SAM OSUJI
According to Aristotle the sage, writers are prophets. What they see today may assail human reasoning or boundaries of possibility. I may have seen what has eluded others on the passion, altruism and drive of Gov. Uzodinma’s administration. Essentially, if writers do not make revelatory espousals on such tripartite virtues, there may appear a gaping hiatus pleading to be plugged. As nature abhors vacuum, it behooves all writers and men of good will to enrich national and regional discourse on the novel and altruistic will of leaders who manifest creativity and passion.
The creative strides made by Gov Zulum of Borno State have over the last few months engaged the minds of many thinkers and writers on what practical leadership may entail. Permit therefore to adduce that in the heart of the oriental clime of the country, there exists a Governor who came by a divine mandate and is passionately redefining leadership in the state. His name is Senator Hope Uzodinma!
I write on Gov Hope Uzodinma, not from a distant vintage, but from a circumspect observation of the circumstances that precipitated his grand entry into the theatre of leadership in Imo State. I also write based on the textuality of the powerful speech he rendered in his maiden state broadcast. This speech – presidential as it is, bears a lucid testament of the persona of the Governor. In the months to come, this persona will certainly be a study in selfless leadership.
There is something divine in Gov Uzodinma’s emergence. For against all odds, and political permutations, he emerged triumphantly. This underpins the biblical precept that the race is not for the swift. The bible also declares that it is the prerogative of Jehovah to show mercy to whom he pleases. Worthy of note also is that power belongs to God. So, those that still question the Governor’s emergence should not feign ignorance of this.
Like a man bearing the candle of hope, lifting the diadem of wisdom and wielding the magic wand of prosperity, Gov Uzodinma embarked upon a restoration mission that is already visible to all. It is understandable that not a few still whine at the predestined ousting of Hon Emeka Ihedioha by the Supreme court of the country, which saw through the sham result that brought him in. What these people – wailers and review racketeers, may not have known is that certain ascribed feats of Ihedioha were simply a flash in the pan. I am sure they might not have also seen through the crude clannishness of the sacked governor. Pray, who can discern what is in a man’s mind? Similarly who can fathom the rapidity of degeneration the Ihedioha administration would have relapsed into as the signs were already visible? I dare say that most of what could be called the Ihedioha feats may at best be a façade.
Today, however, no one is in doubt of the direction of Gov Hope Uzodinma. This is a government that announced prosperity to every Imolite. Interestingly, Imolites are already experiencing the prosperous time promised by the Governor. This is a Governor that announced that salaries and pensions will be treated as first line charge. In fact, the administration established a consolidated revenue account for this purpose. This further underpins the seriousness and passion the Governor attaches to the welfare of Imolites. This may well be a preamble to the promise of prosperity envisioned and implemented by Gov Hope. Imolites will surely be treated to a more comprehensive and robust programme of prosperity that will see everyone proud of the man that has become their leader. Already, well meaning Imolites and youths alike now have a new name for the young administration. They call it “Government of shared prosperity”.
Today, fellow Imolites and Nigerians, Governor Hope Uzodinma already has a new metonymy in town. He is now “Governor of shared prosperity.” This may not be coincidental because the Governor has in a very short while shown passion, altruism and drive in the business of leadership. He has proven to all doubting Thomases that governance is a serious business which surely is not for rhetoricians and melodramatic personae. Thus, he has quietly but robustly redefined and revolutionized leadership in the state. It is therefore not unusual that the Governor is daily winning converts to himself and party.
I think this is clearly beyond what the human mind can literally fathom. Imolites will not forget that only in the recent past they had a governor whose mantra was “prosperity for family and friends.” But for Gov Hope Uzodinma, the difference is clear. And for a man that has been massively blessed by God, good and selfless leadership will be one of the ways of showing appreciation to Providence.
Governor Uzodinma has a very powerful personality. He is distinguished by his versatility of virtually all human fields of endeavour. One of the banes of leadership is the profound myopia exhibited by leaders and their lieutenants. It is owing to his high reasoning capacity and technical know-how that the Governor declared that only knowledgeable people would make his cabinet. This declaration is already manifest because so far all the people the Governor has appointed as aides are men distinguished by their stellar mentality and personality. This is a clear pointer that the governor means business. For a Governor who has a hyper intelligence quotient, it is not likely that he would make unbefitting appointments. Unlike other leaders before him whose parameter for making appointments lay in family relationship or primordial sentiments, I think that Governor Hope is clearly a man whose aides must be of similar intellectual pedigree to him. This may also inform the calculated and sagacious manner his appointments are coming.
For a Governor that devoted all his security votes to the service of his people, I think Gov Hope Uzodinma is a rare breed of a person. Make no mistake about it, Gov Uzodinma is a gift to Ndi-Imo. Even a certain Governor in the state reputed for his massive war chest could not do it. I think it takes a tripartite virtue of passion, altruism and drive for a leader to do what Gov Uzodinma has done so far. It is a foretaste of the prosperity that awaits Imolites in the government of Sen Hope Uzodinma.
It is now left for us all to remain steadfast in prayer for this leader that has done this for his people. Already, the bar of leadership has been raised in Imo state and the people of Imo will soon sing the good songs of victory and prosperity. Then, wailers and naysayers shall spontaneously wear the toga of gratitude and chorus “Onwa” in unison.
Chief Osuji is former ALGON Chairman of Imo State, writes via [email protected]