Imo State governor, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha, last week, marked his 55th birthday in grand style. The event started with a church service to thank God for His mercies and abundant blessings in the past five decades and more.
There was merriment, too. Such a milestone is worth celebrating considering that life expectancy in the country has reduced in recent times. This article is about the man, Owelle, his business, politics, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, passion as well as his ‘Rescue Mission’ administration in the past six years.
Deciphering Owelle in this essay may not be so easy because Owelle means many things to different people. He is perceived differently by different people. Like the tale of the ‘elephant and the six blind men,’ people see and interpret Owelle differently depending on the angle they are coming from. Okorocha as a businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist is quite different from Okorocha the politician, the governor as well as the family man.
But what unifies the differing views of the subject is the Owelle mystique. While some people see Owelle as a smart businessman and great philanthropist, others see him as a colourful politician and charismatic leader. There are yet others who do not like his brand of politics as well. Such is not unexpected. It is part of human nature as no one is perfect and no one can satisfy all the people at the same time.
Like all mortals, Owelle is not perfect. He has his strengths and weaknesses but I believe that the latter are negligible. Probably, Owelle was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His is a ‘grass to grace’ story that epics are made of. Although William Shakespeare made us understand that ‘some people are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them while some achieve greatness,’ I believe that Owelle achieved his greatness through dint of hard work. He washed his hands clean and dined with elders.
His story can be regarded as a fulfillment of the Nigerian Dream. Unfortunately, we do not have a Nigerian Dream in the mould of the American Dream; ‘if you work hard, you can be whatever you want to be.’ Owelle’s history traverses the three main regions of the country.
Of Igbo parentage from the East, Okorocha grew up in the North and did most of his business in the West. Therefore, it is not in doubt that the three regional geographies of the nation’s landscape have influenced his detribalized nature and cogent political thoughts.
Little wonder he believes in one strong and united Nigeria where every citizen will be free to pursue his dreams without let or hindrance. Unfortunately, this notion of one Nigeria has not reflected so much in the way Nigeria treats Ndigbo in the social, economic and political fronts. Owelle believes that one united Nigeria will be better for the Igbo instead of agitating for separate existence as some groups are doing now in Igbo land. Let the Nigerian establishment prove Owelle right on this assumption. The birthday celebrant is an eloquent speaker and orator, two qualities that may have enhanced, to a great extent, his business and politics.
With the gift of the gab, Owelle plays with words and they come handy to him. He is a man of words and action as well. But his politics is defined and humanized by his oratory as well as his electrifying presence. If he makes a mistake, he knows how to retrace his steps. Before venturing into the murky waters of Nigerian politics, Owelle has made name as a businessman, entrepreneur par excellent and great philanthropist. His model colleges under the Rochas Foundation are all over the country offering qualitative education to all, including indigent students, those that are referred to as ‘Rochas children.’
Rochas’ philanthropy knows no bounds and does not discriminate. He can dole out huge sums of money to save people with kidney problems and other life-threatening ailments even when he does not know them from Adam. He was deeply involved in philanthropy years before becoming the governor of Imo State. Philanthropy is indeed his second nature.
Before emerging the governor of Imo State in 2011, Rochas was no stranger to Nigerian politics. He had participated in many presidential primaries but did not clinch the diadem. He did not despair but continued to pursue his dreams until 2011 when his relentless efforts paid off handsomely. Today, the rest is history.
This is one lesson many aspiring young politicians should learn from Owelle. They must note that nothing good comes easy. Before throwing his hat into the political ring, Owelle did his homework and planned his strategies very well. He knew his opponent’s shortcomings and capitalized on them. He came with irresistible rhetoric anchored on his ‘Rescue Mission’ mantra.
And the masses believed him and voted massively for him. True to his promises, Owelle worked magic in his first tenure. Most Imo citizens commended his rural roads interventions, which every local government in the state benefitted from with at least 15km road or more. His free education from primary to tertiary level may not have been perfect, but it alleviated the sufferings of many parents and allowed many Imo people to go to school. His urban roads renewal in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe are monumental, especially in Owerri, with many access roads that relieved the city of perennial traffic congestion.
Because he did so well in his first term, he was rewarded with a second term, which will terminate in 2019. His second term coincided with the shortfall in oil revenue, the mainstay of our economy and the country went into deep economic recession. This affected the money that Imo State gets every month despite improved internally generated revenue (IGR) under Owelle’s watch.
Notwithstanding, Okorocha continued to develop the state with great haste and pace. In giving Owerri a befitting outlook, some structures that contravened the Owerri master-plan were made to give way, including the Ekeukwu market. This is one situation that the opposition capitalized upon with frenzy. For modernity to have its way, old things must give way.
But, in doing this, modernity must meet justice midway at the crossroads of dialogue, negotiation and agreement for all involved. Over time, the people have seen reason with Owelle on the need for development of the city and the reason why some of the structures must go.
Okorocha has weathered the storm and moved on with his development strides in the state. Now that Owelle has almost two years to quit the stage, at state level, he should consolidate and finish all his outstanding projects and also strive to right perceived wrongs. This is wishing Owelle happy birthday and more fruitful years in the service of God and the nation.