Why Abia Should Have Alex By Chigozi Eti The jostle has begun, the jostle for the Government House in Umuahia. But more than that, it is the jostle for the soul of Abia, the State that is styled ‘God’s own State.’ The line up for the race presents an interesting array of characters out which the people of Abia have to choose a leader – an authentic leader. By the way, those who are focusing on Alex’s Ngwa or non-Ngwa provenance are burdening the conversation with irrelevancies. The real issue is how Abia can find a true leader and begin to enjoy the benefits of having at the hem of affairs one who truly cares for the people. Now after 15 years of civil democracy with little or no governance to show for it – the fact is in the public domain, Abia stands on the threshold of history with an opportunity to define the future of the State, indeed, their own future by the choice of governor in 2015. Based on the premise of competence, character and commitment, here is how Dr. Alex Otti fits the bill for the leadership that Abia so desperately needs: First, for a State where street power has outweighed brain power since the outset of this democracy, Alex represents a clear shift from the old order of impunity and brigandage. Democracy is about people and positions, not fists and fracas. Abia needs a leader that can restore discipline and dignity in the polity, where the best argument wins the day in an atmosphere free of fear and intimidation. In that light and given the magnitude of governance gap that needs to be closed, Abia needs a governorship candidate whose independence is not in question. Why many governors fail is that they are bugged down by selfish airhead godfathers whose only interest is to plunder the State at the people’s expense. To elect a governor that has been handpicked by a non-performing incumbent is to further imperil the fortunes of Abia and the future of her children. That is why Abia should have Alex. Also, besides corruption, overdependence on the handouts from Abuja has kept most States including Abia crawling. Alex has what it takes to activate local capacity for wealth creation through effective investment of State resources as well mobilisation of private sector-driven investments. The man knows the turf so he won’t be guessing; he knows what to do. Still on the economy theme, Alex is one candidate who from the outset has started talking about Aba – the city that has the potential of being the commercial hub for Africa. While the plan to establish a Ministry of Aba may be taking it too far, it is significant that he has a plan for the city. Given his enthusiasm for Aba, Alex will ensure that Aba experiences massive infrastructural development – roads, electricity, water and sanitation. Meanwhile, many feel that the reason electricity supply has been an abysmal failure is that the Federal Government made it its sole preserve to generate and distribute. But the Jonathan administration has since liberalised the sector significantly. As governor of Abia, Alex will deploy relevant technology to covert the massive refuse dumps in Aba and other cities for electricity generation from bi-fuels. Alex will pioneer commercial electricity generation from this seemingly useless resource and by it, drive industrial development which will in turn translate to job creation and economic transformation. More so, the intellectual team that Alex will pull together will ensure that Abia restores Nigeria’s place on the global map of oil palm products producing and exporting nations. Through the Abia Oil Palm Trade Zones (AOPTZ) which will be established the three senatorial zones through an act of the State House of Assembly, Alex will ensure the commercial production and utilisation of oil palm products for which the Eastern region was known and nourished in the first republic. This will ensure adequate production of palm oil and other derivatives of the palm for local consumption and for export to African countries and overseas. The jobs that will be created from this product and it value chain and the impact it will have on research and development in the Agricultural sector will be tremendous. Alex will make it happen because he knows what to do. Further, Alex is one man who can bring to Abia the benefits of cultural tourism. In spite of improvements in planning and organisation, an event like the New Yam Festival remains a largely local affair. In western States, events like Ojude Oba, Eyo, and Osun Oshogbo have attained international status drawing visitors from across the globe and attracting significant economic benefits to local citizens. Alex will make that happen in Abia. On education, while the government in Abia may tout figures of its performance in the sector, the reality on ground is that the education system is in dire conditions. The infrastructure is decrepit and the curriculum obsolete. People finish primary school and they are barely literate. Besides, to use 19th century tools to teach 21st century scholars is to deny them the opportunity for growth, stifle creativity and repress innovation. An Alex governorship in Abia will institutionalise world class education at all levels. Why education is so important is that those who founded democracy as a form of government intended it for an enlightened populace. Renowned neurosurgeon Dr Ben Carson says when you deny people education, you make them vulnerable. They are not able to ask questions and democracy is about choice – intelligent choice and participation. When people are ignorant, their participation is compromised because they will accept anything the leader throws at them. Alex will reverse that. It is also by genuinely tackling access to quality education and employment that the issues of insecurity can be effectively dealt with. That is not cliche, there is a gap and we need to talk about it until the problem is solved. Next to food, healthcare is critical to the survival of the State. Under an Alex governorship, not only will the health institutions experience a complete turnaround in terms of technology, infrastructure and manpower, the government will also drive the standardising and institutionalising of alternative medicine. As we speak, simple herbal cures for serious viral diseases like HIV AIDS, Hepatitis and the likes exist in Abia State, but these solutions remain comatose because there is no institutional support to bring them to light. The Alex government will prompt and promote such breakthroughs in tropical medicine as will make Abia a medical resort also. Much more, an Alex governorship will help to reverse brain drain in medicine and other professional areas. Many Abia sons and daughters are making outstanding marks in medical research and practice in Europe and the Americas. Many of them will come back to serve in Aba, Arochukwu, Uturu and Umuahia, because they know that with Alex, the right environment, the resources and technology for modern medical practice will be made available. The people of Abia will benefit in terms of the leap in quality of healthcare they can access and in the quality of training that will be available in the State health institutions. Another thing everyone can be sure of is that Alex will run a slim government so as to reduce overheads in governance. As an experienced manager of people, Alex will restore the dignity of the civil service as a professional arm of government. That way, the usual practice of accumulating political appointees and appendages that imperil government budgets will be reversed. This is a government that must run at no more than 30 percent for recurrent expenditure while 70 percent goes to capital vote. In effect, Alex has the competence for the task in Government House come 2015 – a first-class mind who has made his mark in the financial services sector, led at the highest levels and transformed a bank from loss to profit ratings. He has an aversion for failure. He made it in Port Harcourt, excelled in Lagos. He will not fail in Umuahia. Abia needs that. Alex has the character required for the responsibilities of governor. He is the only candidate that is certain to keep his eye on the ball. It is clear that by dint of hard work, Alex has attained significant financial success. So he is the least likely to be carried away by the perks of office and the temptation to begin to amass more wealth from State resources. At a time when corruption has become a major crippler for Nigeria, Abia needs to choose right by choosing Alex, after all, what more testimonial does a man need than nearly three decades of unblemished integrity in the banking sector. And still on character, the reason banks are usually very careful in choosing top management is that the leadership commands or repels confidence. With Alex in the saddle, investors would like to put their money in Abia because they are sure who the manager is. And that means a lot for Abia in terms of infrastructural development and job creation. Finally, there is no better way to describe commitment than that Alex laid down a juicy career as CEO of Diamond Bank, especially after his had just been given another term of five years. Only genuine love for his people and an innate desire to serve could have prompted such sacrifice. So the man is not a job seeker like many of his co-contenders for this position. Alex also showed commitment to the youth when at Diamond he established an entrepreneurship support programme to assist young people in starting new businesses. Many Abia youth benefitted from that scheme and the man who spearheaded that is asking to be elected their governor. All citizens of Abia and all who love the State should therefore rally around this man, Alex, so that Abia can have its first true leader in government since 1999. If the other aspirants love Abia State, they should drop their ambitions and support the more competent person; after all they all know how they measure with Alex. According to Admiral Arleigh Burke, leadership is to understand a people and involve them in getting things done. That, says Burke, “takes all of the good characteristics, like integrity, dedication of purpose, selflessness, knowledge, skill, implacability, as well as determination not to accept failure.” That is the leadership Alex represents, and the one Abia needs dearly, now. Eti is a freelancer, communication consultant and public affairs commentator. He can be reached on chigoeti@gmail or 08129772557.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 08:02:00 +0000
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