ON THE SALE OF IMO STATE- OWNED ADAPALM PLC TO ROCHE GROUP

The actions of the Governor of Imo State,Owelle Rochas Okorocha have attracted so much criticism from members of the press. Thisday Newspaper editorial once mentioned that the Governor's most notable achievement to date has been to make headline news for all sorts of gaffes. The paper went ahead to say that the Governor is giving Nigerians something to really laugh about. It is obvious that Okorocha is making mockery of himself but the sad thing is that he does not seem to care what people think or say.

At a Stakeholders forum in Owerri recently, Owelle was asked about the issue of the sale of the State owned Adapalm Plc. After laughing and making reference to "certain" press boys (he did not mention them by names) this is what Okorocha said :“I detest the press boys. I don't want them to come around me. They go out of their way against even their professional ethics and tell lies about me and my administration. They allow themselves to be influenced by politicians to spread falsehood against me. Because of this I do not want to have anything to do with the press boys.”

He said he picks up a Nigerian Newspaper only when he wants to look for something to laugh about. What Okorocha said about his hatred of the press isn't new. But it's new and interesting that he said it in public.We all know that Journalists are the whipping boys of the Governor. He has advised his Aides and Cabinet to ignore all that are appearing in the press about his activities. To him, members of the press are persona non grata.

Governor Okorocha is behaving like the traditional' Eze onye agwalam'. Eze onye agwalam is a Village Chief that shuns advice. He should blacklist the press at his own peril. This is democracy. He should amend his ways .The bible in Romans 6 v 1 said 'What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!'I believe it will not be in the best interest of the Governor for the press to hide the truth from him. The press is there to watch the excesses of any government anywhere in the world. The press is the guardian of the people as the fourth estate of the realm.

Governor Okorocha was advised by well-meaning Imolites not to sale Adapalm Plc but he did not listen. Today the media is filled with the news that Imo State government has sold the multi-million naira Adapalm PLC to Roche Group, an Irish Company .Some say Adapalm is sold for 20 years. Whether for 20years or less, a sale is a sale. Adapalm plantation is located in Ohaji/Egbema L.G.A of Imo State.Introducing the new owners to the people of Ohaji/Egbema LGA,Owelle Rochas Okorocha declared that the new owners have the full rights to hire and fire staff.

There is no doubt whatsoever that the sale of Adapalm under the administration of Owelle Rochas is fraught with all kinds of sharp practices, shady deals and under-the-table-practices. The sale of Adapalm is criminal to say the least. I see this as an act of insensitivity by the Governor to the interests of the poor masses. The sale of Adapalm , especially at a time when thousands of Imo people are needlessly poor and in need of gainful employment, is nothing but an anti-poor, pro-rich policy. Tragically this policy is taking place at a time when statistics released by the Federal Ministry of Finance recently rated Imo State financially strong. Imo State has constantly received jumbo allocations since Governor Okorocha came in. He is yet to show us what he has used the allocation money on, as we have not witnessed any genuine project instituted by his administration.

Okorocha behaves like a maximum ruler who will be in power forever, but he has forgotten that, whatever has a beginning will surely come to an end one day.Political office is for a while, power is ephemeral. His rescue mission has now become the reckless sale of the collective patrimony of Imo people, to his businessmen partners. The due process, rule of law and collective interests of Imo State was not taken into consideration. This Roche Group has taken over all major construction projects in Imo.

At a time when the available institutions of higher learning in Imo turn out thousands of graduates on a yearly basis, most of whom remain perpetually unemployed and only ceaselessly roaming the streets in search of unavailable jobs, Okorocha is preoccupied with the business of selling of publicly owned properties which were built over the years with our collectively owned wealth – a venture which in all aspect is perpetually anti-people. The sale of Adapalm  is a pro-rich policy because it puts public wealth into private hands and further increases poverty because it puts more people out of employment as the new management is out to make profit at the expense of human life. According to sources, an estimated 2,000 Adapalm workers are to be sacked.Okorocha is about to make so many people of Ohaji/Egbema the host community to Adapalm jobless.

The sale  of Adapalm should be totally condemned by Imolites as it does the toiling masses no good. But will Eze onye agwalam(Okorocha)ever listen to the voice of reason? The truth of the matter today is that the people's patience are snapping and very fast too despite Okorocha's threat of dealing with unfriendly Journalists. We worry about how Okorocha is converting Imo State and its funds into a family enterprise while governing the State with impunity and military fiat not minding or giving a hoot how the people felt. Save us o' God.

-Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria

As the sun shines brighter at the east and sets dimmer in the west; home will always be the best. Home is where the heart is and therein is the treasure. The World Igbo Congress (WIC) is an entity which has been nurtured through the years just like Igbo People’s Congress (IPC), have matured to what it is today. WIC may have noble intentions, with their humongous treasures buried in the south eastern region of Nigeria, but their home seems to be in Diaspora – United States of America. This ambiguity with a shade of abnormality gingers a need for rethinking.

After another convention which ended September 4, 2006 in Boston, this body which some of their objectives are: to unify Ndi-Igbo everywhere; promote, protect and advance Igbo culture and civilization, promote progress and development in Ala-Igbo, promote and cultivate political awareness and civic responsibility among Ndi-Igbo, etc. has really come of age. However, its activities have shown to be more for the Igbo elites and its impact nominal in continental Igbo land. What explanation could be given that an organization which supposedly should be an umbrella for all Ndi-Igbo (both those in continental Africa and Diaspora); since its inception in Houston, Texas has had all its conventions in United States of America. One should start asking; where are the bulk population of Ndi-Igbo? Are they all living in United States of America or at the south eastern region of Nigeria? While kudos should be given to WIC for propagating the interest of Igbo internationally and sending echoes around the globe for the socio-economic advancement of Ndi-Igbo, they should think inwardly on how to get the common man in Igbo land involved. The only way to achieving that would be by hosting some of their annual conventions in various towns in south eastern region of Nigeria.

In the tone of the old school rhyme that says; summer is the season when students are so merry with a long vacation; for Igbo elites, politicians, nouveau riches and every person of substance, summer is the period to converge or retreat into ‘Camp David’ in United States under the canopy of World Igbo Congress. While WIC has provided a cornucopia for the rich and powerful to retreat in America and renew their contacts with the hope of advancing the Igbo course. But to millions of grass root Igbo in Nigeria, little or nothing is known about this Hercules of international symbolism. This is due to little or no impact WIC has made in the local Igbo communities. Even with the numerous teething problems buffeting ‘Ohaneze’ which if not well handled will lead to its demise, ‘Ohaneze’ an Igbo think tank has a wider grass root acceptance than WIC. Today, it seems that the beleaguered ‘Ohaneze’ and the elites are depending on the strength of WIC to resurrect the crawling remnant of the Igbo aspirations within the realm of political survival in the polity of Nigerian terrain.

It costs about $300,000 to organize an annual World Igbo Congress convention in American cities. The Igbo attendees that come from all corner of the globe spend close to $4m dollars annually to grace the convention. Yearly American cities where these conventions are held receive big economic boost. While it is good to support international friendship; imagine what good it will do to the people of Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta and any other Nigerian states, if the sum of $4m dollars and more are injected into their revenue through the annual convention of WIC. WIC would not only have helped in the economic development of the people she claims to speak for , but also will generate awareness among the grass roots who are the prime reason for the existence of that body. After all, charity should begin at home.

The gathering of the Ndi-Igbo during the conventions organized by WIC has drawn more towards building political blocs and seeking for panacea to heal the wounds of the marginalization of the Igbo people in Nigeria political system. It falls on the Igbo to work themselves vigorously back into the Nigerian political system by presenting themselves trustworthy, united, staunch, willing and ready. The generality of the work to achieve these tasks falls on the Igbo politicians, elites and chieftains. No other body but WIC seems more organized to foster this action. As important as this may be, WIC has not come out with structures – political, economic and social that would reinvigorate the collapsing foundations of her people and position them for the new trend.

Swami Vivekananda, a 19th century Hindu holy man, once said that every nation has a "special genius" and that of India’s is religious devotion. For the Igbo’s, theirs are tenacity and patience . Those characteristics should be transformed into action if the Igbo should become relevant in the political navigation of Nigeria. Unfortunately, the general claim has been that the Igbo have been marginalized by the federal government of Nigeria, but internally the Igbo elites, politicians and the rich have in various ways marginalized their own people and that is the worst.

This could be a proper time for the evangelism, revival and salvation of this ethnic group who have been dubbed the "Jews of Africa’. How correct this is, only time will tell. There’s an urgent need for the Igbo to have an agenda which is democratic in nature and shun its misconstrued republicanism. The political image of the Igbo man in Nigerian psyche should be rebuilt. When an Igbo man or politician is asked: Got a brother to betray? And his answer is No, then all other regions of Nigeria will have no reason not to give massive support to the much sort Igbo presidency which has remained elusive for now and which is one of the major concerns of World Igbo Congress.

Sunny Oputa is a Senior Fellow and a Political Analyst on Nigerian Affairs at Afripol.Org