Tag: Enugu

By Onochie Jon-Igwesi

The date was Thursday, 17 June 2021. The venue was the Michael Okpara Square, Independence Layout, Enugu, and the event was the well-attended ‘Oganiru Enugu East Senatorial Zone Rally’. It was a gathering of the entire political and traditional paraphernalia of the zone. All heavyweights and political juggernauts of the six local governments that make up the large spread of Enugu East Senatorial Zone were at the venue.

First-tier governorship aspirants arrived at the venue in flamboyant fanfare, amid flying flags with their names and faces, upheld banners, loud bands and tons of supporters that shook the grounds of the square. The acrobatic display by colourful masquerades unlocked another layer of flavour. From the popular WAEC bus stop, to the gates of the Enugu State House of Assembly, all a part of the Three-Arms Zone, it was electrifying. The voting population roared in excitement as they sniffed the thick air of the political season at the time. That rally served as the perfect cue signaling the political over-readiness of the zone to produce the next governor of the state in line with the spirit of zoning that dominated the state’s political space.

As boisterous as the atmosphere was, something remarkable to the discerning — barely a handful at the time — happened. One first-tier aspirant walked in so quietly. He was escorted into the venue by just his personal assistant, and was shown his reserved seat among other aspirants, while his driver and a few security details waited outside. Grapevine sources revealed that he had just flown into Enugu for the event and drove straight to Okpara Square from the airport. There were no crowds of supporters. There was no band. No group wore clothes or caps branded with his name or picture. There were no flags with his face flying.

Gradually, onlookers began to murmur. For those whose lips didn’t move, their faces spoke. “How on earth was he going to emerge as the state ruling party’s flagbearer with no show of strength?”, they wondered. Peter and Doubts!

That man Peter Mbah, who was doubted, who bestrode the political space, totally recalibrating the scale of governance in Nigeria and among subnationals, would later go on to not only win the primaries but also become the state’s fourth governor of the Fourth Republic, and the poster boy of refined governance.

Of books, tons have been written. Yet, one of the greatest classics of all time is Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power. Law 36 of the book reads: Disdain Things You Cannot Have – Ignoring Them is the Best Revenge.

As boring as it is, expectedly, there’s a similitude of the doubts of 2023 playing out ahead of 2027. Some persons illusorily believe that Peter Mbah’s second term is a reality that will not be. So hurt that 2023 did not play out like they had hoped, they resorted to disdaining the same seat they so coveted because they couldn’t have it at the time like they wished. Ironically, they hope, even when there’s palpable fear of failure among them, that the seat will be theirs in 2027. And so, to pull the wool over our eyes, they put on pseudo-confidence, draped in half truths, screaming scarcity where there’s sufficiency, darkness where there’s light, and drought where there’s rainfall, forgetting that a man becomes a critic when he cannot be an artist. But they speak not for all of us. For even as their lies appear to be flowering, the seeds of their disillusionment are being sown. As Martin Luther King Jr. puts it: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” – and justice is Peter’s second term.

One under-discussed aspect of human psychology is that if you do good, people will demand better with a sense of entitlement, and if you do extremely bad, people will beg for good with fear. Peter understands this, yet like a priest at the altar of disruptive innovation, he has dedicated himself to doing the greatest good for the greatest number.

Peter’s mind works in a way that is esoteric. His programmes defy logical reasoning so much that it makes sense to doubt them. Yet, for every ounce of doubt you share today, he makes mincemeat of it tomorrow. They doubted the possibility of Enugu Air but today, that airline has 6 aircraft, will get to 20 aircraft and just got its Air Operator Certificate within a significant 6 months, faster than the industry timeline of 15 to 24 months. Hotel Presidential seemed like what was best for it was to be sold off, yet that monument, once dead but now resurrected, stands as a reminder of the labours of our heroes past. We did not imagine that Monday would ever return as the first day of the week, yet you can now be the judge of that. And the unending list continues, from the nationally admired International Conference Centre; dualization of the Ugwogo-Opi and Enugu-Abakaliki roads; a vehicle assembly plant; the joint venture with Landmark Africa Group that has rebranded Nike Lake Resort; the nearly completed 5-star hotel; to the gobsmacking N1.62trn 2026 Budget. Peter’s administration plans to build five more world class transport terminals in Emene, Udi, Awgu, Four-Corners (Ozalla) and Oboloafor, in addition to those already built and in use in Abakpa, Gariki, Nsukka and Holyghost. It equally set aside 15 per cent of the 2026 budget for providing 15,000 mass housing units. If all of Peter’s projects were to be mentioned, you, my reader, would probably scroll or flip pages endlessly to get to the end of this piece.

Now, think about these projects, a tidbit of the developments that Enugu has witnessed in three years, and ask yourself whether we should reward hard work or hoaxes in 2027.

In due course, the questions of 2027 will not be why or whether he will be re-elected, but about why the opposition attempted to mislead the people of Enugu into thinking that there’s an alternative somewhere. It will be about we the people reminding Peter that having served the first four years strikingly well, he MUST fulfill the remainder of his charter in the second term that we have given him.

Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani was a two-term governor. Barr. Sullivan Chime was another two-term governor. Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was also a two-term governor, and just somehow, you assume that Ndi Enugu will fail to return a moderniser-in-chief and development oracle, His Excellency Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for a second term? Peter is the moment and he rides into May 29, 2027 on the chariot of brilliant victory. There’s no doubt about this.

To Gov. Peter Mbah, do not grow weary. You’re convincingly on the right track. If the people – your people – have raised concerns on certain issues, where adjustments can be made, please do, like you did by slashing land-related taxes by about 60%. We are aware that some of those you trusted the most are gearing up to run against you, simply for self. We are aware of how you have continued to make efforts to reach out to, and assuage political gladiators who may have felt bruised in whatever way. It demonstrates that your fountain of meekness and accommodation overflows. In the fullness of time, you will reap your rewards.

Onochie Jon-Igwesi, an indigene of Enugu, writes from Omuoha-Obuoffia, Awkunanaw.