Zeek-Martins Nnadozie
4 December 2008
opinion
Lagos — The cross former leaders have to bear for the rest of their lives is the often derisive dismissal of their stewardship by those who might not have benefited directly from their administration. This burden is pervasive in Nigeria where people equate the performance of a public officer to what they selfishly gained. Not for public good. And certainly no appreciation of the sacrifices of the leader who strove to fast track the infrastructural and human development of the citizenry. That is why you often hear of people saying "what did he do for us in eight years?' "It has been a wasted period in our state".
While former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa has his fair share of critics particularly from bitter rivals in Orlu senatorial zone where he hails from, there is no disputation regarding the worthy legacies he left in his eight year tenure. The summation of his tenure is a man who governed under a peaceful atmosphere that engendered monumental development in the state.
Most times people are wont to ignore the most intangible things which absence can precipitate a catastrophic consequence. Such things as peace which is a rare commodity but nevertheless taken for granted creates a conducive atmosphere for development and progress to subsist. It is only a man who has been subjected to the trauma of crisis that will appreciate the golden value of peace. Between 1999 and 2007 when Udenwa was in charge of Imo state, the people experienced peace that took flight in neigbouring states. It is on record that Imo state within that period did not witness any politically motivated killings. That was in contrast to what obtained in neighbouring states which were theaters of war. It was not because the conditions which gave rise to those conflicts in some states were absent in Imo state, but the political sagacity and savvy of Udenwa saved Imo state from the trauma and won the accolade of the most peaceful state in the federation. It is gratifying that Governor Ikedi Ohakim is sustaining that legacy.
As canvassed earlier, because peace is a precursor to development, Udenwa overcame the distraction of political schisms and concentrated effort on purposeful and focused governance. But he also acknowledged the fact that those whose resources were oiling the wheels of government deserved to be accommodated in developmental process. Hence he established the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Commission (ISOPADEC) to cater for the welfare of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas which endowments conferred on Imo the status of oil producing state. It is instructive that years after Udenwa established the commission with full funding, neighbouring states are still on the drawing board. It is also heartwarming that Ohakim has since strengthened the capacity of ISOPADEC to perform.
In 2004, shortly after his reelection, Udenwa came up with his tripod programme of Agriculture, Industrialization and re-orientation. It was under this programme that the moribund Standard Shoe Industry with the capacity to employ hundreds of youths was revived. But the significant impact of the programme is the re-orientation revolution which emphasized attitudinal change not only in service delivery but on the ordinary citizen. The establishment of Imo State Orientation Agency (ISOA) with Sir Angus Ogukie as Director- General paid off as the activities of government were promptly relayed to the rural people. The feedback mechanism ensured that government was apprised of the developmental needs of each community. Staffs of the agency are everywhere in Owerri and other major towns, maintaining discipline and controlling traffic. Again it is to the credit of Ohakim that he retained the agency.
Before the coming of Udenwa, development at New Owerri, created by late Sam Mbakwe to decongest the city was at zero level. But after eight years, development has since shifted to the area now known as the Abuja of Imo state. Aside from building a multi-million naira state secretariat consisting of 10 - two storey buildings, Udenwa established the Nekede Exclusive Garden, which measures up to Asokoro in Abuja. The old city of Owerri is now breathing again because it took the vision of Udenwa to develop the new Owerri. When President Yar'Adua visited early in the year, he laid the foundation of a new Government House in New Owerri, an appreciation by the incumbent governor that his predecessor was right in opening up the area for development.
To those who never saw any good in the administration, a sober reflection after Udenwa left office has now convinced them that the former governor not only meant well for the state but went out of his way to ensure that long after he would have left office, Imo people would still think of him in a positive manner.
Interestingly, the communities which benefited from his rural water and electricity projects, especially those who hitherto trekked long distances in search of water, remember Udenwa as a compassionate and caring leader. The network of roads which he constructed throughout the entire state still endures and stand as testimonial to his performance while in office. His ambitious healthcare programme which metamorphosed to the building of Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu and the renovation and equipping of general hospitals in all the local governments.
On education, Udenwa not only revived Imo State University by increasing its monthly subvention, he asphalted all the roads criss-crossing the university as well as erected many buildings to ease their accommodation problem. The accreditation of courses also took center stage such that now almost all of them have been given the nod by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The aggregate effect is that Imo State University was voted the best state university by the NUC. The face-lift given to secondary and primary schools within the eight years confirmed that Udenwa recognized that education occupies a premium place in the affairs of Imo people.
Beyond all these physical developments, however, Udenwa manifested selfless leadership as a man of character and integrity. His politics of accommodation moulded along the line of politics without bitterness of late Waziri Ibrahim saw him conceding a lot to the opposition.
As a consummate democrat, he was also fanatical over the concept of separation of powers. Because he did not meddle in the affairs of the State House of Assembly, the members were free to effect leadership change whenever they pleased. Again in spite of the provocative activities of the Abuja Group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Udenwa remained calm and indeed went out of his way to court their friendship. That some of them fell by the wayside was because they never accorded Udenwa the respect as the leader of PDP in Imo state.
It is also instructive that apart from pathological ingrates, those who served under the administration of Udenwa can testify that the man was good to them. He provided them free hand to run their ministries and departments in line with the policy thrust of the government. They were legitimately empowered and treated with a lot of respect. There is no doubt that majoarity of them miss him as the governor and that is why his Amaifeke residence remains a Mecca of some sort to Imo politicians.
Therefore it will be mischievous and gross injustice to the person of Udenwa for any charlatan to even insinuate that the former governor did not perform while in office. Indeed as could be acknowledged by the majority of Imo people, there is no way that the history of the state will be written that Udenwa will not occupy a conspicuous space. He was a man that was given 10 talents and he doubled it. That is why Udenwa deserves to be given additional responsibility in Nigeria.
Nnadozie wrote from Owerri
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