The concept of Nigeria envisaged by man include having a nation where citizens have this right to live in any part and make it home. A citizen irrespective of where he hails by tribe can migrate to another zone, be employed in the civil service and have a career without discrimination or harassment of any kind. He has right to do a business of his choice unhindered.
This is the dream that it is gaining currency yet it is not an entirely new dream or concept, just that like every good legacy we inherited, which we have destroyed, Nigerians before and shortly after independence lived, worked or carried out business together. In the Igbo areas for instance, one found Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, Birom, Igala, Ibibio and Yoruba living together in very remote locations, working together in the civil service or doing businesses together, without problems.
The North excelled in this arrangement because it offered Nigerians far greater opportunities. The Civil War broke the chain, forcing everyone to bid a retreat to native enclaves. From that point the pull on social relations has been intense. But some young Nigerians are by their acts proving that things can get better again. Stanley Emegha is one of such. He is Igbo, young and enterprising. He has chosen to make Abia State home sweet home even though he is from Ebonyi State.
He grew up in Abia and was very deep into Abia politics. Few years ago, Ebonyi State recalled him, to put his experience to work for the benefit of his people. He answered the call and is doing very well. He has been a Commissioner and today is the state Chairman of All Progressives Congress in the state. I asked him: “APC is not popular in Southeast, can David Umahi successfully get his successor elected into the governorship position next year.” Emegha didn’t waste time with his reply: “Hovernor Umahi left People’s Democratic Party for APC with the soul of his former party. There is no PDP in Ebonyi again.”
I reminded him that political giants like Sam Egwu, former governor of the state and long standing senator and former Senate President and Secretary to Federal Government, Senator Pius Anyim, were still there in the game. He replied, “Yes they are there but not with enough political goodwill to upstage Governor David Umahi. The people know Umahi has worked for them inspite of the fact that the state is one of the bottom three on the revenue allocation ladder. The people would have wished the governor stay on in office to continue the transformation task he took with vigour but they know he is constitutionally barred from doing so, so electing his preferred successor is their parting gift for him, so that the fire he has ignited can be sustained,” Mr Emegha told me. I told him they are city wonders. He disagreed and said anyone who cares to find out what Umahi has been doing can visit the state, and pass through any local government of his choice. Such a visitor will see clear signs of modern development which are the outcome of vision and deliberate planning.”
I touched his inner man when I said that Governor Umahi in many of his public outbursts doesn’t reflect his Igbo heritage. Ndigbo should be more concerned about his actions, which the other governors has done more to project and protect the interest of Ndigbo. Emegha countered and said that his governor suggested dialogue with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), requested that they be profiled and paid monthly salaries. He led other states to accept formation of Ebube Agu security outfit for the entire zone with central command. None of the governors contributed money as agreed, so Umahi went ahead to constitute the one for Ebonyi State and the outfit is doing very well, stating that it has helped to give Ebonyi people peace and security.
I told him there were reports of deploying them against political opponents. Again, he said no such thing happened, adding that doing so will destroy the concept and introduce far greater insecurity, stressing that it is purely dedicated to fighting criminals. He noted that the void created by the formal security system is being professionally filled by Ebube Agu boys. He revealed that Governor Umahi does not have a closed mindset, adding, “he doesn’t restrict government benefits to only members of our party, if you have served at some level in Ebonyi State and anything is due you, the governor will direct the appropriate department to send it to you.”
He said the governor has the policy of ensuring former officials live well. He said a lot of signature projects were commissioned when President Buhari visited the state few months ago and more of such would be commissioned before the elections. The projects include the airport and Olympic standard stadium. “My governor is thinking more about projects than elections, because when the people are convinced their leader has given his best, they will vote for his party without much appeal. Nigeria needs Umahi”, Emegha rubbed in.
In some sense Emegha may not be wrong at all. Umahi has, development-wise, done a lot to merit decent mention and attention in places above the state level. No matter what anyone may have against him, the truth is that Dave Umahi is one of the poster boys of the current democratic dispensation. Some us can say he is a confirmation that we can within a short time pull our country from her current status as a fifth world country to a first world nation if we have leaders who have vision and are ready to give all to plant excellent service.
Until eight years ago, Ebonyi was hardly a destination. It was only mentioned for negative things, but today the narrative has changed dramatically for good. Abakiliki, hitherto a very backward state capital, is today one of the best. The roads are among the best anyone can find anywhere. The airport is almost completed. The food sector is formalized and thriving; their contributions to rice and yam production are pointers to the direction the country needs to go. Production, and not consumption, is what builds a people and makes them strong and respected. Ebonyi under Governor Umahi is pushing the philosophy with vigour that requires special attention with a view to getting would be leaders to go over and take lessons in classic development.
Sharing views with my intellectual friends recently, I said if our leaders understand and appreciate the level of underdelopment plaguing us and they are truly committed to changing things as they say in the open, then some persons must be seen in the next government at the centre. Those I have in mind include Donald Duke, David Umahi, Nyesom Wike, Peter Obi. If he wins it would be great, then Pat Utomi and Femi Falana, just to mention a few. What the situation requires is a collegiate government, bringing on board men and women who we already know have clear vision and capacity to restructure the country, recreate institutions and make us a productive, reward giving country.
Running on the same trajectory, we have seen all these times is to invite Amaggedom faster than would have been the case. There is really nothing to share again. Oil that has been our main stay would soon be out of vogue as many countries have initiated the era of alternative energy sourcing. Already electric cars are being produced. Just a few of months such cars will be common place. If we are a country with leaders who can anticipate, it would be very clear by now to them that except we buckle up quickly, far bigger danger looms, more so with a growing population without a corresponding space and opportunities for their upkeep.
The plight of young men and women doing everything to escape our shores, and the indignity that follows will be halted and eventually reversed if we have leaders like Umahi, who will rebuild our cities and rural areas to make them feel very habitable, in great comfort. Leaders who can extend the frontiers of development by taking us into the production stage where all a citizen needs to live very well is ability and readiness take up rewarding work and services. It is not a difficult task where there is a will. I guess that was the point Stanley Emegha tried to get me to understand.