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Anambra
2010: Two days with Soludo at Isuofia
DISCOURSE
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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Soludo
•Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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It was a somewhat crashed programme or arrangement, so to speak.
I barely carried my laptop and slipped into a pair of sandals as
I ran into the Enugu bound Aero flight. It was about two minutes
before plane’s door was shut for its take off. It was the
first flight of Aero to Enugu; and not minding the fact that I was
sweating profusely as I ran into the plane and took my seat, I was
fulfilled that I caught the flight after all.
In my rush, I forgot many needs like toothpaste and brush, phone
charging devices, comb and the like.
It was not that I was so absent-minded as to forget all these items;
no. I was in a hurry with the hope I could be lucky to ‘quickly’
pin down my target to a interview that day and still manage to dash
back to Enugu and catch the last flight to Lagos. But I was wrong.
Upon landing in Enugu, I took a chartered cab straight to the campaign
headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship
in Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, along the express
road leading to Onitsha by the First Bank main office in Awka, the
state capital. The imposing campaign office was boisterous but organized
and there were many people waiting, going in and coming out, after
brief sessions with a big man in the inner office.
I soon discovered the man inside was not Soludo, but his running
mate, Senator Emmanuel Anosike. I later asked to greet him and when
I was ushered into the office, he expressed joy at our meeting again
after about ten years (we are actually namesakes). I recalled our
last encounter at the National Assembly, Abuja during the days of
late Senators Chuba Okadigbo and Evan Enwerem (former Senate Presidents)
when I was covering the upper chamber for THISDAY and later COMET.
That time, Anosike was an honourable member of the House of Representatives.
He was elevated senator in the 2003 general election. Unfortunately,
his election was later annulled by the tribunal which declared Senator
Joy Emodi, the incumbent chairman of the Senate Committee on Education,
winner.
After greeting Anosike, I decided to call Professor Soludo on phone
and inform him of my arrival in Awka. My call went through but it
was the voice of one of his aides, Leo, rather than his own that
came through. As I spoke with Leo, I could hear a voice echoing
in the background, “Isuofia kwenu! Aguata kwenu!! Anambra
Kwezuenu!!!”. I was later told Soludo was actually the one
addressing his people that time.
His guest who had converged at his country home in Akwaeze, Isuanaoma,
in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area, were mainly former and
incumbent political office holders. They had come from different
parts of the old local government for the meeting with Soludo at
his country home. I was taken to Soludo’s country home the
same day by Christian Udechukwu, another aide of the former CBN
governor.
The village gathering lasted for several hours and was addressed
by Soludo and his wife, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, among several others.
All spoke in mother tongue. At the meeting held in the open arena
within the big compound, Soludo showed the traditional stuff in
him by holding his audience spellbound in undiluted Igbo language
that was laced with proverbs, idioms and anecdotes.
Soludo who spoke for over two hours said he would never live happiness
while his people suffer in the midst of plenty. He told them how
many people have been asking him why he ventured into the tension-soaked
politics of the state instead of going abroad with his family to
rest and enjoy himself after his service as the governor of the
CBN and as Chief Economic Adviser to the President. Amid thunderous
applauses he told them that he could not go and enjoy himself when
his home state is on fire and with the youth roaming the streets
without jobs and infrastructure totally dilapidated.
He told the enthusiastic audience: “How can I go and enjoy
myself when lives and property of my people are no longer safe because
of violence, armed robbery and kidnapping. Go to Onitsha today,
people are leaving the market for Asaba and other towns because
life is not safe there any longer. That is why I said that I would
come so that we change the situation and bring good governance,
prosperity and security of lives and property in our state; and
I am determined to pursue that goal believing that with God the
suffering of our people will come to an end beginning from March
17, 2010 when we will move into the Government House Awka.”
Original palm wine was the major wine served at the gathering with
delicacies like ugba (native salad) and nkwobi in addition to kola-nuts.
There was also enough yam and pounded yam for all to eat. It reminded
one of the (Chinua) Achebean traditional setting in his award-winning
folklores and tales, like A Man of the People and Things Fall Apart.
The Soludo country home is made up of two beautiful structures.
The outer one which is small contains open courtyard and the obi
(the inside mini meeting hall) while the inner one storey building
is where the Soludos stay while in the village. It has a modern
sitting room and it is the place where far-away (non-traditional
visitors, including my humble self) are received.
Among those I met in Isuofia with the PDP candidate were the Chairman
of the Soludo Campaign Organization, who is a former co-governorship
aspirant, Chief Okey Muo-Aroh and the Director-General of the Organization
and former Speaker of House of Representatives, Chief Agunwa Anaekwe.
Both of them are lawyers and ardent Soludo believers.
That day (last Wednesday, precisely), Soludo left for another meeting
in Awka, Nnewi and one other place soon after the meeting with his
Aguata kinsmen in Isuofia. He did not return until midnight, but
like a patient vulture, I waited for him with many others who came
for different reasons.
Many were already sleeping by leaning back on the chair when the
siren blared from distance heralding Soludo’s arrival. It
was 12.15 am. He walked straight to the parlour where we were waiting
and everyone was on his or her feet to greet the Odenigbo. That,
I understand, is Soludo’s traditional praise name. Without
wasting time, Odenigbo proceeded to shake hands with each and everyone
of us. When it was my turn, he briefly inquired why I had to leave
THISDAY and I jokingly told him it was for the same reason that
David Beckam left Man U for Real Madrid and because one can’t
get the best view of the ijele (the big masquerade) standing in
one place. No fight, no quarrel; a voluntary movement. We all laughed.
At that stage, he entered another long meeting with his campaign
hands which lasted till 3.30am early Thursday morning. When he emerged
from that wee hour meeting, I needed no one to tell me that the
interview could not hold that night. Beside, he (Soludo) was billed
for another discussion with two other important political leaders
that night.
I was taken to my hotel in company with two police escorts attached
to Soludo campaign organization at about 4.00am and barely had two
hours snap when Christian and I set out again for Isuofia in a bid
to catch Odenigbo as soon as he stepped down from the living room.
When he eventually got down at about 9.30 am, he shook hands with
all of us waiting commencing another round of meetings with different
groups of PDP leaders from all over Anambra State. This continued
until about 12 noon when he walked into the sitting room and pleaded
with me to accept the fact that the interview was no longer feasible
due to his crowded schedule. He also complained that the interview
was being sought at short.
I protested loudly to him that I could not afford to return to Lagos
without speaking with him. He took a look at the contour of my face
which showed my concern and disappointment. At that stage he decided
to ignore the protestations of his protocol officers and spare 10
minutes for the interview. The 10 minutes later expanded to 30 as
were scarcely finished before his convoy drove off from Isuofia
for a crucial meeting at Awka. From Isuofia, I took an ANIDS cab
straight to Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu and managed to the 3.30 Aero
flight to Lagos.
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