I Am Still Watching Gov. Hope Uzodinma
One of the Chinese proverbs says, “A wise man makes his own decisions. An ignorant man follows public opinions”. In the words of William Cowper, “Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows not more.” Nothing is so rewarding like wisdom. It inspires, motivates and humbles itself while attempting to understand certain things. Wisdom is not in a hurry rather it knows nothing hence the first step towards being wise is to know that you are ignorant.
Before wisdom, nothing is hidden, yet he knows nothing. In the words of Dandemis, “True wisdom is less presuming than folly; the wise man doubts often, and changes his mind. But the fool is obstinate and does not doubt he knows all things except his own ignorance.” He that knows all things except his own ignorance is a born again fool. He is the one in a hurry to conclude about something he knows nothing about. He loves to contradict something that is already contradicted by so doing, he complicates simplicity.
On Sunday last week, between the hours of 2pm , my phone rang and it was the voice of one of my fans that loves my articles and consumes whatever philosophy that oozes out of my sphere of knowledge. He said to me, “Hello Professor Protus and how are you today…?” In equanimity, I responded “God bless you my brother, everything is all right. What can I do for you my brother?” He laughed and promptly responded, “Prof my brother, I have been expecting you to enlighten us on certain things that have been happening in Imo and the Corona virus stimulus package of Gov. Hope. You have not written anything against this administration. I read how you rejected the ex- governor’s appointment and you have been justified by the discoveries so far made. Please Prof. we expect you tell us what Gov. Hope is up to. Your silence is not making many of us happy, kindly reflect on my views and call me if you want us to continue the discussion…” He ended the call as he was running out of air time.
I returned the call immediately and consequently responded to all the points he raised. My discussion with him snowballed to this article as I wish to quickly accentuate here that Gov. Hope started on a good note and made a good choice of some of the people he appointed into political offices so far. For instance, I’m very much pleased by the choice of some of his commissioners and some Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers. The choice of the Commissioner for Lands is excellent and commendable.
But I must say that some big wings in APC in Imo may not be happy with him for not dancing their kind of music. With the recent appointment, he may have made many enemies in his political party than friends and he shall soon reap the fruits.
Those expecting me to pick up my pen and begin to criticize this newly born administration are making serious mistake because this administration hitherto saddled with the responsibility of making Imolites happy, has not done anything to warrant undue criticism. One of the Greek proverbs has it thus “A miser and a liar bargain quickly.” As a philosopher, I must have reasons to say what I want to say. It was Aristotle that is credited to have inferred thus, “I do not speak because I want to; I speak because I have something to say.”
Following my understanding in Oriental Philosophy of Religion especially in Taoism, I realized the true philosophy of Lao Tsze summarized thus, “Acting without design, occupying oneself without making a business out of it, finding the great in what is small and the many in the few, repaying injury with kindness, affecting difficult things while they are easy, and managing great things in their beginnings, this is the method of Tao…” The wisdom of God is revealed in the method applied above while dealing with the political situation in Imo state.
Gov Rochas used his eight year ignoble rule to destroy and ruin the economy of Imo state. I am happy that all the things I have said about Chief Rochas Okorocha have come to pass. In 2010/11, I warned the entire Imo people not to entrust political power to Rochas, my admonitions were completely neglected and I suffered greatly for criticizing Rochas. I was offered the position of a commissioner and I refused and rejected it. When the evils of Chief Rochas began to manifest, I was nicknamed “a political prophet.” Today, some people want to shine by writing against Okorocha after he left office. My respect for Gov. Hope grew when in 2019 he challenged Chief Okorocha and salvage Imo from his hands. The result of which is what we have today as the victory for APC.
Gov. Hope never knew he was going to be the governor of Imo in 2019 because his intention was to make sure Rochas did not install his son in law as governor. Now that he is the Governor by the will of God, I am sure he must have learnt a lot from Rochas and his family. Okorocha started in a hurry and ended in a hurry, as his victory in 2011 was welcomed by so many in Imo state.
He was almost ‘worshipped’ as the political Messiah. Chief Ikedi Ohakim buried his head in shame but I did console him knowing that the superiority of falsehood over truth is but for a moment. I told Imo people that the sound of the bitter-cola is completely different from its taste. Few years down the line, Okorocha made Chief Ohakim a hero as a result of his political style. Today, the same Okorocha has become a customer to EFCC occasioned by so many petitions by some Imolites.
Chief Ohakim became a celebrated hero consequent upon Okorocha’s failure. In the words of St. Basil, “A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.” On the other hand, he who sows fraud invites EFCC and he who misappropriated Imo money, has gathered trouble already.
Gov. Hope should know that action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. The challenge and responsibility before our governor now, is beyond mere religious speaking in unknown tongues. Rochas destroyed Imo and Gov. Hope has come to recover not his pocket, but Imo. I detest and loathe praise-singing but gold is gold no matter who handles it. If you give it to a blind, mad, poor and rich man, the content remains the same.
Therefore those expecting our governor to do magic now are daydreaming because the load his administration wants to lift up now is certainly heavier than his shoulders; the destruction is too much. But I must say it is too early to judge our governor now, and I am ready to battle him if he fails to deliver the dividends of democracy. Again he should know that it was his political party APC that produced Chief Rochas and the same political party has produced him; he should defeat political enemies by doing things the right way.
Those who think that to rebuild Imo is too easy, should rethink and know that it took Rochas complete eight years to devastate and ruin the economy of Imo state and a destruction that took eight years cannot be rebuilt within two to three months. Therefore, it is too early to complain and grumble over the new born administration of Gov. Hope. I have no doubt that Chief Uzodinma will perform and deliver the dividends of democracy to the satisfaction of Imo people, if he fails, there is no doubt that I and other notable critics shall return to trenches in order to direct him well. Those who know me know quite well that I speak from an unbiased perspective. As a seasoned legislative administrator, he knows how best to handle Imo problem.
The governor knows too well that he cannot influence me by any means neither can he stop my pen from flowing when necessary. He is my personal friend and I know he has conscience but should he be influenced by the unknown demon Chief Rochas left at the Government House to do the negative, I shall not fail to use my pen to function as his unpaid adviser. I am still watching and it is too early to complain. Gov. Hope needs more time to prove his administrative dexterity and no doubt, he will make Imo people proud. Like Plato, “One person calls it a democracy, another by another name, as he pleases. But it is in truth a government by the best, combined with a good opinion of the people.”