When some months ago the Governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha suddenly declared that Imo State University which hitherto had been located in Owerri for ages has been moved to Ogboko, his home town in Ideato South LGA, and again back to Owerri zone, I raised an alarm.
But when the Governor set up a Committee headed by his Deputy Sir Jude Agbaso to look into the right place to site the Institution in Owerri zone, I shouted from the roof tops, warning the people of Owerri zone to watch it for the owl which cries in the night and the baby dies in the morning is around the corner.
I informed them on this column that all about the relocation, re-relocation and then relocation of IMSU were all traps set for them by Owelle Okorocha to try their resilience to absurd shock and recover in preparation of more political chess games between now and 2015.
I appealed to the people of Owerri zone not to fall into this Okorocha trap. But alas! Ambition, greed, ego and all I mentioned then that would tear Owerri apart have had their way.
Owerri, in the next few months will scatter into rubbles. The stage has been set, and the drama about to start, or has started. Okorocha’s dangled hook has caught Owerri and only timely intervention by Elders will save the situation before it escalates. But I am ashamed because I warned about the impending doom, yet they still fell “Mugu”.
The IMSU relocation Committee set up by Okorocha has been in the news recently, but for all the bad reasons because the Committee members have divided into factions and ethnic leanings to the extent that even close allies are now working from distances.
When the Committee was formed and headed by Jude Agabso, I predicted that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Senator Chris Anyanwu will not agree to work in the committee. And it came to pass.
The reason why Iwuanyanwu and Senator Anyanwu declined the “Greek Committee” was because of their experiences in politics. They know the subterfuge behind such Committees and also know what Okorocha was planning to gain from the committee.
But Sir Jude Agabso’s hands were tied. One, he is the Deputy Governor and cannot decline his boss directive. And again, being a greenhorn in politics, he needed direction from old political foxes to thread clearfully. But with the look of the things now, I can say that Brother Jude has allowed today takeover his tomorrow.
What is filtering out from the Committee suggests that Jude Agbaso had already made up his mind where the permanent site of IMSU would be located. His members have accused him of over-dominating the discussions in the committee sittings; with a mind-set.
But unfortunately, Agbaso met his match in the members, particularly those from Mbaise and Ngor Okpala clans, who resisted his pre-meditated umpireship of the Committee, which is now brewing discord among the members, and will soon boil over and Owerri zone will be in tatters.
The fact now is that despite my warnings, Jude Agbaso and his “Brothers” from Owerri zone have failed the people in pursuance of personal ego.
The story we have is that the Committee has been divided into three. Agabso is saying that Imo state has not decided or agreed on the permanent site of Imo State University.
Much as I will say that the Deputy Governor may be new in politics, can we say he is new in Imo. Jude Agabso, I can attest, is one of the Imo sons who decided to site their businesses here despite the economic loses they may incur because of the economic climate of the state. His AGAD is here.
Therefore, in all sincererity, can Agbaso say tat he does not know that Dr Sam Mbakwe’s administration sited IMSU permanent site somewhere around Mbaise/Ngor Okpala?
According to reports, Agbaso is now championing for the IMSU permanent site to be located at Owalla-Uratta Umunahu-Umueziogwu-Ndiuhuobokwe-Ihette-Ogada Okwu-Emekuku. This Group has proffered reasons it should be located there including centrality from all parts of Imo state, to within Owerri capital city.
But pray, was it not same Agbaso who in widely circulated interviews supported the move by Okorocha to site IMSU in his village at Ogboko. His reason then was that Owerri zone was brimming with Higher Institutions.
Was it not people like Agbaso that should have prevailed it on his Boss that relocating IMSU from Owerri to his village was the height of social injustice? Therefore, after many people had stuck their heads out to make Rochas Okorocha have a rethink and return IMSU to Owerri, Jude Agabso has positioned himself as the main beneficiary. Let me tell my brother Jude that his attitude towards all that has been transpiring on this IMSU saga makes him lose followership, as he comes across like an opportunist.
But my worry is that the Agabso family is politically known in Owerri, and Deputy Governorship position should have served to them as the stepping stone for higher things to come, but I am afraid that this opportunity to build strong base for future endeavours are being frittered away. Martin Agbaso’s dogged fights should not be slaughtered to day on the altar of opportunism. Tomorrow looks brighter.
Agbaso in his message to the Committee made the argument that since Loyola University has been sited in Ngor Okpala, the old site at Ogbor/Umuanum can no longer be possible. That it was because of the European University now sited at Ogboko that Okorocha relocated IMSU back to Owerri.
Let me inform the Deputy Governor that there is no Loyola University in Ngor Okpala. No trace of any such. For Ngor Okpala, a bird in hand is better than one thousand cows in Adamawa. They are contended with the one they have now, period. Loyola University can go elsewhere in Imo.
And of the European University at Ogboko, it visible, tangible and feasible because Okorocha has used the ploy of sitting IMSU in his village and erected gigantic and massive structures at Ogboko. Therefore, both scenarios are different apart. Loyola University is just a theory, a fiction.
The group for Ogbaku site led by Hon Victor Ndunagu and Prof Uche Nkwogu can be said to be on a good stead to make case for Ogbaku. At least in the history of Imo state and IMSU, such a site has been mentioned many a times in various circles. But yet, for peace and unity of Owerri zone, it is not too much a difficult sacrifice to make, as many other developmental projects have not finished. For instance, if you go to Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Edo states it is clear that apart from Higher Institutions, there are various projects that could be sited in an area and the people will never be the same again. There lives will change for ever. Therefore, Imo is just growing and more things are yet to come.
Now the crux of the matter is that all members of the Committee from Mbaise and Ngor Okpala axis have resolved not to attend the meetings again, as they argue that there is no need for the time and money being wasted in the search for IMSU permanent site when a Governor from Obowo in Okigwe zone had agreed on a chosen site in Owerri zone for years now.
There argument include that subsequent administrations since then, from Udenwa to Ohakim had accepted and stamped the Mbaise/Ngor Okpala site, until Okorocha came with his political magic of divide and rule.
Prof Fabian Osuji, Nze PC Onuoha, Hon Dr Obioma Ekennia, Hon Ihuoma Adaku, Sir Emeka Nwofor, Dr Augustine Okere and others are those from this axis and speak with one voice.
But the problem now is that Agabso’s lips and political steps show that his dream now is to locate IMSU behind his village at Emekuku, just like his boss has acquired one at Ogboko.
Unfortunately for Agabso, without sounding bias, the general voice of Owerri people is that IMSU permanent site should remain where it is, where Environmental Assessment and other feasibility studies had been carried out for many years now.
The land is 890 hectares, certificate of occupying issued by subsequent administrations in the state before Okorocha, 10 minutes drive from Imo Airport, and no compensation demanded by its owners.
If this debate lingers, Okorocha would have gotten Ndi Owerre where he wanted them. The reason for this disagreement to stop immediately is for Owerri zone to between now and the next year be able to present a site to Okorocha, and see reasons he will give for not beginning work and completing it with the record time he completed “Ogboko University”.
But will Owerri people realize that Okorocha will be the happiest person should Jude Agabso committee remain enmeshed in Controversy while time ticks away?
This IMSU relocation saga is a litmus test for Owerri people. If they get this one correct and come out unscathed, then the 2015 Imo Guber they dream about could be realized. This is because, how they manage this little one, will indicate how they will come together for the elusive, and difficult project of Imo Governorship in 2015.
It is high time Owerri learnt how to be their brother’s keepers. Had Orlu been the capital city of Imo, they would have done everything possible to produce Governors of the state, even if there population is lesser than Owerri.
Is it not a shame to Owerri zone that all they can do is to host other people as Governors but cannot produce one, even though Douglas House is located in their domain?
See how Orlu threw away their differences to produce Okorocha as Governor, devoid of any political affiliation. Can Owerri do that?
Today, Okorocha is playing Ludo with Owerri zone with IMSU and Loyola University, when a private son of Owerri, Dr Basil Nnanna Ukaegbu had dreamt of these years ago, but was stopped because of politics. Let this serve as a lesson now.
Had Okorocha been from Owerri, would he have ever dared to move the Institution to Ogboko, before using it now to set Owerri against themselves?
Sir Jude Agbaso is a young man, and the sky is his limit if he plays his card well. Did he dream of ever being the Deputy Governor of Imo state about two years ago? Therefore, more things are there for him in the future. Beware of Okorocha hurdle, and gently jump across it to his chagrin. Charity should begin at home. Watch your back, as the entire Owerri people are watching today.
Shame your enemies with purposeful and enduring decision on this IMSU saga.
Posterity will judge you and your committee, even as this is a test case for leadership now and in the future. I rest my case.
