The historic and heavy cross of Okezie Ikpeazu

By Chido Nwakanma

It is a happy day in Abia State as equity is enthroned with the election of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor circa 2015-2019, in the first instance. All true Ndi Abia are happy with this development, Ndi Ngwa first and their well-meaning neighbours. It is the triumph of democracy as the system of representation that recognises equity of demographic groups and equitable allocation of values and resources.

Noblesse oblige. To whom much is given, much is expected.

As with all such historic events and circumstances, the lead player must rise up to the challenge of heroism. Home-made university education in Nigeria took roots because of the stellar performance of the first set of graduates from the University of Nigeria in 1963 who excelled in civil service examinations across the federation. Their performance shut the doubters and validated the vision and courage of its founders.

Okezie Ikpeazu stands at the same threshold today. He is now Okpara Ndi Ngwa na Ndi Abia. He is the first man of Ngwa stock to get the chance to govern Abia State many years after creation.

He comes to the position with many hunchbacks yet with many opportunities as a diligent SWOT and PEST analysis would show. It is a good development that his emergence was not a shoo-in as he had to fight for every vote. That battle owed to the failures of his god father and outgoing Governor Theodore Orji. There are many learning points from this development to inform his management of the tasks ahead.

Okezie Ikpeazu has his work cut out in the two critical areas of performance and perception.

Before then however he must now reach out and reconcile all warring parties. It was a battle between brothers. They should enter the homestead and settle. What is ahead of Abia State is far more important, but to do so there needs to be peace. Wise king Solomon advised settlement before going to court. Strategists in statecraft also advise though that we seek peace but prepare for war.

Then the tasks. First, Abia citizens demand performance. Abia has suffered bad governance in the last 16 years first under the poser and then under his anointed. The anger built up and almost truncated the march of equity. Ikpeazu must therefore hit the ground running and deliver outstanding performance in key areas within the first one year, with the signs visible in the first 100 days.

Let me underscore this point. There are no tarred roads in the whole of Ngwa land attributable to either the state or local government.  We speak here of no fewer than nine local governments. The tarred roads that pass our territory are those built many years ago under the leadership of a distinguished son, M. Ururuka and the spurs. Nothing else. All that has ever happened are attempts at “grading” the road using compactors on the earth track. It is a shame. My community, Umuode Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North used the self-help community development model to get electricity and limited water through a bore hole. So, too, most of the 22 villages of Nsulu. In neighbouring Olokoro in Umuahia South, my maternal ancestry, the tarred road is largely the handiwork of a citizen rather than of government. Former PDP Chairman from that community built from Isi Court to his homestead only, doing very poor quality work at the same time. The results were visible after one season!

Enough! Abia citizens demand government that delivers democracy dividends to them as happens elsewhere in the federation. Ikpeazu must perform to redeem himself and because he carries the flag of a major demographic. Governors of the South East are the luckiest in one respect. Our citizens do not ask for much. They just want their governments to be enablers, then get the hell out of the way so the people can unleash their talents. This climate of low expectations is probably why some South East governors underperformed. Now the expectations are higher.

There are low hanging fruits to pluck. Work on infrastructure in Aba is one. Aba is Ikpeazu’s albatross and best opportunity. Do something. Do it quick. Do it well.  Roads are another. Fix the roads that connect Abia to neighbouring Akwa Ibom from both the Aba end and the Ikwuano end. Then do one major road in each local government, for a start.

Infrastructure revival and renewal would deliver an ancillary dividend of job creation in Aba and thus in Abia.

Outline a clear programme that identifies and focuses on no more than five key areas. Deliver on them.

The hunchback of negative perception hangs on Ikpeazu even with his victory. He must be alert to it and do something fast. No, he should not discard his godfather like the ill-bred example in neighbouring states. Good performance would enable him kill many birds with one thrust from his revolver. Such performance would enable him establish as his own man while justifying his endorsement.

Note that the situation is similar to what happened in Enugu, Delta and Cross River States where persons from a demographic that had not occupied the topmost office in the states got the chance. Outgoing governors endorsed each of them. Sullivan Chime endorsed the man from Nsukka while Senator Ifeanyi Okowa got the support of Governor Uduaghan. The difference is that because the perception was that those governors had performed their endorsements did not give god father syndrome a bad tag.

Symbolism is important. Can we have a Governor who espouses in word and actions Made in Aba, Nigeria? Let our governor’s formal attires, from suits to traditional, come from Ehi Road rather than Saville Row!

Okezie Ikpeazu carries a heavy historic cross. He needs our assistance and our prayers and positive thoughts. He should call on the pool of manpower and goodwill available throughout Abia, Nigeria, the Diaspora and the international community. Oke zuo la Abia!