BY: Mazi Omife I. Omife
The first time I came that close to Governor Ugwuanyi was the day the South East governors held a meeting with Nnamdi Kanu which was hosted by Ugwuanyi at Enugu Lion building. It was on that occasion that I noticed something unique about Governor Ugwuanyi, which some people may see as trivial or of little significance.
But to me, it struck a chord. That was how governor Ugwuanyi lived up to his role as the host of the controversial meeting, controversial in the sense that all Ndigbo and other Nigerians at home and the diaspora were all ears to know the outcome of that first-ever meeting between Igbo governors and Nnamdi Kanu, both of who had divergent opinions about the issue of Biafra.
I noticed that as the governors and their guest emerged from the front door of Lion building and were taking positions for a group photograph, other governors, with the exception of Governor Ugwuanyi, wore grim faces in what appeared to be inbuilt animosity. On the contrary, Governor Ugwuanyi was beaming with smiles that showed an open mind.
That episode spoke a million words to me about Governor Ugwuanyi’s type of person and type of leader, a person, and a leader who separates issues from persons. After that event, I began to take more interest in observing Governor Ugwuanyi under different perspectives, official and unofficial, formal and informal.
From hindsight, I could discern the same trait in governor’s Ugwuanyi’s attitude to members of other political parties in Enugu State which speaks eloquently and commendably about the principle of politics without bitterness. It then dawned on me why members of other parties in Enugu State joined PDP in enacting the first-ever 95% votes for Governor Ugwuanyi in the last elections.
I also noticed the same humaneness and disposition for peaceful relations among people of diverse backgrounds in the manner of his approach to the controversial herdsmen issues, with his policy of live and let live in the interest of peace and safety of lives and property.
Sometime two years ago, there was a case in the estate where I live here in Enugu where some government security escorts attached to a top government official on a visit to the estate accidentally killed one of the cows belonging to Fulani herdsmen that were roaming in the estate.
The entire estate population became panicky out of fear of a reprisal action by the Fulani herdsmen. Later in the evening, the estate landlords and residents gathered to discuss the matter. They later called me on phone, requesting me to help to contact the police. I quickly made some connections and soon, a team of policemen led by the Area commander and DPO arrived the estate to assess the situation and how to handle it.
While we were thinking of the next line of action, I called one of the estate residents who is a serving commissioner under Ugwuanyi and alerted him on the situation. Before he arrived, he had already settled the matter among the warring parties. The commissioner later explained to us how Governor Ugwuanyi left a standing directive to all commissioners and special assistants not to allow any case of herders and citizens escalate to violence by applying all necessary measure to douse the situation. Can you see where I am going about Governor Ugwuanyi’s kind of person?
Still talking about courtesy, large-heartedness and human relationship, the case of Governor Ugwuanyi and former governor Chimaroke Nnamani comes to mind. How many of his former boys remembered Nnamani over the years? Your guess is as good as mine. But we now know that at least one person did not forget that he was among the beneficiaries of Ebeano political machine. That one person is Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Let the rest of the story remain part of history.
Some cynics at the time interpreted Governor Ugwuanyi’s gesture as a politics of vote courting from voters. How could it be so when it has always been known that Enugu State is a traditional PDP stronghold and since 1999 when the PDP and other parties were formed, no other party had ever won a single position at any level of elective office in Enugu State. So what was there for Ugwuanyi to fear about winning that would make him use Nnamani to court for votes? Nothing absolutely.
In the same way, it is only Ugwuanyi, among other Igbo governors, who remembered to honour our past Igbo heroes through their children. He appointed Hon. Ken Umunnakwe Onoh, one of the sons of a frontline Igbo politician and Wawa irredentist, late C. C. Onoh, as Chairman, Enugu Capital Territory Development and Umunnakwe Azikiwe , one of the sons of another Igbo political icon, late Dr. Azikiwe as Special Adviser.
Most recently, the governor renamed Ezzikwo Street in Independence Layout, Enugu as Dr. Alex Ekwueme Street, to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, GCON, the first elected and second Republic Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on November 19th, 2017.
Governor Ugwuanyi’s perception of all Igbos as members of one family, irrespective of State of origin, religion or political affiliation was also evident in the manner he promptly intervened at a time the old Enugu-Onitsha road became impassable from Oji River in Enugu State to Amansea in Anambra State. Even though the road in question is a Federal road, and used mainly by people from Anambra State travelling to and from Enugu on daily basis, many of them civil servants who go to work from Enugu, Governor Ugwuanyi took the first remedial measure by getting his ministry of works to work on the bad section of the road which brought respite to commuters, until Hon. Barrister Valentine Anyika took over the maintenance of the road.
During my tenure as President of Anambra State Peoples Assembly (ASPA) an association of Anambra people resident in Enugu, one of our members, a frontline journalist, Oliver Okpala (Ochiri Ozuo) came to my office one afternoon and informed me that one of our Anambrarians from Enuguwu-Ukwu had one of his buildings along Ogui Road, opposite China town road, demolished by officials of Enugu State government for the wrong reasons. After I made necessary inquiries, I quickly summoned ASPA Executive and other key members and sought audience with then governor, Sullivan Chime. The audience ended in mere rhetoric as the governor began and ended with telling us that he is from Agbaja and we are from Anambra that both us are visitors and all comers to the coal city, whatever that meant. At the end, he brushed over our complaint and we left. Such an experience could not have been the case under governor Ugwuanyi, given his penchant for considering the comfort of Enugu citizens and non citizens with equal concern.. I doff my hat for him.
Just before I drop my pen, I’d like to once again entreat Governor Ugwuanyi to consider a better way to immortalize the memory of the lion of the tribe of Wawaland, late Chief C. C. Onoh. Appointing his son as chairman is good, but that will come and go. I believe the late sage deserves a more permanent memorial. My personal opinion though.
[Note: This piece was first published on Mazi Omife I. Omife, Mbuze Mbaukwu’s facebook page]