Who is Tony Nwoye?

By Ejimonu Udenka

That a certain Dr. Tony Nwoye is a gubernatorial candidate of a political party for the up-coming elections in Anambra State is not the issue, after all, he did so previously, and it is an inalienable right to vote and be voted for. The big deal though is that his, is proof of how low we ‘eve sunk in Anambra in the 21st century.

A state whose forebears left a bequeath of integrity and excellence, appear to be playing with its future survival by leaving a crack in the door for few dare-devils whose measure of character like that of 19th century Native Americans is in their count of scalp-takings.

The American mobster Al Capone once said, “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with kind word alone.” But it seems the Tony Nwoye has no kind words at all in pursuit of his ambition. He has become loud, making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against opponents who tower above his station. Apparently, he does that because he had gotten away with previous infractions and it seems that providence provides him with ready patrons willing to fund his fantasy. He is once again being propped up by a godfather who seems bent on dragging back Anambra state.

Tony Nwoye’s notoriety started as leader of a collective of student cultists in Enugu. He became a pay-per-hit hand and was recruited by political desperadoes in 2004 to lead a set of the brigands who burnt down government properties in Anambra state leaving causalities in their wake.

Interestingly, despite a fledgling academic pursuit, Tony was deployed to hold the reins on one end during one of the wild days of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But having seen up-close the lure of power and the misuse of it by his sponsors, the street-wise dude pounced at a period of vacancy deploying his gang to good effect. Nwoye is a classic example of the saying; “the end justifies the means,” if in doubt, find out how he has ended up as an ineffective member of the House of Representatives using a bogus result and the instrumentality of the courts. Again, you wonder what in god’s name could have swayed one of his victims, a former governor to end up beside him in 2017. Would Anambra, his main victim also acquiesce?

Who should blame Tony Nwoye? For over two decades, the power-centres at both national and state levels has been dominated by mostly charlatans following the scotched-earth policies that drove the good guys off the stage and thrust forward mediocre to roam-free. Hence they have mentored low-lives in their mold leaving us with the mess on our hands.

Incidentally another Tony portrayed in the classic movie Al Pacino averred, “First you get the money, you get the women and you go for power.” Tony Nwoye is by the gracious disposition of a sponsor who is bent on controlling the levers of power in Anambra from the closet of his mansion, got the money, some power and is now looking for the ultimate, the control of Anambra State treasury.

Having captured the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nwoye has found his voice. Like a spoilt child whose cake is baked by benevolent gods, he is emboldened in his schemes to hijack the polls by recruiting old acolytes and with plans to compromise institutions with the hope of eventual endorsement by the centre.

But will Anambra allow such travesty after many years of sacrifice and rebuilding? It is hoped that even as the society’s sense of revulsion has been degraded, there are still silent majority who would rise and ensure that Anambra state do not lose its present momentum of renewed excellence by keeping devourers like Tony at bare.

Ejimonu writes from Orumba ( [email protected] )