By Onyekachi Eze
More factors surrounding the latest move by the Members of the Imo State House of Assembly (10th House) urging the governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma to establish a Tertiary Institution in Obowo have emerged.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, during its plenary session, the Lawmakers asked Uzodimma to set up a citadel of higher education learning in Obowo, a Local Government in Imo State.
Reason for this legislative decision, Trumpeta Newspaper gathered may not be far-fetched from the quest to honour the fallen legend from Obowo LGA, Chief Sam Mbakwe.
Apart from his sterling leadership and administrative imprints in the history of Imo State, the Members took turns to pay glowing tributes in honour of Mbakwe.
The Lawmakers drew courage from a motion moved by the Member for Obowo State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibeh, and seconded by the Ehime Mbano Member, Hon. Benard Ozoemenam.
Reminiscing with nostalgia Mbakwe’s role to Imo’s stability, the lawmakers said, establishing a tertiary institution and naming it after “Sam Mbakwe” would justify the selfless services he rendered to the State.
Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibeh disclosed that not only did Mbakwe served meritoriously as the first Civilian Governor of the Old Imo State and hailed from Obowo Local Government Area, he was so selfless that he established durable legacy projects in other localities except his own Local Government, Obowo.
He added that Mbakwe’s inability to do so for his own homestead while serving the State could not ensure the socio-economic development that could have been recorded in Obowo.
Furthermore, he noted that Obowo LGA has remained underdeveloped and marginalized by successive administrations in Imo having not a single State owned Enterprise albeit Avutu poultry which paralyzed immediately after Mbakwe’s tenure and today is completely dead and buried leaving Obowo LGA socioeconomically comatose.
Regardless, Ibeh was confident on Governor Hope Uzodimma’s passionate approach on the general development of Imo State and his perfect understanding on the need to immortalize Mbakwe in his home soil, Obowo.
He opined that Mbakwe’s track records in the State became a yardstick for successive governments.
In appreciation, the Obowo Lawmaker recalled that since twenty years Mbakwe departed, no past Governor of the State remembered Mbakwe’s family except governor Hope Uzodimma who thought it wise to reconstruct the late Mbakwe’s house in Obowo.
Sequel to this, he was grateful to the governor and prayed that as another means of immortalizing Mbakwe, the major road which cuts across six communities named “Mbakwe Road” which is in a deplorable state be rehabilitated so as to keep his legacies alive.
Lending his voice, Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu (Deputy Speaker, Nwangele) opined that the motion was passionate at all fronts.
According to the Deputy Speaker, “There is a saying that Charity begins at home, but the former Governor seemed not to respect that saying as he focused on developing other places excluding his own home base. Even the only project he attracted to Obowo, the Avutu was abandoned, so there is need for the man to be honoured in his own base.
“We have honoured people who have not done one third of what Sam Mbakwe did, what about Dee Sam Mbakwe? Governor Hope Uzodimma and Dee Sam Mbakwe share similarities in good governance initiatives. I support this motion for Mbakwe’s immortalization”.
Hon Kanayo Onyemaechi (Majority Leader, Owerri West), in his assertion stated that Sam Mbakwe is worthy of all recognitions and praises following his exceptional governance.
“The Concorde Hotel standing today was a trademark left by Mbakwe. There is a ceramic industry in Isikwuato, it was Mbakwe’s making. Simply say, the man died a hero. His track records remain unmatched except with our dear Governor, Hope Uzodimma who has already done uniquely well”.
Other Lawmakers in their submissions said, the landmark projects of Sam Mbakwe still lives and stronger, therefore, honoring him by establishing a Tertiary Institution in Obowo and naming him after the institution is totally in order.
