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James Udemba
Sometime ago, the Editor of Daily Sun, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, wrote prophetically that there is always the hand of God in Imo politics. He went bank memory lane to substantiate his prophetic declaration, recalling how, in spite of all odds, Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim emerged governors of Imo State in 1999 and 2007 respectively. He also mentioned the emergence of out-going Governor Rochas Okorocha in 2011, also against all permutations. In both instances, Udenwa, Ohakim and Okorocha were dark horses in the governorship races, yet they emerged triumphant as governors. That was a clear sign of the hand of God in those elections.
The just concluded Imo governorship election resonates this prophetic insight of the hand of God in the affairs of the state. Political seers concentrated more on the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hope Uzodinma, whose party is the ruling party both in Imo State and the centre, candidate Uche Nwosu as a state government sponsored candidate, as likely winners of the governorship election. Not many tipped Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a win. But again, typical of Imo politics, the hand of God manifested and Ihedioha won. And the more you analyse his victory, the more you see the hand of God everywhere and the more you will come to the conclusion that those fighting that victory may be fighting a Divine Mandate.
I don’t know how deeply religious the Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, is, but no matter what he professes, he should know by now that God actually ordained his election and used humans as vessels to accomplish his victory. Everybody thought Ihedioha would be governor in 2015. But man proposes and God disposes. He had the federal might. He was at the peak of his legislative career. He had the connections. The Imo political calculation was on his side, being from Owerri zone. It could even be said that the people voted for him. But God had His own designs. He hardened the hearts of men and they were lured by the filthy lucre dangled by Rochas Okorocha. They sold themselves and Ihedioha became the loser.
The first sign of the hand of God at work for Ihedioha in the 2019 election was the implosion in APC, resulting in sundry vicissitudes that engulfed the political camp of Governor Okorocha. There was a loud convulsion in the APC camp and the party was literally turned into shreds; birthing Ifeanyi Araraume’s All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Uche Nowsu’s Action Alliance (AA) and leaving its remnants for Uzodinma to inherit.
It was like God went into the ranks of APC to put confusion into them, like he did to Israelites while they tried to build the tower of babble. So APC spoke in a babble of voices and became a divided house that could not stand, while PDP under Ihedioha remained, firm and focused
To make matters worse, God hardened the heart of the governor so he became another Pharaoh. His vision became blurred when he attempted to foist his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as his successor. That led to a quaking revolt among the rank of his supporters. The APC house was then irretrievably divided against itself.
It could only be God that made it impossible for Okorocha to recognise that he was in a suicide mission as far as a cosmopolitan state like Imo was concerned. Still the governor remained obdurate. Even when the governorship ticket of APC was taken away from him, Okorocha was still adamant in the pursuit of a feudalist agenda, which would have made Imo people serfs to him. With all the state resources at his disposal and a vaulting ego, the governor believed that he would crush Ihedioha the way he did in 2015. But as he was gathering with his wise men, God set confusion in their ranks. Imagine a scenario that had Okorocha, Araraume and Hope Uzodinma working together against Ihedioha as one APC family! That would have been total tsunami, against Ihedioha. In sowing confusion among them, it became easier for Ihedioha to ride on the shoulders of God and Imo people to rout the divided gladiators. It also became a victory that was not tainted in any way with the viciousness and viscosity of the departing APC brigandage.
Yes I think God so loved Imo people that he did not want them to have anything to do with APC, either in the name APGA, AA or the remnants of APC proper, because APC had brought so much hardship to them. It is spiritually instructive to note that the major gladiators that fought Ihedioha from APC, APGA and AA in the 2019 elections where the same people who conspired in 2015 against him. Now in 2019, God put confusion among them so that they can no longer conspire against him. Still doubt the hand of God in Ihedioha’s victory?
On the part of Ihedioha, only God would have given him the strength to come out again after that serial betrayal that led to his defeat in 2015. Some people in his mould would have been downcast, despondent and dispirited. Falling from the pinnacle of power as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives would have crushed his spirit, not to talk of huge financial losses. But he remained resilient, resolute and renewed to pursue a path which he believes will lead to the liberation of Imo people from the clutches of a demented tyrant. Could he have done all by himself? Certainly not! God using the Imo spirit did it for him.
However, victory comes with both a price and the attendant prize when everything goes well. Saul lost the throne when God gave him victory, but he disobeyed the commandments, choosing instead sacrifices. David remained God’s favourite because he celebrated every victory given to him with thanksgiving, acknowledging the supremacy of the Almighty and leading the people back to God. The moment a leader turns away from the presence of God, he becomes an orphan.
This is why Ihedioha’s victory, although given by God is also a burden. People easily win the war without winning the peace. The temptation to gloat is alluring. But the true path to genuine obedience to God is through forgiveness and reconciliation. Both those who voted for Ihedioha and those who voted against him are Imo sons and daughters and residents who are now under his care. Though reactively young in age, the governor-elect, by virtue of the high office he is about to assume, is now father to all and husband to widows. He must be fair-minded. He must rule the people with the fear of God.
For Imo people, they should all come together as one family to offer their support to the new governor in the task of rebuilding the state after eight years of bad governance. It is one thing to have reclaimed the state from Okorocha, it is quite another task to ensure that never again shall the people be complacent and indifferent to happenings in government. They must be actively involved in governance by holding the governor and the state House of Assembly accountable. Men and women of goodwill should not shy away from constantly pointing out areas of deficiency while at the same time applauding the good deeds. The satanic sycophancy that derailed the out-going administration should be obliterated from the annals of Imo state. Lastly, those fighting Ihedioha’s victory should think again because they may be up against a divine mandate.
•Udemba is an Owerri-based public affairs analyst.
