Mbaise Clan is one of the largest homogenous ethnic nations that make – up Imo state. The Mbaise are known for their industry and seriousness. However, the clan is much known for their discipline and respect for elders and abiding by whatever they all agree on, come rain come sun.
Mbaise people can quarrel among themselves when they are at home, but don’t be deceived that as a third party, you will capitalise on differences between two Mbaise people for your own undue advantage. Wrong! They remain together when operating outside their enclave, forget what you see as a quarrel!
These people are too Intelligent to have realised years ago, that education and population are very important to every society. That is why today, nearly every nuclear family in Mbaise has about ten children. And despite these numbers, they still manage to send them to school.
Half of Parish Priests in the entire federation come from Mbaise. An old story has it that because Mbaise has alot of population, each family tries to have an ordained Catholic priest, who will be sending home all the garri, rice, plantain, chickens etc that comes to his station from his parishioners, for the feeding of his siblings and parents.
If that folklore is true, it has paid off as there is no Mbaise family that cannot boast of one graduate today.
The communal nature, and strategy of the Mbaise nation to survive or excel in difficult situations led one Musician, to say that when you have an Mbaise man and a Rattle snake in the same room, watch the Mbaise man, not the snake.
However, many people misunderstood that idiom to mean another thing not knowing that what Kabaka meant in that song was that Mbaise people are very intelligent people and does not fall “Mugu” easily.
My main concern here is the united attitude in which Mbaise nation pursues their collective goal, not minding whose ox is gored.
In the last general election in Imo state, the people showed their dexterity in keeping to their words. Mbaise people proved to the other parts of Imo state how homogenous and united they are.
I will say that Mbaise nation are populated more with members of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, than other political parties following the number of heavy weights from the clan that belong to the PDP.
However, during the election, the clan carefully played the game the way it suited the nation and their sons and daughters who participated in the election, to continue to protect its interests in the comity of other clans that make up Imo state.
In that election, a daughter of Mbaise, in the person of Prof Viola Onwuliri was the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, and Hon Nnanna Igbokwe were all of PDP and contested for the three Mbaise constituencies, namely Ezinihitte, Ahiazu and Aboh respectively.
Senator Chris Anyanwu, who formerly was of the PDP moved to the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, to run for Owerri Senatorial election, after the PDP had foisted Dr Kema Chikwe to run for the post, even when the incumbent, Anyanwu was still interested.
In the election proper, Mbaise poured their votes for the PDP in a bid for the area to retain the Deputy Governorship position, which their daughter Dr Ada Okwuonu held previously. Both Ihedioha and Nnanna Igbokwe scaled through.
Then Ironically, Senator Chris Anyanwu a daughter of Mbaise and of APGA mauled Kema Chikwe to retain her position.
Therefore, Mbaise clan retained the Owerri Senatorial Seat, to the detriment of Mbaike, core Owerri and Ngor Okpala old countries.
After the end of the elections, and the conclusion of political cake – sharing in Abuja, Mbaise ended up in grabbing the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative in their son, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, who is today, the number six citizen of the federation.
Prof Viola Onwuliri, who failed in her joint ticked of the PDP with Dr Ikedi Ohakim was compensated with the position of a Minister in the Federal Executive Council.
So, when you look at the political equation of Imo state presently, Mbaise nation is the most favoured in the distribution of positions under PDP in Imo state.
But it did not come to them on a platter of gold as they got their booty through concerted efforts, discipline and unity. But, the by – election of the Ahiazu/Ezinihitte federal constituency, brought to the fore, the impeccable understanding and rigidity of purpose and respect for elders that make Mbaise tick.
Living with the illusion that Mbaise was for APGA, for voting massively for their daughter, Senator Chris Anyanwu, the party had embarked on wild goose chase, and false confidence, hoping that it would trounce the PDP in that last election.
Gov Okorocha had released enough armour for that exercise, and followed it up with the type of campaigns that preceded his own election. He thought that as the sitting governor, Mbaise people have accepted him and his party.
But true to Mbaise character, they went for Nnanna Igbokwe, and shunned Chidi Ibe of APGA, not because they hated him, but because Mbaise wanted to finish what they started on April last year.
In the end, Igbokwe returned. That election was a signal to APGA and Okorocha that Mbaise nation are at alert at all times, and does not joke with their chosen words, neither do they subscribe to easy lucre to compromise their dignity.
That election was not taken well by the present administration in the state, and that is why Mbaise nation has to pay for its loyalty to the PDP.
I have travelled all the nook and crannies of Imo state. Only a petty partisan can say he or she is not seeing the massive road projects going on in the state. But Mbaise people are paying for their stand on the last election.
In the entire Imo state, apart from Okigwe zone where Dr Ikedi Ohakim came from, Mbaise nation gave him the highest number of votes.
Because of that, this Okorocha road revolution has not really hit Mbaise people.
Nearly all the major roads in Mbaise are begging for repairs or construction. The worst is the road that passes through Ahiazu Mbaise to Ehime Mbano. The road has turned to a death trap, yet other roads that are not as bad as that in other areas of the state are getting attention.
However, it is the price of loyalty; just as many other people are paying in different spheres in the state now.
The same thing happened to Ngor Okpala area, during Sam Mbakwe era.
Because of our political father, Dr Nnanna Ukaegbu of the Great Nigerian Peoples Party GNPP, then led by Alhaji Waziri, Gov Sam Mbakwe did not site any particular project in Ngor Okpala, except the school for the Mentally deranged located at Obike. Mbakwe gave electricity to all the towns and communities surrounding Ngor Okpala but he did not give Ngor Okpala.
The area saw electricity only years ago during the administration of Late Chief Livy Okereafor as the chairman of the Council Area.
But unfortunately, many Ngor Okpala sons and daughters belonged to Nigeria Peoples Party NPP, which Mbakwe. Ironically, while Mbakwe starved Ngor Okpala of various projects and infrastructure, his teeming followers also suffered with the rest of others.
Unlike Ngor Okpala, which had no body to intervene for them, Mbaise clan is blessed with captains of industries and prominent sons and daughters in high places, both in government.
Hon Emeka Ihedioha has attracted federal roads and even a power station to the area. I saw some roads which i was told were constructed by Senator Anyanwu’s influence from the federal government.
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. When during the Biafran war, the young nation was barricaded, it resorted to internal ingenuity and the result was wonderful.
I think the present situation Mbaise found itself, will naturally crave their sense of unity, discipline and accord. Already, the nation is Industrious and Ingenious.
