are usually reserved for important Government disclosures.
As predicted, Okorocha made serious statements, but bizarre and innovative. At the occasion, the Governor created a new Ministry named Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment, although erroneously released earlier as “Ministry of Happiness and Couples Fulfillment”.
However, when the news first came out, I took it as a joke, much more when one of Okorocha’s New Media Aides also took it as a jest from his Boss, by denying that such a bizarre statement came from his Governor.
But “Abso Baba” as he is called, was surprised like all Imolites, when the newly-minted Commissioner for Information, Prof Nnamdi Obiaraeri and Okorocha’s Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemedo put out press releases to reaffirm that actually Okorocha was not joking as Imo State truly has a new Ministry of Happiness and Fulfillment, headed by Okorocha’s blood sister, Mrs Ogechi Ololo, who has been in Okorocha’s Government since 2011.
However, I was more convinced of the latest Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment when the ever reliable British Broadcasting Corporation BBC Radio monitored in my room right here in Owerri carried the news that a Governor in Nigeria has created history by not only putting his own blood sister Commissioner incharge of a certain Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment, but erected the second largest Christmas Tree in the world, while in that State workers are not paid and Infrastructure in the State dilapidated.
At this juncture I realized that all I predicted about the Okorocha’s regime will all come to pass before 2019. In the first place, he who is in the game of Draught or football hardly sees what observers outside see.
In the case of Imo State and Okorocha, the Governor has gone so far that he is beyond reproach. He came to power when nobody expected he would, and therefore arrived Imo Government House with the support of the poor and less privileged. And therefore has no “Godfather” to report to and indeed sees himself as the only cock that crows in Imo today, which leads him to wield absolute power, which from history and reality, leads to absolute ruin by over estimation.
From all indications, had the Okorocha administration had ears to criticisms and reflections, it would have since realized that it has lost its good will among the populace, and therefore groping in the dark, but unfortunately riding on the cheers of political scavengers to infamy.
Since the history of Imo State in 1976 has the State been so subjected to such a scrutiny from the outside world, all for the bad reasons and odium?
Yet our Governor has refused to see light and come back “home”. The quietness and calm in Imo eggs Okorocha on, without knowing that what exist here is nothing but the peace of the grave yard.
The Imo masses have seen too much of magics from the Okorocha’s administration that all they wish now is to remain peaceful until the ill wind expires in a few months time. But unfortunately, rather than guage this foul mood of the populace and change pattern, Okorocha instead rankles Imo people the more from their pity enclaves with his bizarre policies and actions that bemuse them the more.
In all reality, our Governor has run out of ideas and therefore simply hanging out to see out his outrageous regime, since even the House of Assembly cannot help him leave.
Since 1998 as a youth, Okorocha has been fighting hard to lead Imo State as a Governor. And in 2011 God answered his prayers. He still remains the only Governor that emerged in the State with the massive support of the grassroot, who at that time mistook his posture as one of them; a man of the people and Governor who sleeps and eats with the masses. But six years down the line, the Chicken has come home to roost. Imo people, and mostly the common people who even contributed their widow’s might to Okorocha’s cause, have a lot of strange stories to tale.
And for Okorocha who thought Governance is a tea party, he will realize all that he has done, whether good or bad, only from May 29,2019, when he must have handed over power to his successor, and then sits alone in any of his palaces across the world, and take notes in a sober reflection.
If these all are he has for the Imo State for the time he has been angling to be Governor of Imo, posterity will be the judge. This is because, you don’t judge a sitting Governor while still on the seat, nor would an incumbent write his/her own history.
As the Executive Governor of Imo State who has the power to hire and fire, it is only Okorocha and may be his close Aides, who know why he decided to create such a strange Ministry; Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment.
And only him also knew why he appointed his younger sister, whom I learnt is a Computer science Graduate, to such a bizarre Ministry.
In the first place, it is on record that Mrs Ololo never appeared at Imo House of Assembly as a Commissioner Nominee for screening and clearance, as stipulated by the constitution of Nigeria, only to be announced on the inauguration ground.
This type of Executive bravado rather causes embarrassment to Imo State to the outside world, as it shows that our Governor is not schooled in the element of ground norms of his office and not failure to heed to rule of law or due process.
At least, with this latest Ministry in Imo State, it has come to the notice of Okorocha that Imo people are now living corpses, walking with red eyes and long faces. No matter who you are in Imo State, except you are the Governor’s relation either through blood or marriage, every citizen of the State is unhappy.
Although there is recession and hardship in the land. But as a traveler, I noticed that the poverty in Imo has double digits.
From House rent, food stuffs, NEPA Bill, school Fees, Tourism etc. Much as Imo does not have a single factory, despite Okorocha’s Job Job Job mantra, everything is exorbitant in Imo.
However, rather than ameliorate the excruciating economic woes besieging Imolites, Okorocha either knowing or unknowing increased their sufferings through haphazard endless and rudderless policies that have ended up in skyrocketing the poverty level in the State.
As long as Douglas House is under construction every day and Presidents are visiting Imo State to make contributions to Rochas Foundation, and have their statues unveiled with Imo merit Award and Chieftaincy title in their kitty, to Okorocha Imo people are in Heaven.
But this is not true. The Governor should see Imo State from a different prism of a man who has tripled his fortunes since 2011 and gaze at the reality that over Two Thousand (2,000) Imo populace are homeless from the destructions at Amakohia/Akwakuma, Okigwe Roads and Shell camp quarters, over Ten Thousand (10,000) Traders have be dislodged from their Market Stalls at Ekeukwu, New Stadium plaza, Mbari Plaza,Orie Amaraku, World Bank Market, Umuelemai Market etc.
More than One Thousand (1,000) Keke Operators are rendered jobless, over 1,000 Civil Defence Corps members have been sacked, 10,000 youths of the Ohakim era, and another 20,000 youths of Imo Must Work of Okorocha’s regime have since been recruited into the unemployed Army of Imo State.
Over Five thousand politicians that would have made Council Chairmen or vice Chairmen, Councilors, Supervisory Councilors and Sundry Personal Assistants from the 27 Local Governments since 2011 have had their opportunities ruined.
Pensioners and Imo Workers have since 2011 been living without plans and therefore may not have created any meaningful economic values to themselves for over six years now, due to unpaid or half payment of their statutory payments from the Government of Governor Rochas Okorocha.
Hundreds of Imo citizens who served Imo State under former regimes are owed statutory payments even as the regimes they served paid such dues to their successors.
Okorocha’s Appointees lament of being paid pearnuts as salaries, devoid of the original and acceptable stated payment from the National Fiscal Commission.
For six years now, there is no officially completed project in Imo State that has warranted commissioning by the President, his Vice, or the numerous African Presidents that have been trooping into Imo.
Despite the fact that Okorocha’s administration says it is practicing free education, yet parents enroll their children in private schools that cost high in tuition fees. What it means is that the people do not trust Okorocha’s so called free education.
Night life has died in Imo, because nobody has a spare to spend on winding out. Most visitors to the State has stopped coming due to the endless road constructions that end up giving Imo State roads that last few weeks.
No amount of Ministry of Happiness can erase the suffering on the faces of Imolites, except their Governor makes amend, by realizing that what Imo people are getting from him is not what they bargained for in 2011 when they put him in office.
If life is flowing within the Governors family, who could afford stupendous birthdays, it’s not so with a majority if Imolites who are presently facing economic pains.
Before, Local Newspapers rely on the State Government, LGAs and Ministries to survive, but when last has Imo State placed an Advert on a local Newspaper, and how much did it pay?
The present regime in the State has destroyed both macro and micro-economy of Imo State. No economy grows on theory or frivolous bogus permutations. Since Imo has no factory, the markets and small shops are the engine rooms of the State’s economy and it creates happiness.
With the destruction of markets, mechanic villages, shopping malls and non- payment of workers full salaries to carry out their financial needs in a civil service State like Imo, laughter and happiness have taken flight. And it will remain so because it is now too late, but rather a challenge for Okorocha’s successor.
