Imo is born-again!

BY MACDONALD EBERE

I have watched with particular interest the ever-changing dynamics of Imo State’s reputation and brand. In hindsight, the apogee was the reign of Sam Mbakwe – the acclaimed weeping governor. 

Mbakwe triggers a lot of emotions and thoughts. I often wonder if his sacrifice was worth it at the end of the day. Although some people feel he died in poverty, he is a hero today. But why Mbakwe?

Some politicians do not have great reputations. However, some politicians obviously do not meet this mark, but it isn’t easy to believe they mean well. Even the austere ones are castigated. So, no matter what they do, they are not appreciated most of the time. In that case, is it worthwhile being honest? Isn’t living up to negative public expectations better than swimming against the tide? 

These thoughts can be debilitating, especially when those you genuinely serve think otherwise or act with ingratitude. It can be discouraging. In such situations, one feels like following the trend and damning the consequences. But are there consequences in the true sense of it? The best rational option in this scenario could be to act like the rest of men. The urge is strong. The cheerleaders are many. 

They will surely remind you of the proverbial iroko tree that is only climbed once. And whilst there, you are encouraged to fetch as much firewood as possible, as the possibility of being on it again is rather very slim. Failing to do this can sometimes be interpreted as being stupid and weak. These are the same people you want to serve and save. 

Imo State is not spared of this inglorious politics. The state has, over the years, been battered by bad politics. The resultant effect is multifaceted – ranging from poor infrastructure and high unemployment to economic impoverishment. This is the state of affairs inherited by the current governor of the State, Senator Hope Uzodimma. This is the state the people of Imo State want to be turned around overnight. This is the uphill task confronting the government of Imo State today. 

The governor understands this and is not afraid to engage with the challenge. After all, that’s what he voluntarily signed up to. The first thing he had to deal with was the challenges of COVID-19, the EndSars saga, and the subsequent breaking of the state’s prison. These two things unleashed untold hardship on the people. 

The COVID pandemic, with its restrictions, created new poverty, and the jailbreak created new insecurities. Dealing with these twin challenges created winners and losers. While some people thought the governor’s measures were adequate, others thought they were inadequate. 

Despite the controversies and polarisations, the fingerprints of some disgruntled politicians were all over the issues. This led the government to conclude that the insecurity challenges were particularly politically contrived. Notwithstanding, the reputation of the government and the state took a battering. Again, some relished it, and others regretted it. 

Although the damaging media war on Imo has been unbelievably humungous, it confirms the cliché that reputation is socially constructed, hard to build, but easy to destroy. It also confirms that fear is a great weapon to capture unconquering minds. Those who wished Imo ill got what they asked for.  

But the governor didn’t give up on his ambition to salvage Imo. He embarked on a massive infrastructure development that had not been heard of since the time of Mbakwe. The Okigwe and Orlu road projects have become signature achievements. Beyond those, he reconstructed inner-city roads. The most outstanding is the MCC Uratta road to Uzoagba, Ikeduru, which was an eyesore and a nightmare over many years. 

Given the high level of unemployment in Imo State, especially among young people, the governor embarked on a massive project to train 300,000 young people in digital skills. More than 25,000 have been trained so far, and the governor has recently entered an agreement with the EU SME Digital Alliance – with over 45,000 members – to support Imo as an emerging digital economy hub in Africa through outsourcing, mentoring, and exchange programmes. 

Recognising that not everyone would play in the digital space, the governor has encouraged the 655 autonomous communities in Imo State to consider setting up a business through his administration’s One Kindred One Business Initiative (OKOBI). This initiative, which already has more than 300 businesses and over 8000 people, is anticipated to create over 200,000 jobs in the next three years. Local and international observers have hailed the initiative as one with great potential for the industrialisation of Imo state and similar societies in Africa.

But industrialisation would be incomplete without electricity. That’s why the governor has worked hard to take over the Egbema Power Plant Project from the Federal Government and created the Imo Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Egbema Power Plant will generate more power than Imo State currently needs. To maximise the investment and further open Imo to the world, the governor has acquired the licence to create the Orashi Special Energy Free Zone and dredge Orashi to the Atlantic. These are massive projects that will transform Imo State beyond recognition. 

What is very unfortunate is that these positive strides are sometimes impeded by what comes across as a strategic negative campaign against the State. The sad bit is that some Imo people who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the benefits of these giant strides by the governor have also been surreptitiously and inadvertently co-opted into this negative narrative and campaign against the state. 

I have tried to showcase some of the governor’s giant strides in recent times and invite those who judge Imo from a distance, especially some Imo people, to reconsider their stance and cooperate with the governor to rebuild Imo to the pride of the South East and Nigeria at large. _Imo wu nke anyi!_

Love or loathe him, one thing no one can take away is the passion, compassion, and efforts of Senator Hope Uzodimma towards a united, cohesive, and transformed Imo, nay South-East of Nigeria because Imo is born-again!

MacDonald Ebere, an expert in practical political philosophy, writes from Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.