Nosike Ogbuenyi
9 July 2009
Lagos — Mr Okey Chikwendu, a governorship aspirant in Anambra State sounds very realistic about the problems of his state and his action plan for solving them. According to him, the thrust of his agenda revolves round deploying his experience in business and community leadership to evolve a productive synergy between the elites, industrialists, technocrats, youths, businessmen and women in the state to catalyze its rapid socio-economic transformation.
Chikwendu says it is ironic that despite the array of statesmen and politicians produced by the state, one of the biggest problems confronting it is the leadership question. He cited the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Nwafor Orizu and Dr. Chuba Okadigbo of blessed memory as shinning examples of politicians from the state whose political philosophies and antecedents transcended frontiers. He says, "With an intimidating line-up of contemporary politicians and technocrats like Dim Emeka Ojukwu, Prof Chinua Achebe and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, it confounds yet discernible minds that stable and progressive leadership still elude the state. For a state that has a plethora of burning socio-economic and political issues to contend with like severe ecological disasters, lack of infrastructure and amenities, poor security and lack of a clear-cut people-oriented political agenda, indeed it is a worrying situation".
According to the aspirant, the quest for purposeful leadership is the inner force that fires his vision and zeal for positive transformation of the state.
He thus sees next year's gubernatorial election in the state as a unique another opportunity for Anambrarians to redress the leadership challenges facing their state by electing an inspired and sincere person to lead them and chart the way forward. Reawakening the dreams of its founding fathers and restoring a new political order to stabilize the polity and entrench growth and development will no doubt form the basis of campaign slogans across the state. And for Chikwendu, the real issues must be tackled by the contenders frontally to enable the people choose wisely.
To Chikwendu, what Anambra needs is a sincere and stable leadership dedicated to its cause, which he says is a panacea for reviving the state's dwindling fortunes and restoring hope for the common man. He believes that though the former Governor Chris Ngige and the incumbent Governor Peter Obi have indeed revived the political consciousness of the state, but Anambra needs a dynamic and resourceful leadership free of "godfatherism, gansterism or kingmakership".
Spurred by the desperate need for a new and positive leadership culture in the state, Chikwendu's political slogan of "New Breed New Breath" is generating hope and optimism across the state as indigenes prepare for a paradigm generational shift to usher a new era that will see them realizing their socio-economic and political dreams.
The Chief Executive Officer of Integrated Aluminium Property Development Ltd and co-founder of Integrated Aluminium Company Ltd strongly advocates a productive leadership whose allegiance is to the good people of the state and would be abreast of national and global developments. He also craves a new leadership order that would be transparent, inspiring and able to draw the confidence of the people at all times. The community leader also hopes that the new leadership would be a detour from the retrogressive cascades of the seeming mediocrity, petty politicking, insensitivity and clannishness that have unwholesomely characterized the leadership of the state in recent times.
The Nnewi North-born and Anambra South senatorial zone politician says he would normalize the political situation in the state so that the people can duly have their share of the dividends of democracy. Identifying lack of peace and unity amongst Anambra people caused by bickering and self centeredness of politicians and leaders in the state, Chikwendu is worried that such vexed issues have adversely affected the prospects of the state charting a way forward.
According to him, unity amongst the people is non-negotiable for the progress and development of the state. He believes that people without unity inevitably experience recurring socio-political degradation and adversities. He therefore advocates several reforms, which if introduced in the state will contribute immensely in boosting the moral of the state to another level. For instance, he critically appraises the health sector and feels that there should be some concessions like free health care for citizens above 60 years in the state. He regrets that there has been a decline in this direction where the wards and children of the aged no more take care of them, but remain abroad. Chikwendu strongly believes that such innovation should be an integral complement of an effective primary health care.
Considering the peculiar socio-economic activities in the state where commercial ventures are notable, Chikwendu feels a radical revamp of the education system in the state would be an advantage. He therefore proposes weekend and evening tutorials for traders and businessmen alike. Youth training programmes are also necessary during long vacations to keep students gainfully occupied while they train and acquire skills.
He says that given the mandate to preside over the state, he would introduce a sustained and reasonable bursary scheme for tertiary school students and ensure that within the first 24 months of his administration, all students in tertiary institutions would have decent hostel accommodation on campus. He believes that such development would ginger the students in their educational pursuits since such environment is more acceptable than the off-campus system currently run in the state. He also proposes to build technical schools in strategic towns like Awka, Nnewi, Onitsha and Aguata as well as womens' skills acquisition and development centres in each local government area to teach the women sewing, baking, IT and other vocations.
Apart from developing the infrastructural base of the state by re-modelling key towns like Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi, he laments the spate of kidnapping and robbery activities in the state. The urbane politician traced the upsurge in criminal activities in the state to disillusionment by the youth and mass unemployment, saying that the paramount obligation and interest of any responsible government is to provide health, safety, security and social welfare for the citizenry. Such government he opines should see senior citizens as assets to the society while the youths should be encouraged and seen as investments since they are the leaders of tomorrow.
Chikwendu also frowns at the devastating effects of erosion in the state especially in Agulu, Nanka, Aguata and Nnewi. He says the federal government should do more to tackle the state's ecological problems. He therefore enjoins the federal government to see Anambra's erosion menace as one that needs urgent attention to stop further loss of lives and property in the state.
With such passionate vision and desire for change in the state, Chikwendu who is the 2007 Youth Ambassador for Peace from Universal Peace Federation and Youth Federation for World Peace has indeed raised the political leadership stakes in the state. Therefore, he urges the youths and the elders in the state to support his campaign to reclaim the state from the stranglehold of some politicians who see governance and political leadership as a business than service to the people.
The son of an acclaimed university engineering lecturer and scientist, no doubt the politician flaunts the pedigree and antecedent needed to salvage the floundering fortunes of the eastern state. With his mission statement unveiling a passionate progressive agenda and manifesto, he has indeed amplified the persistent cry by Anambra people to make a detour from diversionary politics to play one without bitterness and rancour. Perhaps it may not be long before the state levels up again by having a new breath in its political space.
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