WHAT I FORGOT TO TELL GOVERNOR IHEDIOHA IN MY OPEN LETTER By: Sam Onwuemeodo
On Monday, May 27, 2019, I had been inspired to author an open letter to the governor-elect then, Chief Emeka Ihedioha. That was two days to his inauguration on May 29, 2019. I wrote with sobriety. I had talked about sincerity. Sincerity of purpose, if you can recall. And guess what? I had also written as the Spirit of God had offered me direction. How he took the letter or the wordings of the memo do not matter much. It is neither here nor there. But let him that has ears, hear what the Spirit of God is telling the Church of Jesus Christ.“Onye nwere nti, ya nuru ihe muo nso n’agwa nzuko nke Krist”. In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The Trinity. Ato n’ime Otu. Some would say, ato n’ime otu di ngozi. We are sailing and would soon anchor. So short a letter. That was what I had branded my epistle to the Executive Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Chief, Rt. Honourable Sir Emeka Ihedioha, OON or CON, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, former Chief Whip and so many others that cannot be all contained in this addendum or addition. But the apostles had asked Jesus after he had calmed the storm or the tempest “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him (Matthew 8:27)”. Can the wind and the sea obey you or hear your voice and be calm? I am saying something here. But I am not being mouthful. What I forgot to tell the Mbutu Mbaise born governor in my first letter to him on 27/5/19. I won’t recall all that I had written in that letter. But let me remind you of one and then, the addition. Going from the known to the unknown.
Believe ye me, Imo people do not celebrate their sitting governors. They had never done it to any of the past Military Administrators or Civilian governors who had governed the State. It is the attitude or behavioural pattern of Imo people. They have no praise on their lips or thank-you in their mouths once the person is on seat as their governor. And they cannot change because of Chief Ihedioha. I had talked about the efficacy of working to please history and posterity and not to please Imo people. You cannot please them. They are not “pleasable”. I made this point. Whatever Ihedioha is witnessing now in form of accolade is mere Campaign or lobby for Political appointment. They are just telling him, my brother or nwannaa, we dee. Anyi nokwaya o. And so on. This is the truth. Now, what I forgot to tell the governor in that letter under reference.
Of all I had written in that letter I never told Ihedioha about the Spirit of Imo Politics. There is a Spirit that is inhabited or imbedded or innate in Imo politics. And the earlier he understands this, the better for him and his supporters, both real and unreal.
Shedding blood because of Politics in the State is a consuming fire. The Spirit of Imo politics does not tolerate Political Killing(s), whether directly or indirectly. I am compelled to remind the governor of this fact because of what has begun to rear up from his side. The threats associated with him and his supporters have become itching. Very disturbing. It was during the PDP administration in the State that Imo people witnessed Political Killings and Kidnappings. And since then, those involved have continued to pay dearly for that, perhaps, unknown to some of them. I whisper this to you. And I take the floor to do so.
Even in all the military administrations in the State, nobody was killed or kidnapped not minding the opposition and criticisms against the MILADS. That of Amadi Ikwechegh and Tanko Zubairu was something else. Yet, they tolerated the whole thing, not minding that they were Soldiers.
Sam Mbakwe had a very stiff opposition and well-coordinated criticisms. Yet, he made mockery of the whole thing and there was no Political Killing or Kidnapping associated with his administration. It was the need to heighten opposition and criticisms against Mbakwe that Prof. Rowland Anyanwu, Prof. Jonathan Anyanwu and all the NPN bigshots brought Radio Nigeria, the one at Azara Egbelu today. It was an interesting scene and Imo people enjoyed that atmosphere. Today, history and posterity are on his side. Also Evans Enwerem, who was governor for less than two years. No politician associated with killing moves forward again in the State. Once a governor does that, he pays dearly for it. The person could have done that in the past even through other means including ocultic means but once the person has taken oath as the governor of Imo State, it becomes a different package.
Achike Udenwa also had turbulent opposition that, he nearly lost his second term election in 2003. He also faced tough Criticisms and gang up so much that he could not produce the Successor of his Choice. The Successor after his heart. But that regime has got an ugly side of history. The State witnessed Political Killings and Kidnappings. And it has become a very bad reference. Somewhat stigmatizing. And some of the major or key players in that regime fizzled out or got out of circulation unsung. Chief Udenwa might not have known what happened but that has become an ugly side of his administration and today people hardly remember that he was governor or minister. He also lost his bid to go to the Senate. And if Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim Contest for the governorship of the State today, Ohakim will defeat Udenwa.
Granted that Ohakim’s regime was associated with flogging of one or two people and I had always held the opinion that a beast or blood sucking governor would not have settled for the flogging option. That flogging came out of anger. And anger is not wickedness. Keep anger and wickedness, I will opt for anger. It takes a wicked soul to kill.
Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s case is interestingly exceptional. For the eight years he was governor he experienced the kind of opposition and criticisms the State had never witnessed. He took certain decisions in the exercise of Political-Will and that heightened opposition and Criticisms against him. Yet, he stomached everything without molesting anyone. It is to the glory of God that for eight years of Rochas there was no incidence of Political Killing or Kidnapping, looking at the magnitude of opposition or Criticisms against him. He tolerated all. The way he reacted to an idea brought by one of his Political appointees over the issue of his Certificate of Return made me to conclude that Rochas Okorocha has the meekness of mind. He is a human being and not an animal. Animals kill.
Governor Ihedioha, less than two months of his administration, the threats so far put together have never been witnessed in the State since its creation in 1976. And not just anyhow threats but the threats to kill. And those behind these threats know already, the impression of our people about the man in focus. There is no way he can be governor and Imo people would not criticize him. If he cannot take these criticisms, he should resign and go back to Abuja. He has more than fifty people working for him in the media including those on social media. If they are not enough to respond to these criticisms he should then engage more. And in case he does not know, some of us have become opposition leaders in our own right. And my newspaper has also become opposition newspaper. And I have told my editorial staff that any of them not ready to work in an opposition newspaper should leave and some of them have left.
One group in Mbaise calledIkoro Mbaise being Sponsored by one former Councillor, Arch Ikwu, who leaves in America and whose brother was the Chairman of PDP in Aboh Mbaise just released a video. In that video, is a threatening song against myself. They over did it. They lack wisdom. They lack knowledge. They lack understanding. They lack all. If they had known better, they would not have done that. Psalm 119:130 says “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple”. And if you look at those who sang the evil song especially the Chief Singer, they look like ghosts. (Ndi nmuo). And looking at them, you would know that these ones have chosen to worship idol. Or they are representatives of evil Spirits. They cannot go to Church to hear the word of God. They are the ones who would tell you that heaven is in this world. Ala-eze di n’uwaa. Yet, even the earthly ala-eze, they are not counted. They deserve pity. If you want to see the ancestors, watch the video. They are ghosts. Reason for their threat! Because Ihedioha is from Mbutu where I come from and he has become governor, I should therefore not live again as Sam Onwuemeodo. They were among those that made God to regret creating human beings. How could real human beings took their time to sing such song and push it out for public consumption. At times, I wonder about this whole noise about Mbaise people being wise. Let me not talk about that hate and threatening video here again. Let’s see what happens at the end of the day. We can marry it with the 2015 attack by soldiers.
Governor Ihedioha, Yes we are all from Mbutu. But for more than Seven years now Rochas Okorocha recruited me to work for him in the area of media and I have been doing that to the best of my ability and to the Glory of God. He also loves God. And that is one of the attractions. My working for him has not negatively affected my faith in God or my worship of God. Then Ihedioha should enjoy his governorship. Let his supporters also enjoy his governorship. While I also enjoy the relationship God has made available for me. In Case they do not know, they won’t do anything. They are threatening me at their own risk. I will defeat them from my bedroom. Again, let those who have ears, hear what the Spirit of God is telling the Church of Jesus Christ, while we Continue to Clap for Jesus.