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By Emmanuel Izuogu
“Power is transient.” These were the profound words of His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba Ewuare II, the revered Oba of Benin, directed at then Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State during a tense political season.
This notable statement was made during a peace meeting at the Oba’s palace on September 2, 2020, ahead of the Edo State gubernatorial election. Present at that gathering were Governor Obaseki, his deputy Philip Shaibu, and APC gubernatorial candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The monarch convened the meeting to quell escalating political violence and rising tensions.
In his royal wisdom, Oba Ewuare II urged all political actors to conduct themselves with decorum, humility, and foresight.
The monarch said: “It will be good to look beyond your office because you’re not going to be there all the time… everybody knows that it is transient. Look at how one day, when you are no longer the governor, everyone can sit and still give you respect—more respect even.”
This timeless advice resonates deeply, especially in the current political climate of Imo State, where the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Mbadiwe Emelumba, and the media team of the 3R Government, appear to be intoxicated by power and have embarked on an unwarranted campaign of vitriol and vilification against one Dr. Chima Matthew Amadi, a gubernatorial aspirant for 2027.
What is his crime? Dr. Amadi’s apparent transgression is simply this: he has dared to express alternative views on governance and development. He has proposed new ideas, questioned some policies of the present administration, and articulated a different vision for Imo State. For this, he has been met not with engagement or civil discourse, but with relentless, ad hominem attacks by state media officials and allied political actors, including a recent press conference by a group named “Greater Imo Conference.”
Let me be clear: I do not know Dr. Amadi personally, and I have never met him. However, the volume of negative attention he has attracted from government-aligned sources compelled me to conduct independent research.
What I discovered was not a political agitator, but a distinguished Nigerian scholar, philanthropist, and governance advocate with an impressive track record.
Dr. Chima Matthew Amadi is a respected scholar, entrepreneur, and transparency advocate, with a strong focus on accountability and good governance.
He recently proposed an 8-point development agenda for Imo State, focusing on industrial revival, education, health, agriculture, and economic rejuvenation.
He has made significant philanthropic contributions, among which are: ₦20 million to fund tuition for 100 students at FUTO; ₦20 million donated to support church infrastructure and outreach projects; full scholarship for the young son of a deceased man in Umusu/Olokwu, from primary school to university.
Again, through his “Mazi Goes to Market” outreach, he has also done the following philanthropic acts: distributed ₦10 million to women traders in Nkwo Orji and Nkwo Emeke markets; gave ₦1 million to a rising entrepreneur; he gave ₦200,000 for the education of an 18-year-old school dropout, ₦100,000 to an 11-year-old student and ₦600,000 to a pregnant woman, just to mention a few.
In terms of awards and recognitions, he has been conferred with the title, “Dike Oha N’ime Kristi” by the Catholic Men Organisation of Assumpta Maria Cathedral Parish and named “Imo Man of the Year” at the Nigeria Today Lecture Awards.
How could a sitting Commissioner for Information, with all his supposed erudition, fail to recognize this record of service and civic engagement? Why has he led an unwarranted campaign of character assassination, instead of constructive debate?
It appears the Honourable Commissioner may misunderstand the leadership style and political acumen of his principal, His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, a man who is neither easily intimidated nor known for deploying intimidation.
Governor Hope Uzodimma is a seasoned political actor. He was not deterred in 2003 when he first contested for the governorship under the Alliance for Democracy. Nor was he intimidated by Senator Osita Izunaso and the “Kpakpando” machinery during his senatorial pursuit. If the Governor wishes to support a successor in 2027, that is entirely within his constitutional prerogative, but surely, with his political maturity and intellect, he understands that vilifying others is not the way to achieve it.
History bears witness: no governor in Imo State has ever successfully imposed a successor on the people. Achike Udenwa tried, it failed. Ikedi Ohakim couldn’t even secure a second term and Rochas Okorocha tried, but it ended in futility.
As the Governor himself knows, 2027 is politically distant, a virtual eternity in the world of politics. The variables are countless, the permutations fluid. What remains constant is the enduring truth that power is transient.
Therefore, I make this respectful but firm appeal: let the Governor call his commissioner and media lieutenants to order. Let them desist from dragging political discourse in Imo State into the gutters of bitterness, name-calling, and character assassination. Let the battle be of ideas, not insults. Let governance be about service, not silencing dissent. Let us never forget: power is fleeting, but legacy is eternal.
•Dr. Izuogu, JD (Howard), writes from Nkwerre, Imo State
