Rita Orji: Changing Ajegunle Politics Through General Almsgiving
It was Marcus Tulius Cirero, a great Roman statesman, philosopher and orator who once said that certain phenomena are understood better by first describing what they are not, rather than what they are.
Consequently, there is no better way to paint a vivid picture of the growing phenomenon of the woman, Barr Hon.Rita Orji, House of Representatives member, representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun Constituency, a non-Yoruba woman emerged victoriously at the 2015 general elections in Lagos State. Other than to start from the standpoint of what she is not, rather than what she is. Her victory is yet to be regained by the domineering ruling party that thought a non-Yoruba cannot win such enviable position in the land.
The issue that some ruling party followers sold their conscience to the opposition party during the last election was mere trajectory to cover the political failures of past representatives in Ajeromi-Ifelodun.The Ajeromi-Ifelodun people felt there is need to change the so-called recycled leaders with arrogant characters of not picking calls or replying text messages sent on their phones on constituency projects.
The lesson has been sold out to the ruling political party leaders that the masses determine leadership not party leaders who prefer their cronies in power and sharing formula attitude of enriching themselves only.Today, Hon.Rita Orji,the Anambra-born lawyer and business magnate represents the interest of Ajeromi-Ifelodun people under the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).According to her, I contested under PDP but representing everybody in Ajeromi-Ifelodun.”You all asked me to contest and I won genuinely through your votes”. I will continue to represent you well.
Hon.Orji is not ungodly personality but a devoted Catholic to the core. She is equally not a representative that segregates .She is neither selfish nor malevolent. Her kind of representative style is evidently not an autocratic or plutocratic leader whose stance on an issue remaining static but she represents the interest of the people.
She is not a representative who sacrifices the feelings and needs of the people on the altar of neglect and discountenance. She is also not a type who eats while the underprivileged starve and languish to death in object poverty, among others.
As a renowned Tasly guru, who single-handedly brought this herbal-drug company into Nigeria that has created over 10,000 jobs to many Nigerians and beyond. To her, politics is service and as a representative, you must report to the people that voted you into power always.
If Hon.Orji does not represent all these awkward features, one may therefore ask, who then is Hon.Rita Orji?
Hon.Orji by his action has proved beyond reasonable doubt to be a God-fearing,listening,visionary and adequate personality whose wealth of experience, dint of hardwork,intellectual ability, milk of kindness,humility,simplicity,benevolence and penchant for peace stand her out as a great representative, an epitome of success and a God-sent. She is a humble representative who has distinguished herself creditably both in her private and public dealings.
Her almsgiving phenomenon is the first of the kind in Ajegunle community where a representative would come out publicly to give out almsgiving to the people. History had it in Ajegunle that politicians voted for hardly come to the people to say “thank you” than using political things to represent the people. Her phone lines are opened to everybody in Ajeromi-Ifelodun and she responses to text messages on regular basis.
As a devout Roman Catholic, she sipped deep of the church’s moral teachings, especially the Christian obligation towards sharing in the pains of others by ameliorating their sufferings. Her legacy of philanthropic gesture cannot be erased in the sands of the time in Ajegunle city. She grew up in Ajegunle and knows the people needs.
To Mindset Media Limited, Hon.Rita Orji,she is one female politician that has maintained longstanding path to vision,integrity,all-inclusiveness,accountability ,transparency and prudence in representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun people.
One political style of Hon.Orji is showcasing in recent times, is almsgiving to her constituency(11 wards) without using any party leader which many had faulted such gesture, to Orji, I want equal representation of my constituency. It is the masses that voted for me not only PDP.She has gradually established her presence in the 11 wards of Ajeromi-Ifelodun in the past 10 months.
She is not just ameliorating the suffering of her constituency only but also training 800 people in various skills acquisitions and all trainees would be fully equipped by her. Having sunk some boreholes in strategic areas in Ajegunle serving many people now. Hon. Orji is the eye of the people in present Ajeromi-Ifelodun leadership.
Having kept faith with her promises, it is pertinent to this special day in her life, pay special tribute and encourage her to remain committed to her ideas as well as dedicate her life, family and representative leadership to the protection and blessings of the Almighty God, who is the father of all things on earth.
As a woman easily given to humility, kindness and empathy towards the lowly and the downtrodden, majority of the people of Ajeromi-Ifelodun and beyond were not surprised at her emergence as the most articulated candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP),Lagos State. She made PDP oust the ruling political party (APC) in Ajeromi-Ifelodun.Its domineering power was truncated with landslide victory. She was the first Ajegunle woman to receive the maiden award event of Mindset Media Limited in 2011. To Rita Orji, politics is Masses ‘Affairs and representative must be accountable and transparent to grassroots stewardship and nothing more.
Godday Odidi
Social Media Analyst
08058124798
Lagos