WHY MBAISE SHOULD PRODUCE IMO GOVERNOR
Let us make a case for Imo state governor of Mbaise extraction. It is commendable even as it is realistic. We are not saying that other clans are not qualified to rule. Of course, most of them have been ruling without the Mbaise man being in charge. The Mbaise community has always supported any governorship aspirant or candidate who has the support and good following of the larger Imo people and who is ready to deliver.
We do not betray agreements [ be it verbal or written] and we do not foment trouble. In 1979 , when Zik's NPP was the rallying point for Ndigbo, Mbaise people trooped to the party and supported it en masse . One of the places NPP, Zik and Sam Mbakwe got massive block votes was in our land.
It must be pointed out that one of the rural places the Great Zik visited during the 1983 campaigns was Mbaise land. During the ill-feted Third Republic, despite the fact that our son Prof Fabian Osuji was disqualified in controversial circumstances, and we put forward Alex Obi, but he still lost the governorship election, we still supported Evan Enwerem. Between 1999 till now, we have always thrown our weight behind all Imo governors even when some of them treat us with absolute disdain. Therefore, it is now time for others to support us to have a short at the Imo State Government House, Owerri.
Mbakwe knew our worth, capacity and capability, even our over blown and needlessly inflated flaws, hence Mbaise was well represented in his administration, reason he performed. Yes. The first civilian governor of old Imo State, was convinced Mbaise was a land of intellect and home of excellence thus, he allotted the Law Campus of the Imo State University to us, precisely at Ogbor Uvuru. You know, we are constantly a victim of high scale negative politics, so, Military Administrator Ike Nwachukwu emerged and took it away. Since then, nothing of such, not even in the dream world, has anything of such been brought to Ala Mbaise. The same Mbakwe gave us a paint factory [Zennith], and you know what this means- development, employment, empowerment, etc,-but it was never allowed to function properly.
Mbaise does not lack human capacity, both in the present and in the past. Do you still remember the indefatigable late KBC Onwubiko? West Africa's first historian to publish a complete and comprehensive work on the sub-region from the earliest time via the 1500 to 1800 AD? He was the man that started the move for the then Mbaise Catholic Denary to be made a diocese. Sadly, he died before that lofty dream came to realization. In case you don't know, the current VC of FUTO, Prof C. Onwuliri, hails from our land. His wife, Prof Viola , is the running mate to Governor Ohakim in the April Elections.
Who says the clan that reared Barrister BSC Nzenwa, the man who made sports attractive and exciting in Imo State and whose daughter, Mary, [She is now a Supreme Court judge] the Rivers State Governor Emeritus, Peter Odili, took to the altar, cannot govern Imo State ?
It was not for nothing that the General of the People's Army, Odumegwu Ojukwu came to Mbaise and proclaimed the Ahiara Declaration on June 1, 1969. The Ahiara Declaration was the document that contained the principles and ideals of the Biafran Revolution and struggle and Ojukwu himself chose no other place than the hallowed Mbaise environ to deliver this all important and emotional message.
Today, we have the men and the women who can deliver Imo State from the throes -of ruination and extermination. Probably the most upwardly mobile, consistent, enterprising and courageous politician in Imo State today, is an Mbaise ward. He is Emeka Ihedioha. Take a look at his meteoric rise : In 1992, Ihedioha was the Press Officer to the Senate President, later in 1993, he was the CPS[Chief Press Secretary] to the Deputy Senate President.
A public relation expert, he was the CEO, First Page Communications, thus, he emerged Director of Publicity of the then all powerful PDM, the political association that metamorphosed to PDP in 1998. From there, Ihedioha moved to become Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Senate President. Following his distinguished services on his previous beats, Sir Ihedioha was appointed Special Assistant on Political Matters to the Vice President in 2001, a post he held until 2003 when he was elected into the House of Representatives as a member representing Aboh Mbaise \Ngor Opkala Federal Constituency. Since then he has chaired a number of strategic committees including, Marine Transport, Cooperation and Integration in Africa and then, Loan Management.
He is currently the Chief Whip in the House, making him the fourth most person in the lower chamber of the National Assembly. Ihedioha is an oofshoot of Aboh Mbaise. From Ezinihitte, is Prince Pat Abii. Sound, principled, visionary and colourful, He has a rich historical, political and aristocratic background as he is the son of the late redoubtable Chief D.N. Abii, who was among the first generation of Mbaise Politicians.
Ori Martins is a staff of Sun Newspapers.