Eagle_Eye_Reports

PETER OBI: HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN? II

It was the anointed one, David who cried out in despair ‘how are the mighty fallen?’ The occasion was inauspicious. It was a period of crisis. It was a period of transition. The Chinese have a curse, ‘may you live in the period of transition’. Those were terrible times indeed. For the people of Israel, it was a trying time. Leadership was a desideratum. It was desperately needed. It was hopelessly lacking. Ditto to Anambra State. Israel was in crisis. There were urgent issues of national importance. Israel was under serious threat by her belligerent neighbours. They were closing in on Israel from all flanks. Palestine of those days was a dog-eat-dog subcontinent. Saul had been chosen for the task of nation buildings. He did not vie for that seat. He was thrown up by circumstances. In him was entrusted, the collective desire of the Israelis for leadership. He indeed, was a great beneficiary of the historical circumstance. The people needed leadership. They were under threat of annihilation as a people. They needed to survive. Hence the need for effective leadership. Historical determinants inexorably at work, the lot fell on Saul.

But how did Saul see his mission?

As events would later show, Saul had priorities different from those of the generality of the Israelis. While the people were yearning for the building up of the Israeli nation, Saul was fixated upon building up his own dynasty. So while Israel weakened and crumbled, Saul wined and dined. His annoyances were of different make. He had his mind on a different worry: David! While other nations were busy pursuing progress, Saul was busier pursuing David. It was a passion, a compulsive pursuit and a fixation. David must be destroyed at all costs. While the business of governing the Israeli State, suffered, Saul was busy pursuing David. With time things came to a head. Israel was encompassed, the men were massively slaughtered, Saul and his sons were fallen, they lay among the slain! In despair, the holy prophet cried, ‘how are the mighty fallen?

Peter Obi: how are the mighty fallen?

This article is not about Israel but about Anambra State. Like Israel of old, Anambra State badly needed leadership. Unfortunately, like Israel of old, leadership remained a desideratum. It is still as elusive as the time of Mbadinuju. Like King Saul, historical circumstances threw up His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi (Okwute Ndigbo). In 2003, the Igbo nation was under threat. It was under a serious threat of political annihilation in the contraption known as Nigeria. Dr. Alex Ekwueme had been roundly humiliated by the People’s Democratic Party. The All Nigerian People’s Party had pulled a fast one on the trio of Late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Dr. Nwodo and Owelle Rochas Okorocha. The ANPP had promised the hoodwinked trio that the party’s presidential flag was for Ndigbo whereas the Hausa/Fulani that dominated the party had a sinister game plan. Ndigbo were justifiably disappointed, hence the resolve of Oha na Eze Ndigbo to rally behind a truly Igbo party. In Anambra, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju’s bad dance steps were more than itching the eyes. The people had not only rejected him but also, the PDP which at that time came to be seen as the symbol of federal oppression. Like, the Israelis, Ndi Anambra needed leadership. And the lot fell on Peter Obi. Like Saul, he was unknown. History chose him. On him, Ndi Anambra entrusted their famished hope for meaningful leadership.

But is the thinking of His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi (Okwute Ndigbo) identical with the thinking of Ndi Anambra on this leadership project? How did His Excellency, see his priorities in Anambra State? His campaign was indeed lively. It was spiced with uhurumatic promises. In periods of crises, messianic messages are always a soft sell. His were a litany of promises that would make the inhabitants of heaven green with envy. He was so different. He was so holy. He had to be so because he was so religious. He never finished a paragraph without signing it off with the pious invocation of God. After all, he had sworn severally with the name of God and on the head of his children.

But on regaining his sacred mandate after a protracted legal battle, Peter Obi’s attention was certainly more on Fidelity Bank than on the infrastructures of Anambra State. If indeed, he placed his priorities on Anambra State, we saw the effect more on the bank than on the affairs of the state. His was a brand new way of governance. There must be an acronym for everything. Everything had to be planned. Even the planning itself had to be planned. A task as simple as taking a cup of tea needed a five year planning! While it took President Obama days to start announcing his ministers, it took our ably planned governor months to start naming his commissioners. We waited and waited in vain. Plans were tumbling upon plans. There was the base map, the mega city plan, the millennium development goals and later ANIDS. While all these plans were tumbling on each other, the federal government did not hold Anambra State’s allocation on trust, pending when our able governor will be through with his plans which would obviously take the better part of four years to leave the drawing board. Nay, our allocations were profitably lying fallow in the vaults of Fidelity Bank! Fundamentals of civilized societies such as job creation, provision of portable water , effective health care system, good access roads, cheap and quality education etc that make life worth living had to take the back burner.

Like King Saul, our Governor was busy building his economic dynasty. When Fidelity, Bank was about selling her shares, His Excellency embarked on a massive enlightenment drive on purchase of shares. State sponsored posters littered every nook and cranny of the state, ostensibly for the interest of the citizens. Now that the public offer is over, the hapless masses are reaping their returns! As in the disenchanted Israel of old, when the spirit of the disenchanted Ndi Anambra like the Anointing Spirit of old fell on the NgigeDavid of Anambra State; like King Saul of old, our governor lost focus. Now Ngige has become the issue. That massive development is going on in neighbouring Enugu State, and in not Anambra State is not a source of concern to His Excellency. That Lagos State governor who never had years of planning is fast turning Lagos into a mega city is not an issue with our governor. What has become of the mega city beautifully advertised on a billboard beside Parktonian Hotel, Awka far back in 2006 in the heat of the impeachment saga? Has the vision disappeared together with the ill fated impeachment program? Unfortunately, in place of that inspiring billboard is another celebrating the clearing of a blocked gutter!

What has happened to His Excellency’s campaign promises?

I will fight crime with employment. Yet, the only period the embargo on employment was lifted in Anambra State was during the brief three months reign of Dame Virgy Etiaba. I will build an industry every 100 days. Now, there are so many industries in Anambra State that aero planes can no longer fly across the air space of Anambra State because industries have been built even in the air! I will resign any day there is a strike in Anambra State. When last did a doctor go to work in Anambra State? I will bring back my two children to study in Anambra State. Now Anambra State University has been so marvellously transformed that not only His Excellency’s kids but all Africans in Diaspora are rushing to Anambra State for this fantastic education. In fact, the recent outrageous increment in the school fees (of course with funny names) are paid, not with naira and kobo but with pieces of paper! May I be cursed any day I touch Anambra State money. Well, only the gods handle the department of curses, for we know now that our money is being touched. Perhaps, with hand gloves! After all contractors are only bringing it with their hands in plastic gloves. When Her Excellency, dipped her gracious fingers and frittered away 1.7 billion or 12 million naira (depending on who is talking) on second term cruise around the state without being an appointee of Anambra State government nor the money being provided for anywhere in the Anambra State budget, it was neither stealing nor misappropriation, there was nothing wrong. After all, she wore a pair of hand gloves while spending the money!

While the roads built by the immediate past administration in Anambra State are still very sound and glistering the few roads constructed by His Excellency, Mr Peter Obi (Okwute Ndigbo)are already crumbling, and in fact, some are being rebuilt! Of course, they were built of such a quality, as would enable the contractors to bring our do-gooder governor fat offerings which he is collecting on behalf of Anambra State! Of course, companies like Julius Berger can never be found in Anambra State, because being Germans, they are notoriously deficient in the art of giving offerings! Is anyone still surprised at why the roads built by the Peter Obi administration are of such a paltry quality?

Like Saul, Peter Obi has frittered away Anambra State. As Saul suffered Davidmania, Obi now suffers Ngigemania. How have things come to this sorry state? So, the governor who swore repeatedly on the fifteen decades of the holy rosary never to touch Anambra money, now publicly admits that he collects kickbacks! What a fall from holiness. Are the mighty so fallen? Peter Obi has a series of businesses at Apapa, Lagos State, will he collect kickbacks from any of his managers?

What a fallen hope. When Obi emerged, we thought that a philosopher king has come to government. He was free of the stench of the Mbadinuju misgovernment. He was free of the intra party bickering that Ngige struggled with throughout his tenure. Like Saul, he had the complete support of his people. And like Saul, he has squandered the goodwill of his people. How are the mighty so lowly fallen?

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