By Reuben Onyishi
(Ugoachataberu)
One of the attributes of good leadership is wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to solve a problem without creating another problem in the process. A good leader is one endowed with vision. He understands that no leadership is without challenges and so envisages challenges and strategically assigns solutions to them.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is called into the leadership of men. From his antecedents, even before he was elected the governor of Enugu State, it is clear he builds out from quality leadership and interpersonal skills. He whom God calls, He equips. It even begins from his mien and countenance, body language and poise, even in the face of serious challenges. Ugwuanyi exudes this natural ambience of peace and equanimity, even at situations of the troubled and murky waters.
King Solomon asked God for wisdom that he might be able to lead God’s people so great, seeing he was only but a child. God was surprised he did not ask for riches and did not only give him wisdom but also riches. Governor Ugwuanyi might have in secret asked the Almighty for wisdom, for no one would be able to handle knotty issues with so much dexterity, good presence of mind and ease as he does whose wisdom is not from above.
At present, the polity has been being heated up in Enugu State on account of who would succeed Governor Ugwuanyi as he rounds off his tenure in 2023. Ugwuanyi is constitutionally barred for third tenure; otherwise, the people of Enugu State would ask him to continue with his exceptionally excellent governance of the state. As a matter of fact, the heating up of the polity and the raging war on social media are uncalled for, in that there is a laid-down peaceful pattern of transition of the governorship seat in the state and this has made for equity, fairness and justice. Ugwuanyi, being a man of peace, is naturally disposed to maintain the tradition. However, some desperate politicians would not give peace a chance as they inordinately wish to be governor by hook or crook. They are the ones stoking the political fire unnecessarily.
His Excellency had once said he would hand over to a governor of Enugu East extraction. The governorship seat rotates among the three senatorial zones that constitutionally make up Enugu State: Enugu East, Enugu West and Enugu North. The rotation had in 1999 begun with Enugu East, when Chimaroke Nnamani was elected the governor of the State. Chimaroke after two tenures of 8 years handed over to Sullivan Chime from Enugu West who, after his own two tenures of 8 years, handed over to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu North. So it is natural that the pendulum return to the fulcrum from where it had begun.
But some political jobbers would stir the conundrum of vaulting ambition with their carcaphonous noises of who is coming and who would not come. Some claim they are under pressure to contest and there is yet some fellow who would arrange with some misguided lawyers to bray for them like an ass and even pretend they would buy form for him to contest the governorship. Social media platforms are set agog with daily diatribes and campaigns of calumny meant to run down perceived opponents. Some of the recruited media warlords would stop at nothing to castigate the administration of the governor and perhaps by so doing creat the impression that zoning is no longer effective as it would not give out the best as though their paymaster was the best, or the eagle they ascribe to him, yet his eagle would leave the presidential tip for the governorship low when eagles are supposed to soar higher.
A lot of brickbats and underhand scheming and realignments are ongoing presently in the state. Some politicians have come up with weird proposals turning arguments upside down and I am sure His Excellency would smile and wonder whether men still eat through the mouth or the nose. Some weave unknown narratives in a subtle way of paving the way for the cause of their candidates. Senator Utazi recently brought up the narrative of old Enugu zone and Nsukka zone and claims Enugu zone had taken their turn at the seat for 16 years whereas Nsukka shall have only gone for 8 years come 2023 and should, therefore, be given the opportunity to complete another 8 years in order to balance the equation. Some politicians accused Utazi of subtly paving the way for Ike Ekweremadu for whom they said he has been playing a man Friday for long. They claim that what Utazi is doing is egg aspirants from Nsukka to purchase forms so that Ekweremadu will also purchase form and claim that Nsukka has violated the zoning tradition which has been his albatross.
There are yet others who claim Utazi’s proposal is a subtle advancement of the Isi-Uzo question as it is perceived the proponents of main Nkanu narrative want to exclude Isi-Uzo, claiming Isi-Uzo is culturally Nsukka whereas it is in Enugu East. The Isi-Uzo question has been a major concern since Isi-Uzo has no political share from Nsukka yet it would have no share from Enugu East as though Isi-Uzo had no right to produce the governor of Enugu State.
In all this, I hear an echo of what St. Paul said, ‘We are more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens us.’ We the people of Enugu State are more than a conqueror through Governor Ugwuanyi who in his wisdom knows how to take the right decision. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled. In the midst of the raging storm drifting the ship to dangerous high waters, Ugwuanyi knows when to say, Peace! Be still’ and there would be great calmness. Some political pundits have said that those beating the drum of discord have a singular aim of weakening the governor by constantly putting him under hot pressure to the extent he would be cowed to do their biddings. Such claims are laughable. Ugwuanyi is a master on the chessboard. No amount of pressure and drum of discord have the capacity to disquiet this man of wisdom. Ugwuanyi has already solved the political arithmetics and has cancelled out odd numbers. At the appropriate time, he shall deliver a salivating meal to the people. What the people of Enugu State want is someone whose spirit aligns with Ugwuanyi’s sense of people oriented governance, who would continue with Ugwuanyi’s giant strides in governance, who would utilize the deliverables of governance to the benefit of the people.
The social media jobbers are entertaining their publics. They move from one permutation to the other. They call names and make a caricature of themselves, yet Ugwuanyi is unruffled. His Excellency knows how to toe the path of justice and equity. He is like the mannequin that serves the symbol of justice with eyes blindfolded, scale on one hand with which Justice is weighed and a sword on the other hand for fearless delivery of justice.
Therefore, let not your heart be troubled, Ugwuanyi is the master on the chessboard. When the time comes, he shall rudder the ship to safety to the delight of the people.
