As a practicing Christian of Catholic faith, the Lenten season has always been a peculiar period in my life. The period which begins from Ash Wednesday of each year to Easter Sunday eve has always been remarkable as I devout my precious time to meditation, fasting and prayer. Few weeks after completing the annual ritual for this year’s episode, I repackaged another spiritual retreat for some days for a special purpose which this write-up will expose.
Ordinarily, I would not have made the purpose of the Godly package public but for this week’s commentary. Yours truly was engrossed in a funeral function in my quiet locality when some well-meaning and information-seeking Imolites tried to confirm from me the newsbreak that the Governor of Imo State was involved in a road accident on Owerri-Orlu Road on his way to undertake official inspection. Initially, I was jotted and could not hide my anxiety in the midst of mourners who thronged the burial venue for a family friend and my father’s age grade “Oganiru Age Grade” member during his life time. While I excused the group that comprised friends and relatives to ascertain what transpired, more calls came even from overseas to verify the condition of Governor Okorocha.
While informing those who called for confirmation that I am not part of Okorocha’s convoy and has no Government House, Owerri, correspondent to report state of affairs to me or my medium, I requested my inquirers to embark on prayers for the safety of the Governor and members of the convoy.
My mood changed and those within the circle noticed my worried looks forcing them to inquire what transpired. For the sake of the Governor and his crew, I re-launched my spiritual warfare by not only thanking God for saving their lives but also requested for their safety and quick recovery.
I did not embark on the renewed spiritual succour because I am an APGA, or rather APC stalwart, where Okorocha is one of their arrowheads or an indirect or direct beneficiary of the Governor’s leadership via political appointment and benevolence but the fact that he is a human being and the Governor of my beloved state. I also asked for God’s favours for the sake of the convoy crew who have families and relations.
And, I am aware that several Imolites, including the main opposition party in Imo State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP the ACN joined to sympathize and wishe the Governor quick recovery.
Available reports also indicate that the Governor sustained minor injury as he has been discharged from the hospital after several medical formalities that gave him a clean bill of health. I expect the Governor to include thanksgiving as part of his fast approaching second year anniversary program.
Since God has answered our prayers by sparing the life of the Imo State Governor through a clean bill of health, it is pertinent to comment on the controversy trailing the road accident reported to have occurred at Okporo area of Orlu Road.
According to reports, moments after the crash, the State Government was rushed to a private medical centre in Orlu for first aid treatment. Afterwards he was asked for security reasons to appear in the public and address the press before departing to London for urgent treatment. Okorocha’s London trip has continued to generate reactions that question the integrity of the medical sector in the state.
In view of the much-touted Health-At-Your Door Step policy which is one of the acclaimed landmark achievements of the Okorocha regime since it came into power two years, the London trip leaves much to be desired. If the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, IMSUTH, Orlu, is within-spitting distance to the scene of the incident, what stopped the outfit from providing the immediate health needs of the Governor who was involved in the crash? If the health institution meant to train future medical doctors and specialists is operating at optimal level, why could it not cater for the desired medical requirements of the number one citizen of the state? If the Health-At-Your-Door-Step slogan is not a mere propaganda and political machinations to deceive Imolites, why would any of the rescued health institutions especially the re-baptized Imo Specialist Hospital, on Umuguma/PortHarcourt Road handle the slightly injured Governor? I expect the head of the Rescue Mission in the state to lead by example by patronizing his Health-At-Your-Door-Step numerous establishments abound in the state.
The Governor’s London move is an indirect expression that all is not well with the health sector in the state and the Health-At-Your-Door-Step is a sham arrangement and mere verbal concoction invented to hoodwink the masses into a false belief about the state health sector. Since ordinary citizens of the state cannot muster the financial resources and logistics to deserve medical attention abroad like the Governor, what would be the fate of ordinary victims when involved in such a crash? I think the Governor and his co-travelers in the Rescue Mission as well the state lawmakers should embark on soul searching in order to quickly give medical facilities in the state a facelift and urgent attention. I am aware that the Governor would not try to allow himself treated al IMSUTH as the health institution is in shambles. For two years, the medical training arm of the state-owned university is experiencing difficult times as leadership tussle, periodic workers strikes and students protests over government negligence reign supreme. Only recently, medical students adorning their white aprons from the institutions campus in Orlu, took over Owerri streets to protest government’s indifference approach to their plights.
The story of the Specialist Hospital, Owerri, is a common sorry tale to Imolites who have been inundated with complaints ranging from non-payment of salaries, reported sale of the medical facility to a private operator and unending strikes among the various unions in the hospital. Since the planned privatization of all the General Hospitals to a private operator and building of new General Hospitals across the 27 LGAs in the state which is yet to be completed began, medical services have been epileptic with General Hospitals in comatose. With these sad developments, one can understand why the London option is only open for the Governor for treatment.
On the convoy incident which has attracted media ruckus, I was deeply worried by the Governor’s crash. Having been a regular “convoy party or crew” in recent past during my Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker days in Imo State House of Assembly, I was terribly shaken by the convoy crash. I was scared stiff that if the Governor could be harmed according to the reports, what would be the fate of other convoy team with particular reference to “Pilot”, “Sweeper”, “Press” and “Back up” crew vehicles.
Divergent views have continued to greet the crash with rumours and unconfirmed reports dominating discussions in several quarters.
I am yet to get a clearer picture of what transpired on the Owerri-Orlu Road while the Governor was undertaking an official function. Despite the Governor who managed to address the press in Owerri few hours after the incident could not dwell more on the crash, a terse statement from his media aides is insufficient as the reading public continue to ponder about Okorocha’s near-death encounter. An account has it that after inspection of some ongoing projects in Owerri, the Imo State Capital ahead of the May 6, 2013 “Freedom Day” celebration to herald the Second Anniversary Celebration of the present administration, Okorocha departed the state capital to Orlu, another urban city in the state. An interface between the Governor and his lieutenants saw a top security aide to the Governor (names withheld) on the driving seat. The puzzle has been on how the only vehicle to be involved in the crash would be that of the Governor, if the number of vehicles performing several security roles in the convoy of the Chief Executives of the state is to be considered. I am aware that certain vehicles are assigned specific roles in the convoy system. For the State Governor, a Super Bike security rider moves ahead with siren to inform on coming vehicles of the presence of the number one citizen of the state. The out rider signal is to ensure the coming vehicles slow-down and give way to the convoy. In the same vein, other pilot vehicles with security operatives will join suit before a vehicle called “Sweeper” approaches. The “sweeper” moves ahead of the “staff car” which carries the principal. The “sweeper” does the final clearance and could be said to be the “Hit Car” of the convoy saddled with the responsibility of clearing the movement of the “staff car”. Joining the “sweeper” in the security clearance movement is also a “Back Cover” vehicle that will also have security men. The “Back Cover” protects the Staff Car from the rear and most times undertake road clearance job left over by the “Sweeper”. This convoy movement when strictly adhered to by seasoned and trained security conscious drivers ensures unwarranted convoy crashes and security breaches. Even as no convoy movement system can be said to be perfect, can those in charge of the Governor Okorocha’s official be said to be well trained and knowledgeable about official movement and road procedure? Are those behind the steering wheel of the governor’s convoy crew trained security drivers assigned for the job or aides merely conscripted to drive Governor’s convoy vehicles?
I could remember an interactive session few journalists which I was part of had with Chief Engr Ebere Udeagu, Imo State Deputy Governor during the time of Governor Achike Udenwa. Udeagu told us that he has lost his private life to officialdom and directives from security and protocol details, adding that what remained was for his security details to watch him answer nature calls and be in bed with the wife. No doubt most top flight public office holders while in power lose their sovereignty to officialdom. Any attempt by public office holders to neglect laid down procedures often result to public embarrassment. The present administration has had a fair share of unsavoury developments. Sometime last year, the media was awash with the seat-dragging episode between the Governor and protocol officials attached to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra at a public event in Enugu. The inability of the advance protocol team to move ahead of the Governor and secure a vintage position for Okorocha at the reserved pavilion during the 80th birthday celebration of Chief Alex Ekwueme caused the altercation between the Governor and Obi’s aide. Also, the skirmishes between Okorocha’s convoy and that of the Senator representing Owerri Zone, (Imo East) December 26, 2012 could have been avoided if cautionary measures were applied by the drivers and security men attached to the elected officials.
While I rejoice with his Excellency for the clean bill of health and quick recovery, it is pertinent to remind his convoy crew to adopt precautionary measures during official duties to avoid unwanted incidents so that the great rescuer will complete his mission.
