Category: Guest Columnist

 

Many have been shocked with comments from the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha following his stupendously celebrated 55th Birthday ceremony which spanned close to two weeks, with Imo State shaken to its foundation with high profile visitors, while State matters were grounded for the epic event.

For over one week, sitting Presidents, former Head of States, Governors, Ministers, Diplomats from various countries, top politicians and other high caliber personalities were trooping into Imo State to celebrate with the man of the moment; the Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

Locally, all the twenty seven local Government Areas of the State lined-up at Government House Owerri, to pay tribute an honour to the “Deity”.

The clergy and other men of God were not left out, as Imo Government House turned to Mecca, where everybody must visit to take “blessing” after dropping their “tithe”.

The women of Imo State even elevated what ought to have been a modest celebration and personal gathering, (due to the mode of the time, because of ravaging hardship in the land), to another level, as they erected twenty seven birthday cakes before the Governor, to the envy of most politicians and moderates, who questioned what the celebrations were all about.

No matter what the detractors said, the celebrant savoured the entire outing, which apart from being a century event, but also afforded the governor the opportunity to gauge his popularity among the populace and most importantly, know those that are his real friends.

But despite this mammoth crowd and pouring of encomium, Okorocha still was not too satisfied as a person, because he personally noticed some missing links in the tumultuous gathering.

It is just like when a man loses his wife or a loved one. Despite the crowd and all that, there are still some people the mourner would look out for. And he must against all noises notice their presence or absence.

Therefore, despite the role-call of personalities that graced the event, there are some people Okorocha used one eye to record their presence or absence.

In the first place, Okorocha as an experienced politician knows that his 55th Birthday celebration will be his last as a sitting Governor and therefore wanted to make use of it to the tilt. Even though he would be around next September in 2018, but if the Governor dares call for another Birthday celebration, he would not see 3% of the people now bowing and trembling before his power.

Therefore, whoever that did not attend the ceremony this time has attracted Okorocha’s attention, and he recorded this more than all those seeking for his attention all through the multimillion Naira soiree.

Because of the importance Okorocha attaches to the presence of these August absentees, who would have shored up his popularity and brightened his political chances as we approach the D- day in 2019, the Governor will not forgive this people easily.

Among these prominent absentees from the Okorocha’s 55th Birthday include the President of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammadu Buhari, who incidentally is of the same political party, APC with Okorocha.

Despite the fact that Buhari sent his foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Onyeama to represent him, the Ideato South born Governor right there in the presence of Buhari’s representative lamented openly that he would have been more honoured had Buhari himself visited to partake in the celebrations.

However, information had it that Buhari was compelled not to attend the event, when he went through all the plethora of activities marked for the Birthday, and there was no place a mention was given to commissioning of a single project, even if is a pure water factory.

Buhari who is known for his austre life glossed over the invitation and sent an Ambassador Onyeama, while he went for more important State functions than wasting time in a mere “Owambe” in Imo State.

Sources said that Buhari has not been happy since after hearing how lavishly the Okorocha birthday was celebrated, with a visiting President of Ghana spending over three days in a State in Nigeria, as a visitor of a State Governor, when Aso Rock Villa was there.

The humungous frivolity which trailed the Okorocha birthday celebration is said to have irked Buhari who asked for the clips of the jamboree for keeps, as Imo workers and pensioners are owed, and therefore waiting for when to pounce in the future, when Imo Governor may go begging for more funds from the Federal coffers.

Another lamentation Okorocha had was that of Senator IfeanyiAraraume, who conspicuously stayed away from the ceremonies, including Okorocha’s Biography lunch, which many said should have attracted the senator since it was not a Moet or Chystal Wine segment of the outing.

Certainly, Okorocha had expected to use Araraume’s presence to douse the belief in different quarters that Okorocha and Araraume are at Daggers- drawn.

Even though Araraume and Okorocha pretend to be buddies whenever they meet at functions, but Araraume has avoided Imo Government House as a plague, even when his Son, Ifeanyi (Jr) was Okorocha’s Commissioner.

The Araraume/ Okorocha face-off began after Araraume helped Okorocha win the 2015 re-run election, and the Senator told his new ally that he too wants to Governor Imo.

But Okorocha advised Araraume to take a shot at the Okigwe Senate seat again after being there for Eight years before. But the Ishiebu born Senator asked Okorocha to keep his counsel, as only he, Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume knows what is good for him, and not Okorocha.

Another noticeable absentee was Rt Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu, the erstwhile Speaker of Imo House of Assembly, whom Okorocha contributed in no small measure in placing in his present political height.

But Uwajumogu has since made new friends and easily forgotten how Okorocha propelled him to the position of Speaker, which left Uwajumogu to make enough money, even though he passed an Eight year development Bill for Okorocha, which has since turned a blank cheque for the Governor to deal with Imo people.

Senator Osita Izunaso, the National Organizing Secretary of Okorocha’s party was nowhere near any of the celebrations.

Why was Okorocha lamenting over the absence of these people? Well, they are the big three in APC, who can make things difficult for Okorocha on his plan to foist a hand-picked successor in 2019. So, if they all work together it would be to the benefit of Okorocha. But they have declined to dine with the Governor any further.

Buhari is the President, and had he visited Imo in person, it would have showed a clear cosy relationship between Governor and President, which Imo Governor would always have capitalized on for more things to come in the future.

Izunaso as the National Organizing Secretary of APC wields enormous power within the APC National Working Committee NWC. Therefore, Izunaso can “change lists”.

Uwajumogu is the only APC Senator in the entire Southeast zone and attends APC Caucus meetings, and other high-powered party meetings that Governors may not attend.

Araraume, is a member of National Communications Commission, without Okorocha’s input, and romances with APC big wigs in Abuja.

Therefore, the absence of Buhari, Araraume, Uwajumogu and Izunaso from the birthday bash sends bad signal, which only an experienced political fox like Okorocha can decipher, while his numerous Aides wore Ishi-agu, dancing and drinking, without observing what their leader was brooding about.

Did Okorocha worry about the absence of Achike Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim, Martin and Jude Agbaso or Uche Onyeagocha?

But more occasions to lament about abound for Okorocha. Just wait as he steps into next year and the Governor will begin to realize the character of man towards power. Any way, he knows.

Yet, what these people are dishing out to Okorocha now after being allies in pursuance of power, is a replica of what Imo electorate are going through in the hand of the Governor.

Do you know that some indigent women and down trodden made contributions to Okorocha’s campaign fund in 2011 following his oratory and body movements which have turned out today to be only stories? Does the Governor still remember the peoples gesture with his current draconian policies that give no danm to the poor who have been reduced to pitiable impoverishment? While Okorocha reeks in affluences?

Well, many people have forgotten that it was Ikedi Ohakim’s regime that introduced Keke into Imo State. But in 2011, the same Keke people ganged up against Ohakim and worked for Okorocha’s victory.

Now, six years after, the same Keke people are “going home” courtesy of Owelle Rochas Okorocha. Therefore, it is certainly true that what goes round comes around. This is just the beginning for both the Leader and the followers.

 

A week to end of the month of August, 2017, stories about Imo State dominated the reading spaces, especially in the social media, where the demolition of the popular Owerri main market, otherwise known as EKE UKWU Owerri, became the epicenter of discussion.

The micky-mouse game between Owerri indigenes the owners of the state capital opposed to the removal of their ancestral market, with traders on one part and the state government at the other end, ended on a dramatic note, when government bulldozers backed by gun-totting security operatives forcefully moved into Douglas Road, housing the Eke Ukwu market. A tinge of theatrical displays erupted midway during the escapades of the earth-shaking machines which moved into the market on the historic Black Saturday of August 28, 2017. Reports of the death of a 10year- old boy, identified as Somtochukwu Ibeanusi filtered in.

Reports have it that the unsavoury incident became part of the anti-climax of the topsy-turry Owerri, the Imo State capital witnessed on the fateful day.

Surprisingly, the Okorocha administration, a week ago, declared intention to rename the famous Douglas Road after the slain Somtochukwu, who it may be argued died in the course of government’s use of force to get rid of the traders from the location.

The late Somtochukwu, the only son of the parents, who are business operators with about four shops at the Eke Ukwu Owerri market plaza, was reported to have gone to assist the family evacuate the goods of the parents from the shops before he met his untimely death, arising from the higgledy-piggledy that ensued. There are different accounts to the cause of the death, but family sources indicate that the late teenager suffered bullet wounds on the head that sent to him early to grave.

Immediately the news broke out about casualties trailing the use of military men to embark on demolition of market, Imo State government media unit and their paid egoons started releasing insipid reactions to not only shift blames, but also deny culpability in the resulting hodgepodge that has became a sad tale in the Ekeukwu demolition story.

A melancholic spokesman of the governor, suspected to be suffering from media misfit paralysis, began to drum out fatuous rendition of press releases in a puerile effort to absolve government of blame.

In the first instance, government denied that no one died and described the gory pictures of Somtochukwu and a pathetic surving sister as an event that happened years ago in Port Harcourt, River State. As if the garrulous media man of Okorocha was under a spell to continue paint the image of the governor black in the eyes of the public, he quickly dished out another squalid attempt to deceive the public that no one died. His trademark show of contemptible lack of moral and ethical standards while polishing the image of the governor and Imo State government manifested again in another third press statement in a row within 24 hours, arrogantly claimed that Somtochukwu died as a result of cult activities somewhere at Mbaise road, a kilometer distance to Ekeukwu market on Douglas Road where shots oozing from gun nozzles trigger happy of soldiers, police and civil defense operatives boomed. For those not closer to Owerri to witness what could be termed as a dress rehearsal to the Operation Python Dance (Egwu Eke 11) launched by the Defense Headquarters) in the South East States, two weeks after the incident an unbiased report aired in AIT, a private TV Station, to highlight the demolition tells a better story of what transpired.

An evidence that death was recorded in the Ekeukwu demolition was when the Commissioner of Police, for the Imo State command, Chris Ezike confirmed to the Independent Newspapers Publishers Association, INPA, that the command received a report of the death, forcing his man to investigate circumstances surrounding the death that occurred same day the market went down. The police command confirmed collecting the tally of the mortuary from the family, where the late Somtochukwu was deposited, for autopsy.

Even as the police is yet to come out with official report on what killed Somtochukwu, the Imo State government surprised even their die hard critics to state that the 10year- old lad will be immortalized. The volte face of Governor Okorocha who while addressing traditional rulers and leaders of Owerri Nchi Ise disclosed that the new structure to be situated at the site of Ekeukwu Owerri and new Douglas Road will be named after the late Somtochukwu. The latest posture besmirches the integrity of the present government in Imo State having denied earlier.

Despite repeated denials embellished with concocted lies and half backed truths to escape blame, Okorocha regurgitates when the same buggered media Chief of the governor in the latest statement informed the public that “Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said that the boy would be honoured by the state government, adding that Douglas Road and project that would be built at Ekeukwu Owerri site will be named after him”. Going further, Okorocha was quoted to have said “Government has decided to honour Somtochukwu although the boy’s death was confused because an action can’t be taking place on Douglas Road and the person died at Mbaise road. No matter what happened, whatever be the case, since that boy died within that period of liberation, that boy must be honoured.

“And   for the fact that the whole of Owerri leaders are mourning him, wore black even to Catholic and Anglican Church. And if Owerri leaders can mourn a boy from Nnewi, Anambra State that shows that there is something great about that boy”.

However, more ironical in the theatre of absurdity surrounding the latest posture of Government House, Owerri to Somtochukwu death is the self- destructive attributes contained in the statement released by the media aide who quoted Okorocha to have said “so far every actively in that Eke ukwu and Douglas road, the boy (Somtochukwu) will be honoured, because he died on the day of the event. That boy is more important than any Eke or Afor, Ekeukwu or Ekenta. So both the Douglas Road and project to be sited there will be named after the boy, Somtochukwu. The project will be named Somtochukwu and the roads, Somtochukwu road in line the way all are mourning that boy”.

From the foregoing, there is an indirect admission of guilty if the last sentence

“…..all are mourning that boy” is considered. The decision to name the project to be sited at the location of Ekeukwu and Douglas road after Somtochukwu despite repeated claims that he was maimed at another location called Mbaise road, further exposes the double standard applied in the general management of the boy’s death. One wonders if it was only the Somtochukwu that died on the day of Eke ukwu demolition for the state government to consider only him for such immortalization. And why would the State government after castigating certain political leaders and office holders for identifying with the family of the deceased, come up with desire to honour his death. And why after mocking Owerri zone people for declaring one week of mournful mood join to now mourn the untimely exit of Somtochukwu? Only time shall tell.

 

 

Imo State is presently passing a stage that will shake the State to its very foundation. And after this raging storm, the State will never be the same again. Either it ends up becoming a reference point for other States to emulate, or it ends up reduced to the cleaners.

But what is certain is that by the time the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is done with his latest innovations and plans on where he wants to place the State before he vacates office finally in 2019, something must give.

One thing certain is that every administration is never the same. Therefore it is hardly acceptable to see each administration from the same point of view, but rather each must be tailored to touch the lives of its citizens, because the major assignment of every Government is to change the lives of the citizens for the better.

In Imo State, there has been four known civilian administrations. They include that of Chief Sam Mbakwe, Senator Evan Enwerem, Chief Achike Udenwa and Chief Ikedi Ohakim, and when Owelle Rochas Okorocha leaves in 2019, it would be five civilian regimes in the State.

Chief Sam Mbakwe’s regime has no comparism with any. It laid the foundation of the entire old Imo State comprising of present Abia and some parts of Ebonyi States of today.

In the area of infrastructure, the roads Mbakwe built 0ver thirty years ago still stand strong today. The former administrations after him have even found it difficult to maintain or sustain any of the numerous factories he erected.

Chief Evan Enwerem could not leave any structure to point at because the regime left as fast as it came into office due to military coup.

Chief Achike Udenwa’s Government performed at the capacity of the funds within its coffers then. However, he made sure that whatever he left behind had value for the fund put into it by the State.

Under Udenwa, Imo State had relative peace, and there was enough on the table for the masses, as nobody slept with empty stomach.

When Ohakim came, he raised the ante by being more scholastic and urbane than Udenwa, and therefore introduced policies that most Imo people saw as being too elitist, even though germane to the State’s development.

Ohakim brought sanity into the State capital by introducing some sanitary conditions that made Owerri the cleanest State capital throughout his four years in office. The regime was organized and focused.

Whatever that regime handled, be it road projects or House structures, it left the best in terms of long span and class.

It pursued all its policies backed with enabling laws and legislations, through which it carried out some structural policy changes like the ban on Okada which was replaced by Keke.

From 2011 till date, Imo State has been with the administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

Immediately it came into office, the regime did not mince words in telling Imo people that in its quest to push the State to quick and rapid development, the Government would have nothing to do with due process or the rule of law, which will delay the good intensions of the administration for Imo people.

Till date, that administration has lived to its promise not to delay its fast movement with due process that is a bottle neck to administrators.

Without sounding immodest, Imo people within Okorocha’s first one year in office realized what he meant by not given to due process, as Owerri the State capital became a construction site. Jobs that would have waited for snail-speed Tender Boards spruted every nook and cranny of the State capital.

Gate constructions, road projects, fumigations, buildings etc were on-going everywhere. It was a new beginning and everybody queued along with the latest revolution that was setting Imo State to the utopia height.

Within a short time, Imo people began to compare Okorocha with Mbakwe, as Udenwa, Ohakim and Enwerem were confined to history, because any mention of them among the citizens only attracted the sticks.

In that euphoria, Imo people were watching bemused when the Okorocha administration shifted from adding to the already existing Imo projects, to demolition. Rather than raise fresh structures on virgin lands, the administration relishes in demolishing already existing structures built by former regimes.

Within a short time, the Medians dividing roads in Amakohia road were pulled out and ordinary concrete blocks were put in their places. Old Ministry of Works and Water Board were bulldozed and reduced to rubbles. Ama JK Park was demolished, the FSP Building that gulped Imo State Government Billions of Naira equivalent when it was built by Tanko Zubairu regime was mauled down. And too many other monumental structures of the State were uprooted.

And these destructions were on when the same administration was blaming the non-payment of full salaries and pension on paucity of funds.

The same administration would build a fence, foot Bridges, roads etc and come back to destroy them, and yet raise them back again, thereby wasting stupendous State funds one project.

Remember I told you earlier that no administration is the same. In the midst of all these constructions, reconstructions and destructions, the Okorocha administration still kept to its promise to give Imo citizens free education, which previous administrations could not do. How he is doing it, nobody knows. But Imo State operates free education. Parents whose children are in Government schools attest to this, but with the caveat of whether quality or qualitative education.

But recently, as the Okorocha administration approaches the last curve of its turn to its final destination within the next 18 months, the Governor is making bold steps to change the face of Imo State economy before he bows out. I think he is done with the area of infrastructure, but now faces the State’s economy to give it a final shape.

Okorocha has since last month been taking very tough decisions that no other Governor in the State had ever dared, be it civilian or military.

And it takes the guts of an out-going Governor, who would seek for no votes from the masses again to do what he is presently doing. Bravo to the Okorocha!.

However, it is only a leader that sees where he is driving his people to. In other words, Okorocha has his target and says he means well for the entire five million Imo citizens. He said he should be given the benefit of doubt and only be judged or compared to his predecessors when he must have gone.

That is the truth. You can only judge a leader with others when he or she is gone, so that you can compare.

Therefore, the situation as it is now in Imo deserves nothing but the total corporation of the populace, for Okorocha to finish what he has started, and then we can all compare in the end. In the first place, there is nothing anyone can do about it, since the administration has made it clear that it does not believe in due process. Therefore, whether you agree or not, what happened in Ekeukwu Owerri where the combined forces of the military over-ran the market despite court order from in the judiciary will persist. Therefore, the masses must fall into line and watch, until the re-engineering of Imo State is over by Okorocha.

If what it needs is no-due process for Imo to develop to the dreams of our present Governor, let it be. What should matter is that Imo is better than it was in 2011. This will roll the State into fast development as whoever succeeds Okorocha can take the State further to other directions.

In the next coming months, over one hundred and Nine Markets in the State would be pulled down and replaced with new ones. This was from the mouth of the Governor’s Aide on market relocations Ichie Best Mbanaso.

Already, Amaraku, Mgbidi and Ekeukwu Markets have gone down. Many ask, why these markets that are not in the capital city and why now that things are too hard? The Answer is that Government thinks for you and you cannot see far than your Leader.

One of the major policies of the Imo Government now is the introduction of Taxis to phase-out notorious Keke transportation into the hinterlands. A lot of people have raised alarm over this matter and what it holds for the State economy and crime increase.

But Ohakim regime phased out Okada from Owerri and heavens did not fall.

It only took a little while for all the Okada riders to own Keke and that was the end of the matter.

However, what the Okorocha Government should be worried about is what happens to all those who depend on Keke for their day to day operations. Are there enough Taxis to ply the roads? And are there roads for Taxis to ply?

This brings me to the issue of roads in the State capital. Unfortunately, the Government could not be patient enough to complete some of the roads it started before introducing the taxis. For six years now, all the roads in Owerri have been under construction. And yet none has seen completion.

Technically speaking, there is no single road functioning in Owerri presently. Apart from Whethral and Okigwe Roads. The major roads where the citizens go home to settle down after every day runnings are bad and impassable. And these are the roads the supposed Taxis ought to ply to drop and carry passengers.

That is why we suggest that sometimes Government should listen to those they call critics, and stop threatening them. This is because criticism is necessary for every Government to learn from its mistakes and improve.

Since Imo Government knew it was phasing out Keke, it behoves that the roads must be ready first for the numerous taxis that will ply the State capital, Owerri. You don’t put the cat before the Horse.

The issue of what happens to the Keke Drivers that may not be opportuned to win the ballot for taxis is another serious matter. So, how do such people eke out a living? Those who would have fallen back to the Ekeukwu market as a final option have nowhere to go as even spaces for stores have skyrocketed in the State capital due to a deluge of former Ekeukwu Traders looking for where to begin a fresh.

Remember that there are people who depend on importation of Keke for survival. What of Keke mechanics and spare part sellers? What happens to those who feed their families on Keke Union duties? All these are gone, without anything as replacement?

Did we remember the food vendors, and “Joints” that service keke operators?

Unfortunately, both the market demolitions and relocations with Keke phase-out are happening simultaneously in the State capital, and these are not only the existing jobs available in the State, but those one can easily engage on if you can raise the capital to fund them. Therefore, Keke is the only self-employed job waiting for our unemployed teeming graduate youths, since there are no jobs jobs or factory factory factory to employ them.

But for now in Imo, we all are waiting for the morning after.

Since 1996 Owerri the Imo State capital was thrown into chaos and mayhem following the Otokoto riot instigated by actions of the Noveau Rich accused of human rituals, the State has remained peaceful until August 26, 2017, when heaven was let loose, reminiscence of the 1996 debacle.

By nature, Owerri Town although dominated by “visitors” due to its metropolitan status, is a civil service city, populated more by the educated and a sprinkle of Traders, which makes it a relatively peacefull place to live unlike Aba or Onitsha made up more of Artisans, and therefore more volatile.

Owerri as the State capital is hosting citizens of the three political zones of Imo State, namely Orlu, Okigwe and Owerri including others from all parts of the world. However, due to the natural gifts endowed on each zone, while Owerri people are more academically inclined and civil servants, their Okigwe and Orlu cousins are more blessed in craft and business.

Therefore, while Owerri is the chief host, the major economic bases of the State capital are mostly in the hands of Orlu majorly, who are businessmen, and have been more lucky financially because people of Orlu stock had held power in the State longer than other zones and therefore have benefitted from government contracts and largesse, which helped in propelling Orlu to the orbit of Imo political and economic control.

Despite these realities, the three zones have all cohabited together with each respecting each others idiosyncrasies. Simply put, there exist mutual respect among the three zones. And this respect is what has been holding Imo State together, as whoever is elected Governor tries to keep to the terms of this unwritten Holy Grail, until the present administration in the State led by Governor Rochas Okorocha arrived in 2011.

The present Governor in 2011 won an election without the support of most of those seen as the Godfathers who must support a candidate to win. Therefore, having succeeded without these proverbial Godfathers, Okorocha felt there was no need to reconcile or call all Imo people together for a fresh beginning, but believing the State belongs to him alone, he rather moved on and created his own new elites and leaders, under his new fiefdom, leaving out the bulk of Imo citizens in his programmes up till today.

In normal climes, when a candidate wins an election, as the leader and father of the State, it behoves on that Governor to realize that the era of campaigns were over, and with victory achieved, the next stage is to make peace and gather the entire human resources of the State for the greater benefit of those who voted for him and those who did not.

But till date, the present Governor of Imo State has not forgotten or forgiven anything, despite holding power in trust of all citizens of the State, including none voters and members of his party.

Therefore, when Ekeukwu Owerri Market was invaded Saturday August 26th 2017 in the dead of the night with the combined forces of Navy, Army, Police, Civil Defense, Airforce, Militants etc, those carrying out that “crime” knew that at the back of their minds they were embarking on a dangerous venture, which was why they came at odd time.

They also knew that they were about to tamper with the idiosyncrasy of one of the major political zones of the State, Owerri, which may touch one of the tripods that hold Imo State together.

They also knew that the voyage was that filled with malice and bile, with unforgiven mind, full of old animosities that may have been accumulated with years of political grudges, waiting to be vented some day. And Saturday August 26 was it.

Therefore, had the present Governor of Imo State led with open hand and mind, allowing for reconciliations and open of doors since his last election in 2015, there would have been some new faces in his restricted “Kitchen Cabinet” to look him in the face and tell him the home truth that what he has been told as achievements since the last six years, by his puppet Advisers, are nothing but a tinder Box waiting to explode.

Because of limited bold “wise men” in his fold to give him the real story, and not what he wishes to hear, one of the Sages would have let Okorocha know that his governance is full of divide and rule, gossips, sycophancy, mediocrity, winner takes all etc, which have ostracized a majority of Imo citizens from his administration, and not the rented crowds he see cheering him at IIC Owerri every other week.

His Aides continue to deceive him that all is well, when that is false. Unfortunately, Okorocha still went ahead to recruit the old and renowned “Food is Ready politicians” we know right from their PDP days to surround himself. And this people can never tell the Governor the real truth, for all they care about is to line their private pockets with easy lucre because they are merchantile and mercenary politicians.

Therefore, the issue of Owerri market invasion rocking Imo today is a result of ill advice and impatience, which may trail Okorocha’s administration to its end, including dogging Okorocha in his political journeys.

Following the flip-flop manner the Okorocha’s administration carries out its policies, many citizens have lost fate in the Government, which was one of the reasons Traders in the Ekeukwu Owerri refused to vacate their stores. Forget about the court order.

So many Imo citizens do not trust their present Government, and when that happens to a Government, it ought to initiate more realistic policies to gain back the confidence of the masses. But in the case of Okorocha’s administration, having observed that the masses were no more buying into its policies, it resorts to Gestapo method to deal with the populace.

Had the Okorocha administration been redeeming its promises to the people, the Ekeukwu Owerri saga would not have arisen in the first place. Some years ago, the Government told Imo people it would begin Urban Renewal Programme that would change the face of the State capital Owerri. It was a welcome development, and was well accepted.

The notion was that the urban renewal would follow the standard pathern everywhere in the world, where all the strata of the society would be accommodate with the necessary conditions followed.

Unfortunately that of Imo became quite different when houses were bulldozed down without proper recordings and compensations. When the masses cried out, the Government spokesmen said that only shanties were knocked down.

Within a short time, many business centers through which the poor masses eked out livings were wipped out. Hotels were knocked down, or their entrances blocked for months. In the process workers were sacked. Shopping centers, like the one at Mbari road that contained over thirty shops, with over two hundred workers, was knocked down to give way to a gigantic fence and massive gate that employs no single Imo citizen, but to guide just a new office built for the number one Traditional Ruler in the State.

The Family Support Programe (FSP) building constructed with tax payers money running into millions of naira, that employed over one hundred people was knocked down. Even though what looks like construction work is going on there now, it does not look like a factory that would accommodate those thrown into unemployment market with that demolition

The government in its urban renewal mantra destroyed Eke Amaraku, with houses worth millions of naira knocked down with a promise to rebuild the market. Till date, that place remains worse than government met it. Another big market was mauled down by the Okorocha administration at Mgbidi to put up a “standard” market for the people. Till date not a pillar has been erected.

We are all aware of the former Ama JK Park which used to serve as a recreation centre for all Imo Citizens. Okorocha told Imo people that a “world class motor park” that vehicles would park untop would be constructed on that site. Today the old Ama JK is now a burrow pit.

For over two years, Okigwe Road, Uratta/MCC road, Chukwuma Nwoha, Relief Market, Ihechiuwa street, Bank Road, works layout etc have been death traps and remained under construction and uncompleted, even as government is busy destroying more roads, while those already exhumed are yet to be constructed.

Constructions have been going on in both the Orji Fly-over and that of Akwakuma for more than three years now. Every day you pass there you see work going on, yet it never ends.

All the connecting roads in Owerri are cut-off that you wade through track roads to go to work, drop children in school or go to market.

And from all indications, there are no signs that these roads may be completed any soon. The party politics has commenced and next year is election period, so when would the Okorocha Government finish all these numerous projects it embarked upon at the same time?

It is even more worrisome when you see the caliber of people and the kind of job they are doing on the projects.

It is not as if Imo People are not seeing all these things. After all they have seen previous administrations before Okorocha arrived and the kind of projects these other regimes built and how they did them.

Therefore, Imo people, despite the troubles they have passed through these years, have been patient and supportive to Okorocha’s administration. But instead it is the Government that has taken the people for granted, ever than any other administration could do to Imo people and they take it.

Which administration could ask Imo pensioners to write-off their gratuities? Which administration in Imo can dare ask workers to take half salaries every month? Which Governor could declare public Holidays on his birthdays in the State and the masses look on? Which Governor can have more than five of his relations in his/her administration and Imo people keep calm?

The facts remain that the Governor is yet to wean himself of the grievances of 2011 and 2015 elections, even though he is the overall winner in all these, because a lot of Imo People have suffered since 2011 yet he is about completing a two year term of Eight years as Governor.

Therefore, why many people are against the destruction of Ekeukwu is simply because all the projects started by the Okorocha’s administration are all abandoned or uncompleted, or endlessly ongoing. In that case, Imo people are not ready for more White Elephant Projects. They want the Governor to first finish the ones started before embarking on fresh ones. And it is too late to start developing Ekeukwu market now.

The Governor has not more than active twelve working months left in his calendar. Therefore, he should focus on MCC/Uratta, Okigwe, Orji and Amakohia fly overs, while the court settles the Ekeukwu matter.

By then, he would have completed the new market at Egbeada, so that the Traders can move in and resume a new life in a beautiful environment as an incentive to losing Douglas Road.

When Governor Ikedi Ohakim relocated Ogboisi at Wethral Road to Naze, no gun shot was heard. When that administration phased out Okada in Owerri, it followed due process by promulgating a law that backed the exercise.

We commend Okorocha’s Urban Renewal Project, but it must have “Human Face” and if it is meant for the masses, the populace will easily queue in voluntarily and not by force in a democracy where the rule of law is supreme.

And Imo State is not running away. The Governor should do those projects he can, and leave the rest for others who will come after him because Imo State will not end with Okorocha’s Governorship. For certain, Imo State is bigger than all of us.