…By Eddie Onuzurike..
Man’s journey on earth is all about activities from cradle to grave. To many, life is a routine, requiring the same actions on daily basis. Some determined few pass sleepless nights and thoughtful moments prying into nooks and crannies in search of solutions as to alter events, most of them the problematic ones. It is these few that have made changes that posterity has listed as all time greats. According to Martin Luther King Junior “a man who has nothing to die for is not fit to live.’
Leadership is not a tea party. The big question that looms larger than live for leaders is, ‘what will you be remembered for?’ This becomes more challenging for people who have been given office. The Holy Bible posits that to whom much is given, much is expected. Benjamin Franklin, an American author puts the onus on the appointed or elected when he said ‘you can give a man office but you cannot give him discretion.’
It is this discretion that has marked the turning point from one leader to the other based on what was brought to bear on humanity. Judging from the concepts of Good Governance as enunciated by United Nations and other highly placed authorities, good governance involves full respect of human rights, the rule of law, effective participation, multi-actor partnerships, political pluralism, transparent and accountable processes and institutions, an efficient and effective public sector, legitimacy, access to knowledge, information and education. It equally involves political empowerment of people, equity, sustainability, attitudes and values that foster responsibility, solidarity and tolerance.
The Abia helmsman Chief T A Orji has met both traditional and professional parameters as listed above.
Reinforcement as a principle in teaching methodology encourages performance and enhances efficiency. Reinforcement is not only a potent strategy in education but existent in Igbo culture and tradition, especially in Ikwuano/Umuahia culture where Ima Nzu is employed in commending and celebrating the high octave performance of sons and daughters. In the same vein, it energizes contemporary and subsequent followers into desired actions and achievements. It is the discretion exercised by Chief T. A. Orji that has made his emergence and governance style politically feasible and historically memorable.
This son of Amokwe Ugba in the present day Umuahia North Local Government area was born in November 1950 to the illustrious family of Chief Tom Ikoro and Daa Virgy Orji. His educational pursuit spanning from St Michael’s Primary School, Ugwu Nchara Umuahia, Santa Crux Secondary School Olokoro, Holy Ghost College Owerri and University of Ibadan is a well known journey and serially scripted chronology. His civil service experience is an eloquent testimony in perseverance and service to humanity. The subsequent and fruitful marriage to the woman of valor, Chief Mrs Odochi Orji remains a true love story with lessons and examples for all who dream for a happy home..
His unquenchable desire to provide for his people is legendary. According to the findings of Abia Inventory Committee, presently, there are over 2000 projects going on at different levels of governance in Abia. In the second tenure, there are a total of 102 roads embarked upon in all sections of the state, with some completed and others at high levels of progress, and the massive youth empowerment schemes here and there. In the capital city Umuahia, he has installed the Legacy Projects which are foundation projects that are highly indispensable to the capital status but ignored by past administrations. A few of these are the new Government House, the 5000 capacity International Conference Center which according to Hon Minister, Mr Labaran Maku rubs shoulders with the one in Abuja and now good enough to handle high profile conferences and seminars like the ones in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. The multi-storey Joint Accounts and Allocation Committee House (JAAC) whose foundation was laid by the same Minister for Information and Orientation in January 2013, is now at the roofing stage. The ASEPA and ASUBEB complexes all in the new Ogurube Layout, the multi room E-library, and the new secretariat spawning the first elevator in Umuahia. Notably, most of these are first of its kind in the history of Abia.
He has taken on issues which have daunted the spectacularly iron willed and most courageous, like banning the use of commercial motorcycles to check crime and save lives. When it is said that he has converted bushes to houses, some will wonder. What were Ogurube Layout, Ubani Modern Market, Industrial Market and Spare parts Markets if not virgin farmlands?
His masterstroke to the dare devil armed robbery and scandalous kidnappings that put banks on forced closure in Aba area which in turn kept Abia on international news for the wrong reasons are well known stories whose survival have given Abia a new security agglomeration and definition.
The awards streaming in as a result of his achievements are legendry, cascading unstoppably to the extent that we have lost counts. His use of Interventionist agencies like ASOPADEC, CSDP, ASUBEB, IFAD, ABROMA, and The Planning Commission as he pays fully the counterpart funds mandatory for attracting donor agency funds is reflective of his management ingenuity.
A few specifics will elucidate: The high ambience of peace and unity he crafted in the whole State, taking a united PDP to a landslide victory in April 2011 is still a case study. The health sector has not had it so good in Abia. The Primary Health is doubly updated to a total of 710 with over 250 built by the Ochendo administration. Presently, nine general hospitals have been built or updated with 100 beds in nine Local Governments Areas. Ambulance services are on in the 17 Local Government Areas, stemming careless deaths. In Aba, the Abia State Teaching Hospital has been remodeled with hostels, theatres, and accommodation for office and homes for House Officers. So it is with Amachara Specialist Hospital, greatly face-lifted to suit the accreditation policies of the supervising bodies for the Schools of Nursing and Medicine. Have we talked about the Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostics Centers that are the health rave of the moment with the dialysis machines, commissioned by Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu in July 2013? These are exclusive of the special salary structures, CONHES and CONMES for the health workers, TSS for teachers, and vehicles and housing for Judges and magistrates. For a man whose first policy thrust- the mass promotion of all workers to the next level which benefited his constituency the workers, tell so much about the Governor. His harmony with labour is not surprising as he is paying the highest minimum wage in Nigeria. This stability no doubt is possible because somebody able is keeping the home front. There are the 17 skill acquisition centers in all the local governments. The T C Chairmen have been guided to embark on live-improving projects, securing Government property like fencing and maintenance of existing ones. The airport and seaport initiatives for Abia, located in Olokoro-Ikwuano-Umuode Nsulu and Ukwa respectively manifest his desire to provide the lacking and essential needs.
For all these and more, the people of Ikwuano/Umuahia made up of Oloko, Ibere, Ariam/Usaka, Oboro, Olokoro, Ubakala, Umuopara, Ibeku and Ohuhu are marching to Former Ogwumabiri Umuahia to honour the prophet in his own place and possibly urge him to vaunt higher.