By Ikenna ONUOHA (08038129192)
When a blunder is said to have appeared big, it means it has gotten to its chronic stage where failure and deservice to humanity is inevitable.
As a Media and Public Relations Consultant, I could sincerely affirm that no individual has ever contracted me to malign or blackmail anyone. I only write as the spirit directs. I say this to wrestle the conception of idea by individuals especially, those that called to threaten me on phone after the part one of this article alleging that, I was paid N5 million to declare war against the immediate past government.
Let it be on the record that all my articles are anchored on facts and figures, so the aggrieved can seek redress.
Nevertheless, no form of threat, intimidation and harassment can force a professional Journalist to step down a fact considered to be important for public consumption.
Meanwhile, on assumption of office as Governor of Imo State in 2011, Chief Rochas Okorocha rather than consolidating on the sterling achievements of his predecessor, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, he allowed personal interest to becloud his sense of reasoning which
necessitated most of his pitiable and outrageous blunders.
These blunders committed by Chief Okorocha on assumption included but not limited to the sack of 10, 000 job beneficiaries, disbanding of IRROMA, removal of elected local government Chairmen and their Councillors.
Others include lack of due process, demolition of markets/buildings, seizure and revocation of lands without compensation, boasting to retire political elder statesmen, payment of 70% salary instead of 100%, suspension of workers' promotion, as well as declaration of "war" on political opponents.
It could be recalled that high ovation greeted Chief Okorocha's early blunders, owing to the level of myopic and unjustifiable distrust and mass hatred against the then government of Ikedi Ohakim.
Little did we know that Imo people had sold a cat for a dog. This nasty decisions of Chief Okorocha continued to reduce the popularity of his government, and ensued a political battle between him and the real owners of the state.
A situation where an incumbent Governor sees every achievements of his predecessor as been wrongly undertaken is indeed, the major problem that has eaten dip into the fabrics of the state economy.
While Chief Okorocha sacked 10, 000 job beneficiaries out of malice with a view to blackmailing and rubbishing his predecessor, little did he know that he ended up injuring Imo people, our brothers and sisters, the downtrodden, the jobless middle class in the state.
No doubt, this decision of Chief Okorocha created another level of poverty and gnashing of teeth by Imo people who suffered under the sun and in the rain to fill employment forms including other commitment they may have undertaken to secure their jobs.
Very painful that some leaders in the state abandon popular opinion of the masses and resolve for personal benefit. This is why Imo state has remained stagnant and stiff compared with other states in Nigeria.
Yes, Ikedi Ohakim may have employed the 10,000 job seekers with or without personal benefit, but owing to the fact that the beneficiaries were or are still bonafide sons and daughters of Imo state, Chief Okorocha would have allowed them to continue having scaled through the hurdles of employment rigmarole.
It is not in doubt that a good number of the sacked 10, 000 job beneficiaries are today jobless, with little or no hope of regaining another meaningful job. What a government that was elected under a popular arrangement and unanimous assistance ended up creating poverty in the land!
It is of my sincere opinion and advice to Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha, the new Governor of Imo state to resist every gossip, inducement, advice or directive by any person no matter how highly placed to sack poor Imo youths who may have successfully secured employment either in the state Civil Service or through Local Government Service Commission during the past administrations.
Governor Ihedioha should be aware that part of the hatred that greeted Chief Okorocha's administration apart from the issue of Uche Nwosu is the sack of the 10, 000 job beneficiaries.
Ihedioha, as a man who came on a popular mandate to rebuild Imo, sacking old or newly recruited workers will show that he has come to destroy Imo rather than rebuild. Our brand new Governor stands to accept this sincere advice or not, but the interest of the state must be maintained first.
Recall that the spirit of the slain leader of the 10, 000 job beneficiaries became a voodoo that truncated every arrangement of the past administration. The lives and jobs of the people should not be used for political games.
Another biggest blunder of the past Governor, Chief Okorocha, Emeka Ihedioha should avoid was his insatiable quest to dominate in everything. In the cause of this, he surreptitiously sponsored the impeachment of his first Deputy, Sir Jude Agbaso with a trumped up allegations. This action of his, the law of karma is still at work.
As a man interested in everything, Chief Okorocha was not comfortable with anyone around him including his good friend of over twenty years, Prince Eze Madumere. Though, his purported attempt to illegally impeach him was also legally truncated by court of competent arbiter.
The same Chief Okorocha created serious disaffection amongst members of the state House of Assembly which necessitated the illegal suspension of members opposed to his administrative shenanigan and brigandage.
While Chief Okorocha's efforts to govern the state with three Deputy Governors failed, he succeeded in using three Speakers of the state Assembly during his eight years administration. This is indeed a biggest blunder any individual claiming to be a leader can commit.
While I wait for my learned readers to assimilate this without qualms, I promise to itemize in details the many blunders of Chief Okorocha as Governor in the part three of this piece.
To sum up, Governor Ihedioha should as a matter of necessity learn from the avoidable blunders of Chief Okorocha to avoid hitting the same rock his predecessor hit. He should resist every temptation to sack Imo workers who are mostly, the youths, avoid lack of due process, demolition of markets/buildings, seizure and revocation of lands without compensation, payment of salaries lower than 100%, or suspending workers' promotion for any reason.
No doubt, he will continue to retain the confidence of Imolites if he implements these, rather than creating another avoidable blunders for himself in view of his second term, since Imo people are politically wise.
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Ikenna ONUOHA is a Media and Public Relations Consultant. He is the state Publicity Secretary, Imo Concerned Citizens (ICC).
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