ENUGU 2023: Is Ike Oha Phobia justifiable?

ENUGU 2023: Is Ike Oha Phobia justifiable?

Nigeria's fourth republic is 21 years old, and each time the gradient of its graph is plotted, it is always rough, non-linear and undulating. Enugu state have had its own fair share of the intricacies that characterized these years and shaped both our national and state destinies. It has seen the three senatorial districts of the state have a shot at the Lion Building, with Nsukka being (represented by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi) seeing off her turn by 2023.

Yet comparatively, we have not fared any better. Sure, we are no more where we used to be, but we have not gotten even halfway of where we are supposed to be.

When Nkanu pioneered the rotational policy enthroned by the stakeholders of the state politics, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani spent eight years concentrating his few developmental strides in his Enugu East zone. He would flippanttly tell those from other zones agitating against his warped development policy to wait until it is their turn to produce governor.

That was how he exhausted the first eight years of our nascent democratic experiment in the state, when oil price was at all time high, federal allocation was bountiful and the economy was flamboyant.

At 2007, Bar. Sullivan Chime took the mantle from Enugu West, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu's zone. There was traces of rumour that he (Senator Ekweremadu) nurtured the ambition then, but he queued his interest behind the then Gov. Nnamani's anointed candidate -- Bar. Chime, as a consensus candidate. Probably they may have reached gentleman's agreement, that his days will come.

Fair to Gov. Chime, he was a little more cosmopolitan in siting of state projects, more strict on security of lives and property, and provision of amenities. And when his time was up, he (like his predecessor) annointed Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and presented him in wools to the stakeholders. It happened as  he willed. We saw Ike Oha (Ike Ekweremadu) deaden his ambition for the second time, and threw his support behind Ugwuanyi.

Today, Nsukka is lamenting that Ugwuanyi has failed to replicate in his zone, the type of development the other two past governors entrenched in their respective zones at their times.

After his re-election in 2019, a veteran journalist of Nsukka extraction, Ike Abonyi, wrote this on his column on August 29, 2019 in New Telegraph:

"Gburugburu should know one thing as a fact that providence brought him to be at the helm of affairs of Enugu State at this time, history will be harsh on him if he fails to do to Nsukka what Nnamani did to Nkanu and what Chime did to Udi. Justice and fair play demand this from him and he must not yield to any distraction even if they are coming from his own people. Fairness also demands that west and East must extend the same cooperation and support North gave to them. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander."

And having turned his back against popular advisories, he is on the verge of leaving office hollow. And with Ike Oha expressing his interest for the office, Enugu is getting jittery. The incumbent, seeking to annoint another political godson has been seeking alliance with other big forces in the state to circumvent Ekweremadu's chances.

Just last month, a hitherto comatose political lineup called Ebeano family got enlivened as the Gburugburu political family melted itself in the life wire of the Chimaroke network to frustrate any ambition coming from outside their empire. This may probably be in breach of suspected 'gentleman's agreement' they may have earlier reached with Ekweremadu when he gave support to them in 2007 and 2015.

And to ratify the plans, the governor has been on peace tour spree to his rivals like Sen. Utazi holding out the olive branch. This is vitriolic and vicious at the same time

In all these, two questions buggles the mind.

First, where and what is the fate of the common Enugu man in all these gimmicks? Or is it just all about them (the elites). Enugu East and Enugu North that have not fared any better when Chimaroke and Ugwuanyi respectively held sway at the echelon will soon be sweet-talked into supporting the next candidate yet to be unveiled by these two zonal political Lords. It remains to be seen how what they failed to achieve in their days would be feasible under their 'weakling.'

Secondly, what is the motives behind all these theatrics, and why this emotionally charged phobia against Ike Oha's ambition. Is there something that the masses are supposed to know that they don't know about it? Whose ambition will serve us better between that of their chosen 'messiah' and Ekweremadu (if he declares)?

We can speculate and attempt some answers. But in politics, only the protagonists know the truth. Those of us outside the conclave can only wait for the white smoke to know where we are headed. As unfortunate as such situation can be in our clime.

Yet is expedient we learn how to read behind news headlines. Over the past few months, the new wave of this strange marriage between Gburugburus and Ebeanos has been inciting the people against Ike Oha's possible candidacy. 

Gaslighting is a psychological instrument readily deployed by politicians to manipulate the masses and make them doubt their convictions and credibility of their choices. This sad situation is setting off in our beloved state, just for some desperate cabals to achieve their selfish motives.

Enugu politics should develop beyond such infantile stage. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria, and we can't keep replaying the same tune over and again, expecting a different result. Chimaroke, brought Chime, who in turn brought Ugwuanyi. Now, they are planning on naming another person from what  can be termed their cartel.

In another look, it seems Ekweremadu is the only person without a God father. He is seemingly the only independent and credible candidate. And that will explain why they are begrudging his interest, and trying hard to gaslight the people against him.

Some investigative studies I carried out to understand how and why he is the oldest and most re-elected senator from South East, revealed that since 2003, he has touched more lives, empowered more youths, provided infrastructures, sited more constituency projects and had expansive human capital development program than any senator from the entire geopolitical zone.

His antecedents speaks volumes about his undying love for the electorates. He is more cosmopolitan than his contemporaries. Thousands of federal projects were credited to his name in his senatorial zone. Infrastructural developments in Odumma and Nenwe are living testimonies.

The present governor was accused of 'wasting' twelve years in the  house of representatives without sponsoring a single bill, or having a single constituency project executed.

Could this be the reason why his camp is dreading Ike Oha's desire to serve in a more elaborate executive capacity, having distinguished himself in the legislative arm? 

Like them, Ike Oha has been a loyal member of PDP. He was a great public servant, who won the best local government chairman award in 1997, before becoming chief of staff to Gov. Chimaroke in 2001. He would later become the Secretary to the state government under the same governor.

The he contested, won and replaced Sen. Ben-Collins Ndu in the Senate in 2003. Since then, he has been re-elected for four consecutive times, becoming deputy senate president three times in those periods. He was the pioneer principal officers of the ECOWAS parliament, and a frontline African envoy to the international council of world parliaments.

Suffice it to mean that he grew through ranks, widening his experience in political office holding to achieve this height.

However, he came from the same Ebeano stock. So it behoves on him to show that he has a far-reaching leadership philosophy and masses affection than the notorious parochialism of the Chimaroke/Ugwuanyi Ebeano concourse.

Umu Enugu are wearied!

We need a better leadership. Should we continue to velocitate between and among the claws of the Ebeano political mesh or should we trust and give Ike Oha the chance to prove himself this time? Will he be expected Messiah or should look out for another?

Only the future will tell.

God bless Enugu State!

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✍Eze Jude O.