by Nwamulu Amadi Zikora
Whilst Enugu State is in the Hands of God, for instance, Professor of Robotics, Prof Barthlomew Nnaji, is about to become 2023 Governor of Enugu State.
Never since the audaciously positive on-the-paper, in-the-books, Abolition of the Osu Caste System Laws of E.N. 1956 has any Governor foisted upon the leadership in Igboland, indigenes of Odenigbo extraction as has been done under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s Administration.
A reincarnation of Gowon’s Ukpabi Asika misadventure is in the offing. The rejection of Asika by ndigbo was mostly on account of Ukpabi having married a wife of Umu Odenigbo extraction. Regardless of the infrastructural successes of Onitsha’s Ajie in the aftermath of a most destructive civil war, ndigbo cast saboteurish anathema upon Administrator Asika’s essentially successful tenure.
Ikemba Nnewi once declared that ndigbo were never to be governed by Umu Odenigbo. It is not unchristian or retrogressive. No. It is just one of the often irksome aspects of our rich culture which prescribes, much like democracy insists, that, rulership cannot be in the hands of a minority of votes. Umu Amadi have always held the majority vote and cast them so.
Even Governor Chimaroke Nnamani the Nkanu Top Dog generalissimo, hoisted an Odenigbo somewhat aloft as his Adviser on Politics & Local Government Affairs. All-powerful and brash Sam Ejiofor (a pretender Prince of no listable kingdom) in all his vain glory, was, in the end, merely titular. Many of Ebeano’s subsequent attempts at partnerships with Prof Bath Nnaji collapsed because the Robotics guru saw through the cultural emptiness of repeated Umu Amadi tokenism.
The initial green light for the present threatened ascendency, was the flourish of his judge’s gavel with which Governor Ugwuanyi imposed Barrister Nkwuo of rural Umu Odenigbo Ugwuaji as the elected Chairman of the urban Enugu South Local Government Council. Also, the circumstantial impetus afforded by the pressure of Ugwuanyi’s Gubernatorial predecessors for the 2023 governorship to be microzoned to Nkanu East LGA, in Nkanu, rather than the correct rotation of power to Enugu East Senatorial Zone of 6 LGA’s, provided Prof Nnaji the facade to put a pressure group Committee hurriedly together, paying courtesy calls on prominent Political Leaders in Enugu State, to stampede and prevail upon Governor Ugwuanyi to microzone the Governorship to Nnaji’s Nkanu East Local Government Area.
Prof Barth Nnaji’s committee
Following in the famous footsteps of Chief Nwokafor Nweke the late masterfully cunning leader of Umu Odenigbo in Enugu State, it is interesting too, that a few of those targeted by the new leader Professor Nnaji in his much publicized lobbying visits, are also Umu Odenigbo, (including Omeiheukwu Akpugoeze Bedford Onwuegbu for House of Reps Greater Agwu), and a hosts of others who, in the aftermath of Nnaji’s holy pseudo cultural political mobilization tour, have also thrown their hats into the electoral contest ring, like the Enugu State defacto Umu Odenigbo Leader himself, Prof Barth Nnaji. Bath Nnaji for Governor 2023!
Pa Nwokafor Nweke
Barrister Nkwuo
In each and all of Enugu State’s three Senatorial Districts, there is an ongoing strong minority conspiracy, perhaps encouraged by the non-committal indecisive style of Governor Ifeanyi, to surreptitiously foist upon Ndigbo of Enugu State extraction, the political rulership by a vicious historically and culturally-bitter Umu Odenigbo minority, through the surreptitious acquisition of LG Chairmanship, Councillorship, State House, House of Reps, Senate and Governorship elective seats.
The price for democracy is eternal vigilance. Democracy is a one man, one vote equation. Umu Odenigbo are our beloved brothers and sisters yes, but Umu Amadi must never be apologetic for holding and casting their majority votes to fill all the seats in the hallowed halls of leadership in Igboland.
Chief Jim Nwobodo
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi must remember that ndigbo endured Ajie Ukpabi Asika because, ultimately, it was in his bedroom and kitchen alone that First Lady Chinyere Ejiogu-Asika held sway…not upon the executive oak table leaned upon by Umu Amadi sages – Owelle Azikiwe, M.I. Power, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu and our ever beloved Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo.
Uche unu di kwa ya o! (Keep this issue in mind)
Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe & Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu
Nwamulu Amadi Zikora, a commentator on socio-cultural issues, contributed this article from Mburubu, Enugu State.
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