Gov Okorocha and the Silence of His Sons
During the feast of Chaire (Cardinal) Malula on Sunday, 24th February 2002, the Cardinal Archbishop of Kinshasa (Congo DR), His Eminence Cardinal Etsou, before the Priests and Religious who gathered for the annual feast at FacultéCatholique (a Catholic University in Congo) during his homily, took the congregation to the concept of Silence on the attempted sacrifice of Isaac in the Bible by his father Abraham. He explored in great depth, the silence of Sarah in the homicidal mission. The Cardinal exalted the Silence of Sarah, who knew his Lord was going to offer sacrifice to God, and left with her only son and without an available oblation in view.
Similarly, on Sunday February 25, 2018 at IMSU Chaplaincy Owerri, the revered Catholic Priest and Professor, Jerome I Okonkwo, while preaching on same sacrifice of Isaac, explored the concept of Silence with regards to Isaac, the intended votary for sacrifice. He explored Isaac’s silence, during and after the votary. Isaac according to him, if in our modern world and Imo State specifically, would never return to the house again after his attempted murder, but with open-mouth, would have gone on air to narrate to the world what a wicked and ritualist father he has. But he did not. He quietly went home with his father, believed in him and his visions, remained a good, industrious and respectful son he was, and did not even tell his mother what transpired between him and his father. And never did the enemies of their house hear about it.
These religious and social silences in the house of Abraham, are found in today’s Imo State; in the Rescue Mission house of Governor Rochas Okorocha. Over the years, Governor Okorocha like King Solomon of the Bible has begot several sons who like Jeroboam, are heirs to the throne, and has as well begot by adoption, other non-biological sons who are Rehoboams in his Rescue Mission family. But the true sons have typifying features and behaviours like Isaac.
While Gov Okorocha like the God of Abraham put a litmus test and test of fidelity to his entire sons- Biological and adopted, the adopted sons failed the tests. They turned red, proving acidic than blue, showing base and which signifies loyalty and unity. They became power drunk and over ambitious, querying the Master and went gaga like Rehoboam, while the true sons like Isaac kept quiet, even after passing a narrow escape attempted murder. Since last month, one hears rumpus from the allegedly oppressed Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, from Governor Okorocha’s in-law Engr. Chuks Ololo, and from his son-in-law, Chief Uche Nwosu, etc.
But these apart, Rochas has true sons of the father and King, who like Sarah and Isaac, are quiet. Of a truth, though many do not know, Hon Barr Chima Anozie, Hon Sir Jude Ejiogu, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim, Hon George Eche, and Hon Uche Onyeagocha, etc, are there as Gov Okorocha’s true alternative for Uche Nwosu. There are also Gov Okorocha’s true sons that can make best Deputy Governor of Imo State, besides Chief Uche Nwosu. There are Rt. Hon Chuma Nnaji, Prince McDonald Akano, Prince Henry Okafor, etc. These great sons of Okorocha, in the opinion of most social analysts, are very qualified to be Governors of Imo State, if not for the zoning rule that must be adhered to; in favour of either Owerri zone or Okigwe zone, but of a necessity, in favour of Owerri zone.
These great sons and princes of the King-Governor Okorocha are busy mobilising structures and reliable followers that have their own unflinching structures and followers, and the followers of these followers have their own grandeur of structures and followers. That is Orlu zone, the Hausa/Fulani of Imo politics! Thus, while the Owerri zone is busy grooming classical statesmen and best calibre of politicians in the State, the Okigwe zone is busy grooming and exerting the most expensive and deadliest political arsenals, intrigues, scheming and manoeuvrings. The Orlu zone on the other hand is busy moulding most reliable structures that at all times and seasons deliver on trust and without money-politics, playing the snipers-side of politics, scoring heavy points and dominating the political terrain with their efficient antics that Owerri zone unlike Okigwe zone, falls easy prey to and succumbs always, only to regret later.
Hon Barr Chima Anozie is one of these true and silent sons of Okorocha, from Owerri North LGA. He worked fraternally with Governor Okorocha, held certain posts in his administration, and was the SA to the Governor on NEPAD. As a result of his diligence in service, Governor Okorocha appointed him the Managing Director of OCDA. It is believed that before the end of his administration, he may receive another appointment from the Governor.
Barr Anozie is a good politician, an assiduous and illustrious member of the Rescue Mission, Imo APC chieftain and one of the gubernatorial candidates for Imo 2019, who believes in Rochas, and also believes in his own creative powers, and on the principles of continuity of all the good projects undertaken by previous Governors in the State. He is busy studying how best to carry on the good works of Gov Okorocha, how to better the ones he could not do well, and how to explore other aspects of governance and development that former Governors had no interests in or ignored. He is truly in my purview, the best obedient, illustrious and true son of the Rescue Mission. As a good team-player, he suits taking over from his Master, and his choice will absolutely silence every other agitation in the Imo APC. What remains would be the primaries with Senator Araraume, and the election proper. As a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father till date.
Hon Sir Jude Ejiogu is one of these true and silent sons of Okorocha, also from Owerri North LGA. He worked fraternally with Governor Okorocha, and held certain positions under his administration. He started with the Rescue Mission government as SA to the Governor on IGR, as Chairman Board of Internal Revenue, and as the Chairman Local Government Service Commission. His assiduousness compelled the Governor to appoint him the Chief of Staff, Government House Owerri when HE Prince Eze Madumere was made the Deputy Governor. He also received another appointment seconding this, as the Commissioner for Special Duties. And after his good role in the 2015 gubernatorial election in Imo State, Gov Okorocha projected Prof Anthony Anwuka the then SGI to Ministerial appointment at the federal level and appointed Sir Ejiogu as Secretary to the Government of Imo State (SGI), from where he was relieved of his duty on Friday, 18th March 2017.
Sir Ejiogu as a true son and like the biblical Isaac, went home happily, and till today makes no noise. Instead, at his leisure, he writes in local and national dailies. He too is a good and amiable son of the father and King-Governor. He suits taking over from Governor Okorocha, especially as he is of the Rescue Mission and from Owerri zone. As a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father till date.
Rt. Hon Acho Ihim is another true and silent son of Okorocha, from Okigwe LGA. He was elected into the Imo House of Assembly in 2011 under the PDP, and in the usually high-class gaming and intrigues of Okigwe zone politicians, he defected to the APC from the PDP immediately after the election, and helped APC in the House to form majority and thus produce the Speaker in 2011. He became the Speaker IMHA at the exit of Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu in 2015. He has piloted an industrious and peaceful House in the history of the State, with less political heat-ups and productive House Committees under his leadership. He is a Rescue Mission APC stalwart and believes in the visions of Gov Okorocha. He too is a seriously-minded APC gubernatorial aspirant from Okigwe zone.
Rt. Hon Ihim has all it takes to govern Imo come 2019, although the primaries many tend to favour an Owerri zone candidate because of the zoning and equity charter, and especially the sentiment for Owerri zone that has not ruled Imo for once, since 1999. He too is a good and amiable son of the father and King-Governor. He suits taking over from Governor Okorocha, especially as he is of the Rescue Mission and from Okigwe zone. As a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father from 2011 till date. Ihim, Madumere and Uche Nwosu are the most lasted sons of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission.
The true sons of Okorocha from Orlu zone are also worthy to take over the mantle of leadership from him, besides the beleaguered and embattled Uche Nwosu. There is Rt. Hon Chuma Nnaji, one of the true and silent sons of Okorocha, from Njaba LGA. He is a calm and perhaps the most assiduous, un-noisy and non-raucous politician in the present day Orlu Zone. He believes in the Rescue Mission and the vision of the Imo APC, but commands the highest structure that could be equated to those of Prof Protus Nathan Uzorma from Isu LGA. He too is a good and amiable son of the father and King-Governor. He suits taking over from Governor Okorocha, but is from Orlu zone that we are looking unto to producing the next Deputy Governor of Imo State. As a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father, since he left office till date.
There is also Hon Prince McDonald Akano. He is one of these true and silent sons of Okorocha, from Nwangele LGA. He was in the good book of Governor Okorocha, but felled out of relationship during the embattled former Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso. Though he felled out, he did not severe the relationship and never went gaga or became renegade like the Agbasos. Now he is back in the Rescue Mission family. During his multitudinous grand reception at the Blue-zincked estate at Nwangele, Hon Prince McDonald Akano commanded the greatest and most intimidating crowds ever seen in any ‘common-man’ reception ceremony. He joyously received the homage of Chief Uche Nwosu who danced in at 3:14pm on that Wednesday February 28 2018, at the house of Prince McDonald Akano, to accord him respect.
Prince Akano as humble and illustrious was unperturbed with the heralds given to the little Uche Nwosu, whom the MC announced as ‘His Excellency, the incoming Governor of Imo State’ and on the ovation walked-in with rave review. He has at present the greatest number of youths and advanced youths mobilisation in Orlu zone. With his Movement For Greater Today (MFGT) at UUC Global.
He also suits taking over from Governor Okorocha, but is from Orlu zone that we are looking unto to producing the next Deputy Governor of Imo State. As a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father, since they cut off links and are most bidding now at his return. A pair up between him and a strong Owerri zone APC guber candidate that has mobilization force like Hon Barr Chima Anozie (who has very strong tentacles in Oru East, Oru West, Oguta, Mbaitoli, Ikeduru, and Ohaji/Egbema) will see the Imo Rescue Mission and Imo APC still maintaining the seat of power in the State come 2019.
Prince Henry Okafor is one of these true and silent sons of Okorocha. This son of Dr and HRH Eze Okafor of blessed memory, from Osemoto, Oguta LGA, is another good son of Governor Okorocha. He held several posts under his administration and was the MD of ISOPADEC. His great mobilisation command is testified in his ‘Show Us the Man’ rally and group. He too is fit for the Deputy Governorship position. And as a true son, he has maintained the silence of Isaac and remained a good son of the father, since he was relieved of his duty.
It thus takes a good son to understand and follow a father. And only an unobservant father would have multiple sons without knowing who is who and who fits what among them. Speculations of Imolites and social analysts tend to seeing one of these true sons of Gov Okorocha from either Owerri or Okigwe zone emerging as APC guber candidate, and one of those from Orlu, if not Uche Nwosu, emerging as Deputy Governor in the 2019 gubernatorial election in the State.