By Kennedy Eweama
No doubt, focused and veritable opposition is an essential ingredient of any fledging, and ideal democracy. In other words, any democracy without constructive opposition or criticism, can easily derail. Credible opposition and constructive criticism are therefore, the sine qua non for a true government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
I deliberately chose to elucidate on these basic tenets of democracy in order to underscore the importance of criticizing to correct, and not to destroy, as is the case in my dear State, Imo today . It is unfortunate that political party loyalty and in most cases, self inflicted myopia, have tended to brain wash, and blind fold many who tout themselves as critics, and opposition elements.
These category of persons , as a result, do not know when to draw the line between reality and fantasy, recklessness and empiricism, truth and falsehood, as well as constructive criticism and pernicious criticism. They behave like the proverbial prodigal son, whom late literary icon, Chinua Achebe referred to as “always pointing at his father’s house with the left hand”.
What I am driving at is a subtle call for some self anointed arm chair critics, and those still bitter that there is a change of baton in Imo, to slow down. That Senator Hope Uzodinma is today, the governor of Imo State, has come to be, willy-nilly. Nobody can reverse this no matter how bitter those still lamenting may choose to wail.
To me, it is time to move on. Some of us didn’t support Senator Uzodinma during the elections for variously reasons, but definitely not because he wasn’t qualified or can’t rule well if given the mantle or that he is a clannish leader. On the contrary, Senator Uzodinma, whom everybody knows, and can equally attest, is liberal minded, tolerant, accommodating, vibrant, persuasive, and above all, a power broker.
Yes, Senator Uzodinma is a power broker. Power is taken, and not given, even in the United States of America and other developed democracies . No apologies for that. Election anywhere in the world, is “survival of the fittest”, and not for the weakling.
Some of us in the media, particularly those from Owerri geopolitical zone, were swayed due to zonal irredentist sentiments and ideologies , that the zone was short changed in the leadership of the State. We therefore, played our parts selflessly, and conscientiously too, for equity to prevail. Unfortunately, “onye anaetiri aki, enweghi eze oji ata ya”
However, all that is now history. Must we dwell in hopeless lamentation when God, in His infinite wisdom, has chosen someone else in the person of Senator Uzodinma to lead Imo at this auspicious period? Are we now questioning God’s wisdom and judgment just because someone’s desperation to rule Imo at all costs, have been divinely foiled? Imo’s socioeconomic and political interests are greater than anybody’s inordinate, and shenanigan interests.
I would rather advice that the governor be supported with constructive criticism. He needs it to move Imo to the next level. So far, he is doing well despite pockets of induced distractions here and there. It should be noted that those orchestrating these skirmishes are doing harm to Imo people, and not to the governor. They are the real enemies of the people hiding behind the facade. We mustn’t forget that no hunger can ever reduce the status of a cow to that of a goat. I hope I am not sounding far flung or ambiguous?
Imo belongs to all of us. “Mmanu akara di kwanu uto, onye ratu, Ibe ya aratu kwanu.” Is it too much to ask?
Time to appraise Senator Uzodinma’s score card shall come. It’s not now at all. Doing so at this embryonic life of his administration, tantamount to “placing the cart before the horse”, a pure hocus-pocus act, in fact, a hokum.
Critics should exercise restrain when throwing their diatribes indiscriminately. Constructive criticism is ideal, and makes sense. There is no point always talking and shouting like the Pharisees in the Holy Bible, and ending up exhibiting symptoms of mental hysteria or dislocation.
As I said earlier, Imo belongs to all of us. Let’s give our governor, the desired support, and cooperation he needs irrespective of our different party inclinations for the Holy Bible admonishes us to “support those in authority for God put them there.”
Willfully attacking the governor and his government for jiggery-pokery reasons is balderdash and atavistic. Imo people are now wiser.
The time to RETHINK is NOW.
*Kennedy Eweama, a Journalist and public affairs analyst writes from Owerri
