Most times when I move round the state capital Owerri, I ponder in me what exactly could be the plans and programs of the ever smiling Gov Rochas Okorocha of Imo state towards rescuing the state as he promised during his campaign. It would not be out of place to hear/see people ask if I am not seeing all the renovation works going on, the free education and opening of roads embarked upon by the governor or better still call me opposition or detractor but only God knows between praise singers and activists who are really for the interest of the leaders and the lead. Well, which ever category you may fall, the truth must be told no matter whose ox is gored. For more than a year now, yours faithfully have seen and watched a government without people oriented blue-print but self oriented, which has kept Imolites in the dark, even the political appointees and house members are just wallowing in the dark, pretending as if all is well–but suffering and smiling! The truth is that the governor has succeeded in making ignorant Imolites (including elected & appointed government officials) see him as mini-god by not telling the people the truth about his financial status before his election and why he tagged his campaign project rescue mission. I am happy some people have started reasoning positively on that aspect because no one can fool everybody all the time. The renovations and retrieval of his landed and other properties around the country especially in Imo State within his first year as the chief executive of the state has kept mouth wagging on the authenticity and sincerity of his much publicized security-vote largesse. Some questions every constructive and progressive thinking Imolite should ask and sort for their answers before singing/ heaping praises on Okorocha like illetrates include; In a rescue mission, are plans and programs not carried out according to order of priority or in a scale of preference according to economists where Gov Okorocha claims to be a fellow? What are the economic value of these projects embarked upon by Okorocha to the common Imolites on the street? To whose economic and political interest are those projects for? Must we disparage other people`s monumental legacies in a bid to out shine them? Who is rescuing who in this project, the state or Gov Okorocha? My beloved reader, if you are not bias, myopic and sentimental your answers will be as good as mine. Bravado is an antics used to bamboose peoples` fantasies by selfish, wicked and visionless rulers who are not leaders and do not have people oriented plans and programs. This is one of Okorocha`s antics to rubbish and outshine our Dee sam Onunaka Mbakwe of the blessed memories and other past governors when he declared free education and unorganized opening of roads. A governor who promises free education to university level in a state that has been saturated with jobless graduates and sacks 10,000 graduates employed through due-process will be described as what? Another issue is opening of roads, how many/which of the roads opened by Gov Okorocha is as economical and political important/beneficial to the people of Imo and their neighboring states as the ring roads and flyover(Owerri By-Pass) projects by the previous government? Less I forget, the N15b city gates project, is nothing but bravado, exactly this same kind of bravado project of N10.8b Nworie dredging by the immediate past government. Eheee! Okorocha n`kwa echeki Ooo! Looking round the state you will see historical and monumental structure being demolished by the Okorocha led government. I watch with dismay how those that are supposed to advice, counter direct and resist such barbaric, ignorant and selfish destruction of the identities and histories of Imo State and her people celebrate out of sentiment and selfishness. Take it or leave it, the demolition of the famous and historic Multipurpose Hall, the Executive Chambers, Ama JK Recreation Park, and other historic buildings/structures in the state (especially in the old government house) has destroyed the true history of Imo State, making it incomplete, and denying her its culture and tourism sector jackpots. I call it the old government house because it is on record that the foundation stone of the new government house has been laid in the new Owerri, so I wonder why wasting resources that would have gotten us far in the new government house project in structures that would have been used to generate money for the state through the culture and tourism ministry. All these things are well conceived by Gov Okorocha to disparage and slay the efforts of his predecessors in order to out-shine them, not considering that verse in the National Anthem that says “the labors of our heroes past shall never be in vain” you can see that Gov Okorocha is not obeying that verse of our National Anthem. We all heard how Okorocha boasted that he will surpass the achievements of all his predecessors using Dee Sam Mbakwe as a reference point. He never knew that his campaign utterances will end up stepping him into a great man`s (Mbakwe) shoe which is more tasking than he envisaged. However, finding himself in the great man’s shoe, Okorocha has resolved to apply “disparage and slay” their legacies antics to wear and move the ever too big shoe. He may have realized/found out that what happened first always appear better and more original than what comes after. He realized that to surpass Dee Sam or any of his predecessors he will have to accomplish twice their achievements. As an egocentric politician Okorocha resolved not to be lost in their shadows or stuck in a past which was not his own making in his usual egocentric manner he decided to establish his own name and identity for his political ambitions and gains by disparaging and slaying the legacies of his predecessors. Some of the disparaged and slew legacies includes; the old government house, local government development centers, Ama JK recreation park, Okigwe road round-about, State Secretariat, the Ring road and flyover project, the 10,000 jobs scheme, IRROMA, planning to stop Keke, Opening of the closed road at the Imo Hotel (which is causing more traffic bottle neck than before), the local government election, the Hero`s Square (used to lobby for the new Igbo leader), the renovation of the famous Multi-Purpose Hall, Renaming of ADAPALM, Oguta Wonder Lake, to mention a few. Gov Okorocha having believed that his antics are good enough to deceive Ndi Imo into rating and accepting him as the best among equals. He has embarked on numerous policies, promises and reforms both feasible, constitutional and otherwise to pave way for him in the 2015 election either in Abuja, Owerri or the new anticipated Orlu State. Whichever way it is, all his self oriented projects and programs some of which include; the 4th Tier government (CGC, selfishly fashioned for grass root campaign structure), free education, stipends, 305 new primary school blocks, construction of city gates, dress code (bravado), commercialization of government institutions (indirect/selfish acquisition of business empire), relocation of IMSU (an Orlu State agenda), obnoxious taxes and levies (to impoverish Ndi Imo and make them dependants on selected few)…. N`kwa agbako! Okorocha forgot that Imo is a dynamic state blessed with lettered and learned intelligent, wise and smart people in all ramifications, who knows that behind every politician there are tons of rebranded lies! It never occurred to Mr. Gov. that pragmatic and people oriented leaders preach the need for change, but never reform too much at a time/once, because people understands the need for change in the abstract but on the day-to-day level people are creature of habits. Too much innovation is traumatic and dangerous and can lead to revolt (the numerous protests and strike actions by groups and workers respectively against the government in the last one year is an assessment of the government policies and reforms). As a new person in a governorship position, trying to build power base, Okorocha should show some sign of respect to the old way of doing things in Imo (after all he has not spend one straight month in Imo State since he was born, before becoming governor last year). If change is inevitable, it should be made to look like gentle improvement on the past. According to Niccolo Machiavelli “He who desires to attempt to reform the government of a state, and wishes to have it accepted, must at least retain the semblance of the old form; so that it may seem to the people that there has been no change in the institution, even though in actual fact they are entirely different from the old ones. For the great majority of mankind is satisfied appearances, as though they were realities” In a similar philosophy, our amiable governor should be taught that the past is a corpse to be use as you see fit. If what happened in the recent past was painful and harsh, it is self destruction for him to associate himself with it as in his obnoxious taxes and levies, white elephant project (city gates, like Nwaorie dredging), demolition of buildings and shops, the plan to replace keke with government taxis, incessant dispute with civil servants, favoritism and nepotism (appointment of family members, in-laws, progidees, friends and mediocres into public offices/positions)… uche gi dikwa ya! To build on something more solid, using the past; tinkering with tradition, playing with convention to subvert it will give your creation something more than momentary appeal. Period of dizzing change disguise the fact that yearning for the past will inevitably creep in (just like the recent disappointment and attack on the governor by Ndi Imo for making most roads in the state impassable due to the delay in their completion). Therefore using the past as reference point will bring more acceptance, power and respect than trying to cut them off completely——-a futile self-destruction endeavour……ometere buru! Another antics Okorocha has been using is appearing holier than thou, and too perfect with his reforms, he has never been granted any kind of audience without him criticizing his predecessors. Just recently the Governor was quoted as saying “Ohakim is a shameless criminal” in an Owerri based tabloid. He has forgotten that one day he will be an “ex” and his successor will use such or more dehumanizing adjectives on him, after all major problem Ndi-Imo had with Ohakim was his utterances. Aka eji buo okwa, ka a n`eji abo okuko! Governor Okorocha should be made to understand that his actions and self oriented style of governance is making him more unpopular on daily bases causing Imolites to regret voting him into the DOUGLAS HOUSE. His antics would have worked in some states but not in Imo because Imolites are civilized, enlightened, lettered and are not easily deceived by bravados, mirthless and rhetoric speeches. It is also on record that Okorocha recently claimed to be mentored by Dee Sam Mbakwa, just to play to our fantasy—- what an insult and blackmail to Mbakwe`s person!!!! My questions here are; where, when, how? or did Okorocha forgot the distinction between Idol/Hero and Mentor. Does it make follow trying to delete the same man you claimed to be your mentor out from the sands of time and history.—-Obi ojoooo!!!! He also should know that Imo people keep abreast the development around them with critical and logical view, and knows that conventional wisdom has it that there is always “a sense in every nonsense”, unlike where he grew up. I hereby submit that his Excellency should step up to his plan B because Imo is too civilized for those antics, “although the first cut is the deepest”…………. Imo must be better! Uwadiegwu Kevin (08139585413)
