My Private Memo About Enugu State: Sullivan, Chimaroke, Nwodo and Others
I am releasing this private memo into the public domain, in reaction to the recent happenings in Enugu State.Enugu the capital of Eastern Nigeria, South East as is now called remains the place defining the heartbeat of South East political realities. As the weight of this responsibility continues to enlarge with every new political dispensation, it continues to be of interest how the politics of Enugu itself continued to attempt to derail the expectation of an average Igbo man who sees Enugu as his home in the South Eastern Nigeria and disheartening to commentators in the Nigerian politics.
Today in Enugu it seems the tide is rising in three directions… for Chime, for Nnamani and for Nwodo. The question would be, are these the only power-block-names in this quiet State? It would be foolish to think they are. Putting together my closely guided memo of over many years and private interviews (without letting the individual know my intentions) during my recent visit to Enugu, I took the liberty to dig dip to find out what makes those names and the carriers thick. I interviewed many people of whom 60% are from Nsukka (Enugu North), 25% from Nkanu (Enugu East) and 25% from Greater Awgu/Udi/Ezeagu (Enugu West).
In the second republic when Jim Nwobodo was in power, grassroots mobilization was the way. Though I was younger then, but records available today explicitly point that he excelled even in the face of opposition mounted by the then NPN championed by Ekwueme. Jim did more works in other zones of the state than his native Nkanu to the extent that his people called him 'foolish'. Nike Lake Resort Hotel still adjudged the best hotel in the South East is one of his works. Anambra Broadcasting Service, now ESBS, is also his work. Ekwueme, who was fighting him, succeeded in building Modotel Hotels across Nigeria for himself and a prison in his home town. IMT Enugu, ESUT University are some of the schools that could not forget Jim in a hurry. He endeared himself in the hearts of the masses. He remained the God father of Enugu politics, deciding who gets what till the Nwodos stepped in.
Chief CC Onoh (RIP) engaged a brutal political rivalry with the Nwodos, challenging Joe Nwodo to standstill. He was succeeding and winning Joe in the Governorship contest of the State but in a swift, and help of those against the Udi/Ezeagu power block, the Nwodos presented Okwesilieze Nwodo (present PDP National Chairman) in place of Joe who then along with Onoh was no-more eligible to contest, Okwy won on the platform of SDP.
Nwodo's entrance as Governor, in comparison to history preceding him, brought with it the most unprecedented tragedy, callousness and 'rape' of the Enugu-Collective. The civil service was Nsukkanised with the Nwodos as the nucleus. It is on record that the only road leading to UNN from Opi Junction was intended for dualization by Okwy but abandoned subjecting the students and other road users to years of torment from the dust. No other zones of the State mattered but Nwodo's Nsukka; the elites looked the other-way. Salaries were owed workers. I need to be corrected that it was not during this period that Grace Oby (Nwodo's sister) was in-charge of State Utilities, and it was alleged that the State vandalized the Awgu/Aninri/Oji River power lines and darkness prevailed till 2009 (when Chime in his magnanimity restored the Mains). Okwy in several occasions turned the matter into political carrot forcing development in the area to 30 years behind. It was alleged at a time that 70% of Enugu Civil Service workforce were from Nsukka zone. It therefore makes me wonder why the same Nsukka zone would be complaining that in the Chime EXCO, Udi/Ezeagu has 11 slots while Nsukka has 8. They cleverly failed to mention that Awgu has just 3! There is an Enugu adage that says…if the Nwodos and snake enter your house, first kill the Nwodos before killing the snake…. It's that bad.
As if that was not enough, in 1999, winning over 90% of elective posts in the State and trying to prove his conglomeration-ness of Enugu politics, Jim imported a 'nobody' from USA in the person of Chimaroke Nnamani (Chi-Boy) and installed him as Enugu Gov. In fact Jim was so domineering that a duly elected Action Congress Senator in his zone stepped down for him to be inducted senator till 2003. Little did he and the people know an era of Babylon was in the making. Like never before in Enugu political history, Chi-Boy cruised the State in Alexandra form that green leaves turned dry on his passing. As he has openly attested, he picked on the elites, like Idi Amin, he subdued, maligned and turned then to meat. Some died, some vanished, some went on self-exile and none was standing.
He picked and chose 'no-bodies' and brought them to fame and power… from local government administrator to Government House then to Abuja. He only waves a hand and one is made a king. The people then knew that a worse than Nwodo comes. Some people have argued that that Chi-Boy brought development to Enugu; they mentioned Law School, ESUT Agbani, Enugu Tunnel, and ESUT Medical School. Very good, but he took law school to Agabani his home town, uprooted ESUT from where it was already founded to his home town, alleged to have attempted to move NYSC Camp Awgu but failed. The Tunnel is only a by-pass any Municipal Manger in South Africa can build without a blink of eye. True to it because I was there to see for myself. The Medical School is good and he must be credited to it. However, civil service became Nkanunized/Agbaninised. He so empowered challatants that any group can enter a Commissioner's office and demand money with a claim that Chi-Boy was aware of the mission. Be it true or false that these actually happened, the fact remains that Enugu was disserted into shreds and the people perished under Chi-Boy above all his body-carriage points that he was the drummer to the dance. Prostitution, brigandage, murders, pervasion, gross impunity, cultism and all manner of vices were enthroned during the 8 year reign of Chimaroke.
The battle, for a long time, was between the Lion Building (seat of Enugu power) and the Church. Fr Ejike Mbaka was the target and crusader of change at same time. Many times his life was threatened but God always was with him. The elites relocated to Abuja, and Chi-Boy was the King in the Kingdom. Okwy Nwodo vanished from the seen and found refuge in the Action Congress (AC). Commissioners and other Aids committed all sorts of atrocities, it was alleged that Sam Ejiofor starched Dollar bills in plastic tank in his residence to oil the Ebano Machine. As if morning will never come, 8 years passed and Chima hand-picked Sullivan Chime from Udi/Ezeagu extraction of the State and installed him the Gov.
Many say it was a calculated spite on the Greater Awgu who indeed has never produced a Gov for both the Old and New Enugu State. The Church wrote-off Chime since Chima chose him. Can the devil choose an Angel, many asked. The only antidote to another horrible 8 years would be to take the matter to the foot of the Cross. The Church rose and the congregation stood behind it. As God would have it, like He said to a run-away Moses, 'I have heard the cry of my people, now go to Pharaoh and tell him, let my people go… I know he will not hacken to your voice, for I will harden his heart to punish him…' Facing the same people destroyed by a regime he was part of was like asking Moses to go to the same Pharaoh wanting him dead or alive.
Sullivan kneeling down on the Altar, in front of the Catholic Bishop of Enugu pledged to be King Cyrus for Enugu. It was fascinating! Publicly he threw the first bomb -'that Ebano is nomore.' Chima was shaken to the root. He (Chime) swung into action, recalled all 5200 civil servants of the State sacked by Chima, increased salaries and pledged to pay same as at when due. Suddenly the people rejoiced. One could ask, 'could it be that Chime has always been against the antics of Chima or was it that it was a mistake that Chima chose him? My answer is that God Moved. As Chime shows a clear opposite of what Chima was said to be, it seems indeed that Iheanacho is landed. In fact Chima has publicly challenged that for the records he is the man that gave Enugu what it has been looking for - Ihe ha nacho .
The media has recently reported that some myopic Aids of Chima are saying that Chime has failed because he has shifted development from the rural to urban areas. I will ask to what extent has it impacted when Nwodo and Chima shifted same to the rural areas? In as much rural development is paramount for national growth, it would be out of place that urban areas be abandoned as was the case when Nwodo and Chima were in power. Investors would not go to Awgu or Isiuzo to discuss businesses; they will ply the Bissala, Presidential Roads, Chime Avenue etc that Chime has transformed to glorious sights. Another funny argument is that Chime has not done any new roads but asphalting the damaged ones. The commentator forgot that we don't need new Lagos-Benin Road but to repair it for road-using Nigerians. In fact, from what I have seen on the ground, any arguments from Enugu people against Chime on infrastructural development are demonic as it's only Satan himself that would condemn him on the glowing work he has done in 36 months. Having been to Enugu I can attest that 'Indeed Enugu is Now Working.'
In the euphoria of this peace and progress, PDP needed a new leader and it was reported that they reasoned that a working Gov should be able to present a good leader for the party. Nwodo, it was said, was presented by Chime to Jonathan with the help of Gov Elechi of Ebonyi State even in defiance of Ekweremmadu who openly was against him (Nwodo). You may ask how sure is it that Chime did chosse Nwodo. Well common Nigerian political sense will reveal that it wouldn't have been possible without the Vita Abba led Enugu PDP Exco. Can the Exco stand without the State Gov? The answer is left for you to find.
On getting to Abuja, it was reported that Nwodo, on the influence of Ekweremmadu, moved against Chime. If you bite the fingers that fed you when you are hungry you will have no fingers to feed from. It would be fool-heady to think that Chime was not instrumental to the emergence of Nwodo as PDP National Chairman. The question in the lip of pundits is why did it take so short a time in power before fighting Chime or could it be that the adage is true of Nwodos? The media reports that Nwodos want the entire Enugu North to be left for them, hence the sudden emergence of Mrs. Nwodo as Senatorial Aspirant to upstage Anyaogu Eze. If they succeed, it is almost certain that all the servicing elected officials in the zone would be changed meaning that Senator Eze and Speaker Eugene Odoh would pack and go. By Nigerian legislative standard the general view is that Senator Eze has done very well and represented Enugu well and in good light and all Nwodos put together would never have done better. Speaker Odoh is said to be leading a reign of peace and harmony in the State Assembly enabling Chime to do his work. Credit must be to Okwy for pledging to push for democracy and sanity in PDP, but he should not do so by destroying the house upon which he stands. As its now widely reported that he works against Chime, the question would be to what extent would he go?
Is it not foolishness and pervasive that on far away medical bed in America, without due consultations with other of his National Working Committee members, he ordered Enugu PDP Exco dissolved, claiming it's illegal. Recovering from the troubles Chi-Boy gave him is good, but he forgot that it's the same 'illegal' Exco that offered him waiver to return to PDP when he was hiding in AC, and projected him to Abuja. Simple logic would have taught him that if the Exco is illegal, his ascension is simply illegal as well. What foolishness from a medical-politician. Suddenly he knows better and seems to be denying that he authorized the press release. Now that other States are rising against him, let's watch and see how the game will play-out.
As Chime approaches re-election, we shall wait and watch if he will continue the good works he is doing in Enugu or would the wave of Babylon meet him in 2011. Its only a man of very dark heart would want Sullivan Chime out in 2011. On my visit to Enugu, I could only but imagine what wickedness prevails in Enugu that a man that has done so much for them and offered them the very opposite of what his predecessors offered them would be angling for his head. Pensioners paid…contractors paid...Crime vanished...streets lighted. If Chi-Boy is behind it, Nwodo's or Ekweremmadu time will tell.
Could it be true that Okwy is fighting Chime after he supported him from obscurity and bastardization to power? Could it be true that the highly respected John Nwodo resigned his Centenary Committee Chairmanship to join his kins in forces against Chime? Could it be true that Nwodos are fighting Enugu East and West for the sole of Enugu politics? Could it be true that Ekweremmadu went to Okwy on assumption of office as PDP National Chairman to team against Chime only to make u-turn and run to Chime when Okwy went public with the agenda? Could it be true that Chima is fighting Chime even when it's reported that Chime has refused to fight back but to remain focused and develop the State? Could it be true that Chime does not have any structure on ground to win the 2011 elections and that he would decamp from the PDP after-all? These were the questions my respondents posed and wondered about. My take is that I was born and raised in Enugu; two successive Medical Doctors have ruled Enugu and failed woefully, now a Lawyer is in-charge and Enugu blossoms. The doctors have therefore failed and the lawyer is winning, doctors should bury their heads in shame. If its true that EFCC alleges that Chi-Boy made away with about N54b belonging to Enugu State and Chime raised a bond of N50b for obviously on-the-ground development and Enugu is aglow, then Chime has done well and should do more.
Rev Ayobanna Ikeanumba D.Theo
Chief Executive Officer
Africa Debate
Johannesburg, S.Africa
October 2010