Life has taught me that the outer life (physical system of reality) is characterized by various expectations anchored on hope, disappointment, success and failure. When an individual’s life trap catches hope and success, the individual will rejoice. But when it catches nothing the individual will meet with serious disappointment failure and confusion.
At the parting Point of Success and failure lies the ocean of hope and destiny and at the meeting point of destiny lies so may “unsayable”. Confusion is the begotten son of a natural man and it comes when it is necessary. I feel it now and wonder if anyone is seeing what I am seeing. Yes, I wonder in the grave of barren illusion and vanity of lower life if anyone is willing to see beyond what the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard regards as “the life of the moment” in the political atmosphere of Imo, seeing beyond now and playing into the hands of the wise after now.
I ventured into politics to correct the ills that has hitherto enslaved our country especially Imo State and I discovered the moment I got involved that there are great and smart manipulators. As a classroom man, and a social critic who has won many national and international awards for being objective and saying things the way they appear, I know that there’s a new dimension of politics and I can easily play this type of revolutionary politics and have my way by calming the feeble minds.
Today, I am now convinced that politics in Nigeria especially that of Imo is not dirty as has been popularly promoted rather those who practice it are. This philosophical thought is supported by the Roman Catholic top priest Cardinal Arinze thus, “Politics in Nigeria is not dirty but those who practice it are…” Politics is not dirty but those who play it are very dirty without conscience. I have seen things that may convinced me that Imo State may be going into another round of four or eight years of enslavement and bondage in 2027 if proper equity is not followed. I am very much afraid of so many things because there are more than the eyes can see. Someone may begin to wonder why I am talking about 2027 when in the real sense of it the battle for 2023 is still going on in the tribunal. The reasons are personal and I wish to implore my reader to respect it.
Before now and during our political campaigns, I thought that the sound of a bitter cola is how it tastes. Alas I discovered otherwise-great pestilence for almost all Owerri zone politicians in 2015. It was Lao-Tse who inferred that, “He who understands others is learned. He who knows himself is wise. He who conquers others has muscular strength; he who subdues himself is strong. He who is content is wealthy; he who does not lose his soul will endure”.
Following the above, and in line with what played out in the just concluded gubernatorial election, I saw almost all Owerri zone guber candidates as men who know themselves but refuse to subdue themselves due to greed occasioned by selflessness. They do not fit into Lao-Tse Philosophy of great life hence they lacked understanding of the nature of Imo politics and collective ideology for growth.
Owerri zone did not manifest maturity and love for the highly trumpeted chatter of equity. I pity them so much! On page 21 of the forty Hadith, Tirmidhi: Nawawi, it states, “A wise person is one who watches over himself and restraints himself from that which is harmful and strives for that which will confront him after death; and a foolish one is he who gives rein to his cravings and seeks from Allah the fulfillment of his vain desires”. I will not in line with the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad call some Owerri zone guber candidates fools (because they are not) who only chase after the fulfillment or satisfaction of their belly and not after the collective efforts of equity, fairness and justices for which they ought to have benefitted.
In 2015, so many Owerri zone politicians became senseless for Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha to loose in three to four Local Governments of Owerri (I don’t mean Mbaise Areas) was a bugaboo. Well, it was expected because everyone is entitled to his opinion and freedom of association is a constitutional matter. Yes, Gov. Rochas understood the epicurean pattern of politics in the zone very well as a result he provided little money and drinks together with ugba (African Salad) to Owerri people, they sold their conscience to (Ugba and Nmii) African salad and drinks and voted for Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Fools follow vanity, but the wise man prizes his thoughtfulness as a treasure. I know Owerri zone did not blame Okigwe zone or Orlu zone for whatever woe that came on them in 2019 because the destruction of political equity in Imo State shall haunt them without mercy. Epicunian life of the majority of Owerri zone shall bring Imo State to the status –quo in 2027 if and only if…
I took my time to prepare a paper which up till this moment remains a master piece that was presented at the Imo state Stake-holders political summit 2013 which positioned Owerri zone as the major beneficiary of the 2015 guber election. The paper became the watch word of every political discussion in Imo state. At the appointed time, Owerri zone shut themselves on the leg by refusing to harvest the already ripped fruits, instead of harvesting them, they decided to continue with the usual antiquated political ideology.
Though I am aware that no zone in Imo state is worthless they can always serve as terrible examples. Yes, the most valuable gift one can give another is good example. Owerri zone has become a good example for betraying themselves. In the word of Athanasius “you cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.” A dad example is a lesson to those who want to learn while those who prefer Ugba and Nmii to standing out will always have their reasons for betraying their own.
As a deputy Governorship candidate of United Progressive party (UPP) in 2015 election, I wept for Owerri zone in 2015 because a small zone with 7 Local Government had more than 10 governorship candidates of both minor and major political parties contending with one man from Orlu zone that has 12 Local government areas . In fact, if you reduce the number of strong guber candidates from Owerri zone to four (PDP, UPP, APGA and Accord Party) you will agree with me that they were un- united.
At a point a meeting was arranged here and there for the three major political parties (PDP, UPP and APGA) which all of us (Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Hon. Nnaji, Captain Iheanacho and Barr Ike Ibe, Dr. Osmond Ukanacho and Prof. Protus Uzorma) attended and the topic was who was going to step down for the other? The organizers urged all Owerri guber candidates to listen to the voice of reason and understand that people who like people are people that people like. Thus they urged them to choose one person and support him to enable the zone win the election. The topic generated serious argument as each candidate saw himself and his party as the last hope of Imo state and Owerri zone in particular. This political greed contributed to the victory of Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
The meeting which never ended the same day was re-scheduled the following day. All the candidates attended the meeting yet it was not resolved. The main agenda was for the flag bearers of Owerri zonal extraction to pick a consensus candidate in order to produce the next governor of Imo State. Their selfish desires never allowed them pick any candidate. In fact, and on a particular occasion, I looked into the eyes of each and every one of them and asked if they were willing to step down, the response I got was very embarrassing and I looked at myself the second time to see if I had made a mistake. I saw greed occasioned by ignorance and avarice.
Socrates said, “There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend”. I hate injustice and detest unnecessary political bravado. In 2015, Owerri zone refused to have a consensus guber candidate and in 2019 the samething played out and Chief Ihedioha tried to clinch the guber position simply because major Orlu Sociopolitical and cultural groups led by Orlu Elders Council (OEC) agreed that Orlu zone was not going to support any candidate from the zone. It came to pass that Owerri zone succeeded and as the case would be, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Gov. Hope Uzordimma.
In the just concluded 2023 Imo guber election, history repeated itself and Owerri zone massively voted for Gov. Hope Uzordimma who later promised handing over to Owerri zone in 2027. The equity matter has resurrected once again and it is very obvious that what played out in 2015, 2019, and 2023 will certainly play out in 2027. Everybody should watch out!
Protus Nathan Uzorma