Our dear state Imo boasts of huge potentials that should make a state thrive economically, developmentally, and politically. We have abundance of natural God given resource, abundance of formal and informal human resource, vast arable and fertile land, which are veritable indices that should make for an economically and sociopolitically strong state, but alas we are far from being one.
Where and why have we gotten it wrong as a people despite our huge potentials, why is there a seeming decline and fluctuation in all areas of development since the creation of our state in 1976.
Our state showed so much promise infrastructurally during the regime of the first governor of this state Ndubuisi Kanu, a trend that was improved upon massively by the Mbakwe civilian government between 1979 to 83.
It was widely believed that the major cause of decline of growth in key areas and institutions in our state was traceable to the successive military governments between 1984 to 1999, but since 1999 have we really fared better under successive civilian governments, the obvious negative answer stares us all in the face.
It is of common knowledge that strong states are built on strong institutions but those institutions are created and managed by men in leadership positions, notably a state that lacks visionary and competent leaders cannot be expected to thrive in all the indices of development, therefore it could be said that the bane of any state that posseses all the potentials for growth like our dear Imo, but is not growing at the rate expected, rather is suffering from consistent decline in growth is traceable to its quality of leadership.
Even after 42 long years, we still refer to the glory days of the Sam Mbakwe regime, why has no successive government come close to matching or even attempting to surpass the enviable achievements of the Mbakwe regime in the entire old imo state, chai ndi imo this is not good at all.
This is not in any way suggesting that all governments after Mbakwe haven’t contributed something in some measure to the growth of our state, not at all, some have various forms of achievements but can all of them put together be compared with an Mbakwe government, that pioneered massive milestones in education, health, industrialization, air transport, roads, water, housing, tourism, hospitality, rural and urban development, power projects spread across all local governments in the old Imo state comprising of parts of present day Ebonyi state, the entire present day Abia state and present day imo state then together, he was truly a pan Imo governor,who governed without sectional prejudice, he governed above zonal irredentism, he indeed was an all rounder in terms of politics and governance.
What did the Mbakwe government have that has been grossly lacking in successive governments in our dear state? What sets Dee Sam apart from other governors that ruled imo after him? Who was Dee Sam before he became governor? Maybe the solution to the governance and leadership deficit in our state lies in proffering answers to these begging questions .
As the politics of 2027 draws closer I come like that lonely voice in the wilderness, having seen that some of the repeated mistakes that have brought us to where we are, are rearing their ugly heads again. I have in good faith decided to speak out, to timeously warn our people before we lament again.
Who was Sam Mbakwe before he became governor? De Sam from very humble beginnings in Avutu Obowo, his hometown attended the prestigious Fourah Bay College Sierra Leone and moved unto University of Manchester and University of Hull in England, where he studied political science and law. This goes to show that he acquired requisite intellectual training and exposure locally and internationally that prepared him for leadership.
He returned from England and opened his chambers and started law practice in Port Harcourt before the Nigerian civil war.
Also during the civil war he served as Administrator of okigwe province under the Biafran regime, this shows that he acquired some public administrative experience and didn’t shy away from the struggle embarked upon by his people under very difficult circumstances; he could have returned to England, this takes courage and a deep sense of duty to his fatherland, which are rare qualities lacking in today’s so called leaders.
Post civil war, he championed the abandoned property case in Port Harcourt, defending the rights of his kinsmen to their legitimate properties that where forcefully annexed because of the civil war, a very noble cause, I may say.
He had a thriving legal practice in Aba and was a member of the constitutional conference of 1978, that gave birth to the 1979 constitution of Nigeria, which in turn laid the foundation for the return of Nigeria to civilian rule in 1979, when he eventually became governor.
Who else could have been more equipped and prepared for governance of a post war Igbo state like imo than him.
My people, from the foregoing, you could see that all round preparation must have met opportunity in the making of the Sam Mbakwe Governorship. As the 2027 race is about to begin, can we find a man who posseses the requisite humility, courage , experience, training, exposure, discipline, duty of care to the course of fatherland, sense of sacrifice and not showmanship, a man who has demonstrated a sense of stakeholding for the state, someone who has contributed in some measure to the tangible upliftment of the wellbeing of our people through his current vocation, a man with a verifiable means of livelihood that has contributed to the growth of our state, someone who has effectively and prudently managed men and resources not a nouveau rich and spendthrift; someone who strives for achievement driven public validation and not crowd cheering validation, a man with a large heart for development not frivolities, a personality with a known business or personal address in Imo not a portfolio aspirant. Imo truly deserves better.
I speak as one who has put in so much financially and materially in the search for good governance in our state, sometimes at the detriment of my comfort and livelihood, but the love for fatherland burns in me even deeper that I can’t keep quiet while Imo derails again.
As 2027 beckons, I am of the opinion that these jostling and public posturing for an election that will take place Eight (8) months after the 2027 general elections is a serious cause for worry over the true intentions of these aspirants and their handlers. It is clear that the merchants of politics are on the prowl again! Selling all manner of persons as possible governorship hopefuls , obviously not for the good of Imo but for their belly satisfaction as usual.
The recent calls for the implementation of charter of equity is not bad but this must be done in an all inclusive manner taking into considerations the varied interests of the component units (zones) in our state.
I sincerely propose that in the buildup to the 2027 race, Imo stakeholders should adopt the broad collective decision making strategy than the narrow and folk centered approach, which is enemical to competence leadership recruitment, our people must also ask pertinent questions about the background, family, means of livelihood, and antecedents of any person that wants to lead us, those who have not been able to effectively rule over their families and grow consistently over time in their chosen vocations with visible impacts on the lives of others and their community,must not be allowed to come close to imo Douglas house.
Ndi imo, when the opportunity arises for us to chose a man that will steer the ship of our state to the enviable heights we all wish for in 2027, we must not blow it again on the altar of parochialism and stomach driven politics. We need a man who will be an Imo centered leader and not another sectional jingoist, we can’t afford to wail again after 2027 .
Ndi Imo a stitch in time truly saves nine, let all hands be on deck to ensure we get it right in our leadership recruitment process this time.
I come in peace,Ndewo nu
Evang. Myke Ikoku
Chairman All Seasons Group and Eastern Conscience
