By Eddie Onuzuruike
It was another sham interview, the archetype granted by the Sun Daily. Nothing different from the Sun splash only available on the Sun Stable. Like the previous cases, some people sell their conscience and tell blatant lies against their folks just for a mere pot of porridge. But before long, they will turn themselves in, profuse with regrets and swearing that they were deceived.
The great teacher, Jesus, foretold that these will happen by his teachings and deeds. Judas Iscariot one of the twelve took 30 pieces of silver to sell his master, so, little surprise when one self-styled comrade, known as Sam Igwe barefacedly told white lies on page 40 of Sun Daily on Wednesday, April 13, 2016.
He claims to be an Ibeku son and former secretary of an unknown association. If he had stopped at his aspersion on Sen. T. A. Orji, it would have been forgivable and understandable but like the never-do-well, he exposed himself when he credited OUK with golden years in Abia. Pure lies that never existed!
What more can we say or write that haven’t been said or written? What other evidence than those that were awash all over the print and the electronic media. These lies propagated by the Sun and other offensive allies hitherto walked tall, aided by heinous media hype until Mr. Labaran Maku came with his Good Governance Tour of 2013 where over 50 journalists, heads of NGOs and some ministerial staff involving information gurus came to Abia and told the world what they saw.
Heading the different groups were Nkechi Okemiri of NCWS, Muhammed Garba, former NUJ president, Yemi Bangbose, President of RATTAWU who marvelled at the 48 room complex of BCA. The Minister, Mr Labaran Maku laid the foundation stones of some projects, some of which he came back after few months to cut the tapes. Nkechi Okemiri of NCWS was there and had no complaints but only asked for a little step-up on hastening the removal of all glass ceilings on women which the governor harkened to by aiding the appointment of a female, Mrs. Iheukwumere as registrar of Abia State University, the first of its kind in the history of the school.
They toured Abia for 3 days and could not finish all completed and ongoing projects. Most of these places are now in use and the ones that couldn’t be completed are still ongoing, funded by the present Governor, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu as governance is a continuous process.
For those who do not know or believe hatchet writers and blatant liars like Igwe, the twin tower secretariat built by Governor T. A. Orji is in use now. The International Conference Centre, first of its kind in the South East with its 9 cascading roofs and multiple floors was first put in use in the thanksgiving service when Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was sworn in. The E-Library, first of its kind is elegantly on the junction to Abia House of Assembly, so nobody can deny it as all the legislators of APGA and PDP drive past it on their way to sittings or is it the renovated Abia House of Assembly Complex where they carry out deliberations and their ultra-modern constituency offices right there at the Assembly Complex?
The Good Governance Tour spent elaborate time at Amachara Specialist Hospital with the new blocks and new departments. The 100 bed hospitals erected in 9 LGAs had a tip of the iceberg in Amachara complemented by residence for medical interns, Chest Centre and a proposed research centre for Ebola and Malaria. This is a small unit of Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre equipped with dialysis machines, MRI, ophthalmological equipment and 21st century x-ray machines.
Chances are that the so-called Igwe doesn’t live in Umuahia and may not have held the post he claimed. If he is, then he will pay the price for such calumny when youths and his mates will ask him to substantiate his claims of golden days for a man who never achieved anything but involved seriously in deceit and mendacious claims of white elephant projects.
In Ohafia Barracks located along Ohafia Arochukwu Road, Sen. Orji while governor complemented the Federal Government’s efforts to resuscitate a barracks abandoned for over 20 years. He paved their parade ground, built a helipad at Isuikwuato and donated many vehicles for their security operations
At Tom Ikoro drive, opposite the Ministry of Justice are 3 buildings specially built with military precision for the officers of the Armed forces to aid security coordination in Abia. Kidnapping which kept Abia in the news for the wrong reasons was dealt a decisive blow to the extent that other states came consulting Gov. T A Orji. Do these reflect years eaten by locust?
For smooth dispensation of justice, the judiciary was completely facelifted as the magistrate courts operating at the state the white man left them were refurbished.
Where do we stop? Is it at the Secondary and Primary Schools that were on free education for the eight years of T. A’s tenure or the Model Schools in Aba, Umuahia, Isukwato that were so beautiful that they made Universities green with envy?
In policies, the oil producing areas got ASOPADEC institutionalized, laws checkmating kidnapping like capital punishment already existent in Abia for six years is now a new policy in some States.
The state capital was made to look like one spawning a new Government House. The new High Courts in Aba and Umuahia, ASEPA, JAAC and ASUBEB houses are thrills never experienced. The Ogwumabiri Umuahia that clogged the capital city was moved to Ubani, so were the industrial and spare parts markets now in new and spacious abodes. The Aba Mega Mall which a certain former banker and former guber candidate in 2015 election refused to fund while he was a banker is now functional.
I may go on and on but for space. Igwe has taken a curse on himself for a few fist of dollars and will definitely be haunted by history and posterity.
Nature sure has a way of taking care of such cases. The man who at the expense of good governance perfected a way to cheat the people has got justice from nemesis as his efforts at electoral office has consecutively met brick walls but Governor T. A. Orji who left legacies is now soaring unstoppably. If any is in doubt why did Umunneato, 3 Local Governments that did not even benefit from the power shift come out in their numbers and colours to celebrate him on March, 28, 2016? Why the award by Ogurube Magazine and Culture who invested the award of Grand Exponent of Equity on him?
Infantile Comrade Igwe’s voice cannot come anywhere near Labaran Maku, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Garba Muhammed, Yemi Bamgbose and so many others who have investigated and pontificated.