By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, MA
Honestly, I enjoy reading the recent media interventions by Oblong Duruebube Uzii na Abosi on issues of government and matters arising therefrom!
Before now, he could be mistaken to be an Obote man in opposition, whose attitude toward the current governor and government of the day wasn’t pleasant and palatable.
However, in the recent times, he has successfully articulated very balanced articles which speak truth about the achievements and accomplishments of the sitting governor and his government, while making bold to point out areas requiring improvement.
For me, Oblong is the latest leading analyst of government and governance right now in Imo State; not that he blindly and sheepishly supports the current government, but because he manages to separate the beef from the bones and marrows.
That’s the best example of keeping the governor and his government on their toes, away from the wanton display of frustration, confusion, hatred and malice by overwhelmed and paralyzed Obote men in Imo State!
Writing one of his “Side Views” crispy essays, which he courageously entitled;
“From Power to Oblivion: Why Imo Politicians Fade Into Irrelevance After Leaving Office”.
Oblong asserted that past governors of Imo State disappeared from the leadership radar of the State, with nothing left for posterity to remember them with, particularly in the area of growing and grooming mentees.
Making an alluding comparison of past Imo governors and the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State who, he averred, raised disciples who till date still hold the forte for the now president, Oblong specifically concluded that his contemporaries in Imo aren’t in any serious reckoning or contention as far raising disciples is concerned.
He robustly advanced his punchy arguments on incisive sub-heading like:
A Culture of Petty Politics
The Rise-and-Fall Cycle
Tinubu’s Contrasting Template
The Imo Paradox
The Cost of Selfish Leadership
The Way Forward
Much as it’s difficult to agree with Oblong’s controversial conclusions on Imo past governors, it’s definitely impossible not to agree with his truth about the ongoing high performance rating on Governor Uzodimma.
He wrote thus about the current Imo governor:
Nor have I included His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodinma, the current governor of Imo, because I believe there is still room to correct this anomaly within what remains of his tenure.
That was a truth based on fact, as indeed Governor Uzodimma is very visibly committed to righting all wrongs that he inherited from his predecessors, via the instrumentality of his recover, reconstruct and rehabilitate (3R) agenda for the State!.
Yet, Oblong went on to address the core crux of the leadership matter in Imo State, when he wrote under: “The Cost of Selfish Leadership” subtitle thus:
“The consequences of this failure are far-reaching. Without political continuity or institutional memory, every new administration starts from the scratch, abandoning projects, disbanding teams, and dismantling what little progress was made. Imo’s governance becomes a cycle of waste and reinvention, a state perpetually restarting, never progressing.”
That very obnoxious system of one step forward and many steps backwards, evinced in much motion and no movement in the past is precisely what Governor Uzodimma is steadfastly working hard to end in Imo State!
And by God’s grace, and with the support of the good people of Imo State, he’s succeeding!
Governor Uzodimma earnestly started work in 2020 with quintessential assemblage of his team, aides and assistants, from among the very best hands and heads in Imo State; all tried, tested, and trusted intellectuals, technocrats and professionals.
Governor Uzodimma promptly commenced essential creative destruction that necessitated costly, painstaking scraping-off wanton substandard projects and replacing them with very solid durable alternatives across the State.
And unsurprisingly, everything has kept fitting-in and producing desired results, redefining and repositioning the State for the best, since ever in her golden jubilee history.
Right now, the keel is about right succession and continuity, which incidentally Oblong envisioned as panacea to the unpleasant, worrisome ding-dong, forward and backward narratives about the beloved State.
Fortunately, Governor Uzodimma has since signposted and signalled his attitude toward the issue of succession, indicating that he’s interested about whoever will emerge as his successor-in-office.
Governor Uzodimma has on different occasions suggested that if he were asked, he would support that his successor should emerge from Owerri Zone of the State.
Governor Uzodimma has publicly suggested that he expects his successor to be a person who would continue with the good leadership and good governance practices and deliveries he has already instituted in the State.
Most recently, Governor Uzodimma has also suggested that time has come when new generation politicians should be accommodated and empowered with leadership and governance tasks, duties and responsibilities.
Decoding Governor Uzodimma’s attitude and approach at the deep structure level, it’ll be clear that he’s already setting in motion sustainable styles and systems that support Oblong’s vision for governance continuity, away from the obnoxious perennial practices of unnecessarily starting from scratch, disbanding teams, dismantling styles and systems.
Importantly, Governor Uzodimma has fixed a lot in Imo State, such that the next governor won’t have any need to start from scratch, disband teams, or dismantle the working system he’ll inherit!.
Oblong’s reference to the days of Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State and the mentees and disciples he assembled and has maintained and carried along till date is relevant and critical because of the observable and verifiable sustainable developmental results in Lagos State as consequences.
Ceteris peribus_, with the continuing right support by Imo people, Governor Uzodimma can reproduce and replicate in Imo Tinubu’s wonders in Lagos.
It’ll be such that in a shorter time than anyone can imagine now, Imo State will be a microcosm of Lagos State in many ramifications!
Governor Uzodimma is already putting the structures in place, with development-centered programmes and progress, which will grow further and farther with each successive governor and government.
Truly, with Governor Uzodimma, “a new normal is possible”, as Professor Nnamdi Obiaraeri will admonish.
God Almighty that sent Governor Uzodimma to save Imo, rescue Imo, and rebuild Imo, will be merciful enough to continue sending governors and that’ll continue producing better life for all in Imo State.
Governor Uzodimma has proved himself to be a reliable and dependable jinx-breaker; an _Ekwueme_ 1 and _Onapuruagu ihe obu n’onu_ 1 of Imo State.
By God’s grace, Governor Uzodimma’s good work will continue to speak for him loud and clear decades after he vacates office.
Just like Legendary Dee Sam Mbakwe of blessed memory is continually remember for his good work as Imo governor, so shall Governor Uzodimma be remembered by this generation and generations yet unborn.
Governor Uzodimma won’t fade into oblivion and he won’t go from power to oblivion.
Governor Uzodimma’s positive influences will remain sustainable and unshakable.
