Okorocha and his Leadership Style

OKOROCHA AND HIS INTRIGUING LEADERSHIP STYLE

    The last time I checked, if I wasn’t mistaken, Gov Rochas Okorocha remained one of the most intriguingly quintessential leaders Nigeria ever had. Mind you; something or someone that’s quintessential seems to represent the central nature of something in a pure and concentrated form. So, when we say a ‘quintessential leader’, we’re definitely referring to a leader whose leadership style or pattern represents the central nature of leadership in an undiluted form.

    
The leader in question massively and popularly won the people’s mandate in the 2011 and 2015 Imo gubernatorial polls respectively. Unarguably, during the said elections, the masses willingly gave him their votes unconditionally. Only a dummy or myopic entity would disagree with this assertion. His unalloyed popularity prior to the former could be traced to his charitable nature surrounding the famous Rochas Foundation College situated across the federation.

     Having been elected by the people in 2011, it seemed he thought it wise not to let down the aforesaid group that made him the governor of the state. In view of this, his paramount interest lied mainly on the need of the masses and the downtrodden. Lest I forget; in line with the first paragraph, a true leader is one who understands the actual yearning of the followers.

    
It was against this backdrop that he concluded on his extreme intention to make education free for the indigent people and the citizens at large. Going down the memory lane, we all could recall how the Imo people, particularly the indigent ones were making frantic and pitiable efforts towards ensuring that their wards’ tuition fees were paid; they were indeed making the said payment through their noses. In fact, there’s no gain laying emphasis on what the masses went through as regards education prior to that era. Thus, the rest is history.

    
Notwithstanding, the mistake the amiable governor made was extending the free education to the tertiary level without taking into cognizance the actual worth of the state’s purse as at then. What the astute education crusader would have done, rather than declaring thorough free education at the said level, was to subsidize the tuition fees of the affected students. One cogent fact we must realize is that everyone isn’t meant to acquire tertiary education; there are various reasonable and vital concernments such as craftsmanship and trading one can involve in without the knowledge of tertiary education, and he/she would be very more useful than most of those who address themselves as ‘graduates’ provided the person sticks to the needful.

     Declaring free education at the tertiary level is equally not unlike asking every dick and harry to come and study, and I tell you unequivocally that such approach isn’t wholesome in any society that truly intends to grow both socially and economically. The most important aspect of learning remains the primary and secondary education, especially the former. Someone from my home town Awo-Omamma in Oru East LGA who is presently of the blessed memory became the Headmaster of a school with only First School Leaving Certificate. Such history can be replicated by anyone who believes that with a sound primary education, one can touch the heavens even without flying.

   
Another mistake made by his Excellency was the establishment of general hospitals in all the 27 local governments in the state, and this no doubt might not be unconnected to the undiluted compassion he has for the masses. The project was occasioned by his intention to make medical services get to the reach of the people at affordable bills; we can attest to this obvious fact by taking a painstaking study of the gigantic functional Ochiedike Diagnostic Centre situated at Owerri, which was established by the governor. The stride undoubtedly, was commendable but seemingly futuristic. We must always endeavour to face reality at all cost to enable us arrive at a meaningful point.

     However, I must seize this opportunity to make us acknowledge that the prime problem with the Nigeria’s health sector in its entirety, likewise the education sector, isn’t insufficient hospitals; rather, insufficient equipped hospitals or health centres, and Imo isn’t an exception. The state is already blessed with various health points; at least at the moment virtually every local government in the state possesses a functional general hospital. Suffice it to say that, instead of setting up new ones, what the government ought to have done was to thoroughly equip the existing ones as well as uplift effectiveness and efficiency on the part of the health workers.

     Hence, without mincing words, I suggest the relentless and listening government ought to sell those hospitals whose constructions are ongoing to interested buyers, and thereafter channel the proceeds appropriately. If I had a personal relationship with the governor, I would have personally suggested this measure to his Excellency without making it public; but nevertheless, the gospel truth is that we must endeavour to state the fancy fact even if it hurts. For the governor to adhere to this instruction he must be willing to swallow his pride; thus, shouldn’t nurture a feeling that his enemies would laugh at him or his leadership if he dare carries out such proposed measure. I tell you plainly that everyone or leader is definitely bound to make mistakes provided he’s mortal; in other words, what matters is the ability to turnaround or make a U-turn having realized our mistakes.

     In the same spirit; it was still due to the governor’s passion to take governance to the people irrespective of their localities that made his Excellency to inaugurate the ongoing Community Government Council (CGC). Though the CGC, which is not wasting any of our funds, is apparently working or functional but to me, its existence makes an infinitesimal difference when compared to the impact of the Local Government Council on the people’s welfare. Believe me, if the LGAs otherwise known as the ‘third tier government’ are properly taken care of, good governance will surely get to the citizenry regardless of their locations.

     Before now, I’ve been campaigning or hammering on the compelling need for the local government Chairmen to be resident in their respective headquarters as well as the councilors residing at their various wards. Taking Imo State as a case study, you would notice that most of the aforementioned elected officers or appointees as it’s currently the case, are residents of the state’s capital territory - Owerri; isn’t it an aberration? Even the CGC where the Traditional Ruler of the affected community is meant to be the Chairman, you would also observe similar phenomenon; it’s no longer news that most traditional rulers aren’t residing in their various communities. In a nutshell, we need to strengthen the local governments for effective representation. To this end, several things including building befitting accommodation at the headquarters for the Chairmen, among others need to be put in place.

    
Aside these, there are indeed other tremendous remarkable and genuine accomplishments of Gov Okorocha that indicate how much he cares about the people’s interests to include road network, prompt payment of workers’ salaries cum pensions and massive infrastructure; though owing to the ongoing economic morass, some of these efforts aren’t being sustained. Needless to say that currently, I strongly and sincerely feel for the governor. He’s a leader who wishes he could make everyone on the street glad, but it’s pertinent to note that actualizing such wonderful wish is ostensibly far-fetched.

     If you’re discussing engagement of the youth in meaningful activities; what about the Imo Civil Guard Corps, Imo Security Network and the Imo Community Watch? Do you realize how many thousands of the Imo youth that are meaningfully engaged in these outfits thereby keeping them away from our various roads, specifically touting, which had been the case among the majority of the said group? Even if they are being paid stipend, at least they are no longer idle; mind you, idleness maims and kills too.

     For the umpteenth time, owing to his compassion for the masses Gov Owelle Rochas Okorocha can be wholeheartedly and unequivocally classified as an intriguingly quintessential Nigeria’s leader. But I candidly advise his Excellency to henceforth concentrate on rudimentary projects with a view to staying clear from excesses that is tantamount to ridiculing the state’s funds which are already wearing a pathetic physiognomy. Think about it!   

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor

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Twitter: @mediambassador

Southern Governors' Wives Forum

SOUTHERN GOVERNORS’ WIVES FORUM: WHAT’S IN A UNION?

     

The last time I holistically checked, Nigeria in her entirety could strongly boast of a union that unites the wives of the governors of all the seventeen states in the Southern part of the country comprising South-East, South-West and South-South.

     

It’s no longer news that in virtually every quarter, it’s being cited that ‘what a man can do, a woman can do even better’. As one who never believed in equating the men folk to the womenfolk, I almost disagreed with this ideology but currently it appears I’ve been propelled to have a change of mindset as regards the perception.

      

Honestly, the pace at which our women are making histories nowadays is really fascinatingly striking my innermost imagination that I’ve come to see them as societal frontiers. Though personally I’ve always been of the view that women remain the controller of any society they find themselves but not to an extent that seems as if when the men are deeply snoring in their sleeps, their wives are seriously thinking.

     

Believe it or leave it; the fact remains that our women have made a remarkable and formidable history having thought it wise to inaugurate the aforementioned group – Southern Governors’ Wives Forum, thus I’m strongly proud of them and I enjoin every right thinking man that hails from the Southern part of Nigeria to do same.

       

I want to hastily broaden our mindsets a bit. Most Nigerians are of the opinion that the people from the North in its totality are united in all ramifications. I beg to disabuse them of this lingering notion. Believe me, socially, Northerners have never been together; but politically, they are. For instance, on a social ground, if you dare address an average man who hails from Plateau State as an Hausa man, he may be tempted to design your entire body with dagger or any weapon within his reach.

      

The truth is that ordinarily people from the North Central geo-political zone don’t share similar philosophies or traditions with those who hail from such other geo-political zones of the Northern region as the North East or North West. However, on political ground, people from all the nineteen states in the said region enjoy an unalloyed unity or togetherness. Suffice it to say that they have one voice when it calls for politics; this remains the singular reason the Northern politicians are invariably ahead of their counterparts in the South.

     

Politically, even when the Emir of Kano, for instance, speaks, the overall citizens of the 19 Northern states would listen to him without much ado. In the entire North, only one traditional ruler can decide what would happen in the political cycle because they are formidably together. In view of this assertion, it’s therefore needless to reiterate that these set of Nigerians (Northerners) who understand the rudiments of politics have gone too far in the game; this is why, they continue to ostensibly suppress those in the South whenever they tango.

      

Before now, I’ve been reiterating the need for the politicians in the entire South to speak with only one voice, all to no avail. This implies that the history that was recently made by the female politicians in the region, which might not be unconnected to the dogged effort reportedly displayed by the wife of the Imo State governor Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha and her likes prior to the emergence of the group, is no doubt a wake-up call. Hence, I sincerely pray their husbands replicate this gesture that is obviously worthy of emulation.

     

Unarguably, this wondrous union whose leadership is ably pioneered by the above named First Lady, is timely as well as a giant step in the right direction. When members of the epoch-making amalgam had their inaugural meeting in Imo State, specifically on the 3^rd and 4^th of March 2016 respectively, the state was tremendously agog. Of course, the convergence of the amazons deserved the overwhelming applause.

     

Unequivocally, their male counterparts are presently faced with no other option than to follow suit; hence, it’s high time they awoke from their long-lasted slumbers. I challenge them to prove to their respective amiable wives that they are in charge and on form too. Ironically and intriguingly, it’s apparent that their Excellencies cannot actualize this without employing or seeking the indefatigable efforts of the women in question.

     To this end, I implore the affected governors to employ their wives as Special Advisers on Issues relating to Way Forward. Thus, I urge them to wave farewell to anachronistic views or outings with a view to concentrating solely on the needful. Frankly, I wouldn’t like to come up with a piece similar or related to this very one in subsequent time; in other words, the time to act is now.

    
Most importantly, as these able First Ladies strive unrelentingly towards creating a greater political atmosphere in the South and Nigeria at large, they are expected to do everything within their reach to ensure that they aren’t carried away by trivial or retrogressive issues. Think about

   

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor 

Imo and her Antics during polls

IMO AND HER INVARIABLE ANTICS DURING ELECTIONS

    

The last time I checked, pathetically among the several states across the federation that were meant to witness the rerun elections scheduled to hold on Saturday 20^th of February 2016, only Imo State the acclaimed Eastern Heartland was deprived of the awaited event.

     

After a long unabated wait by the concerned electorate as well as Imolites in general, they were abruptly informed the previous day by the electoral umpire that the said elections had been postponed indefinitely owing to foreseen security hitches. The most pitiable aspect of the melodrama was that most of the electorate weren’t even aware of the postponement due to their inability to acquire news on time; the vulnerable persons in question left their various homes for their respective polling units to cast their votes on that fateful Saturday.

     

The moment the news got to my humble desk, having tried to reach the state Police Commissioner in the person of Mr Taiwo Lakanu via cell phone to acquire more detail from his noble office to no avail, I was deeply wondering what kind of sensed security threat could warrant the postponement of elections that had enjoyed all the needed and consequential preparations.

     

Though my inward inquiry yielded no tangible answer but luckily I was able to grab an antidote that succeeded in calming my boiling system down. The said antidote wasn’t unconnected to the conversation I established therein through phone call with an astute electoral officer; I was rightly intimated by the INEC official that Imo wasn’t safe for the proposed rerun polls, thus going ahead with the election was not unlike risking the mandate of the electorate coupled with their precious lives.

     

It appears as if Imo is synonymous with anomalies considering how far she has fared ab initio during electioneering eras thereby making her seem laughable. A state that is meant to be educating others particularly her sister states, when it calls for electoral issues in view of her age and experience political wise, and what have you, is ironically found doing otherwise.

      Members of a certain political party would be freely talking from both sides of their mouths whilst the other staunch political party on its part would be busy seeking for an avenue to defend itself. Every now and then the god-sent state is being besieged by fathomless tantrums accompanied with lies while concerned stakeholders like us would prefer to observe, hoping that Imolites already know where to go from here.

    
For crying out loud; isn’t it time we detested these jaundiced appellations that are really and seriously telling on our polity? Rather than acting childishly, I expect every Imo statesman to act child likely because a childlike idiosyncrasy, which is a quality that befits us, is no doubt worthy of emulation. Noisemaking, name-calling, character assassination, et al, aren’t what are required of people who address themselves as ‘politicians’.

     In any society especially in democratic societies, leaders are gotten from the political class. Needless to say that every politician ought to see him/herself as a potential leader. If this assertion holds water, then why are the teeming politicians in the state acting or reacting as the case may be, like followers? Honestly, something must be wrong somewhere and needs to be addressed in earnest.

    
Please I’m earnestly appealing to Imo politicians irrespective of their party affiliations, to endeavour to desist from indulging in activities that are liable to make our young ones or their children laugh at them. It’s really absurd and disgusting to observe that when we are expected to educate them (the children) on the ethics as well as modus operandi surrounding a worthy lifestyle, we are busy dancing Makosa.

     My joy remains that our consciences are very much alive even when we try to pretend that they are dead; hence, our consciences will continue to judge us based on what we do on a daily basis even in seemingly secret arenas. Come rain come shine the law of Karma will invariably prevail; and it must surely surface while we are still alive and not after our deaths as most of us presume.

     When I try to embrace despair over the antics usually displayed by these so-called politicians or statesmen, I often find solace in the fact that majority of Imolites cannot be deceived again; they now understand their left from their right because they are politically aware at the moment. To this end, I enjoin them to concentrate only on the individuality of the candidates involved rather than laying emphasis on their respective political parties. Unequivocally, the era of party-politics has gone for eternity not just in Imo State but in Nigeria at large.

     My utmost worry now is the INEC. Considering the obvious fact that the said independent body is answerable for any failure recorded in any election regarding Presidency, gubernatorial, federal and states Assembly that took place in Nigeria, its personnel needn’t be told or reminded that the country’s future lies in their bare hands. In other words, they are expected to do nothing but the needful towards ensuring that every election becomes an absolute success. Think about it!

Comr Fred Doc Nwaozor