By Ebuka Afam-Echi
May 6 (Newshour.com.ng) – Looking at the overall position of Imo from whatever angle-socio-economic and political, it is not in doubt that the state is urgently in need of breath of fresh air. The people have suffocated enough under the current and old leadership of political foxes who are more concerned with stealing the peoples’ resources than developing them.
The outcome of their leadership efforts shows that they have nothing to offer, reason the people have been badly shortchanged and raped. The tragedy is that these never – do -wells have sworn to cling to power even when the people are groaning under the weight of their misrule. This is what must change. Imo people are desperately in need to change the status quo.
Imo is loaded with abundance of human resources especially among the young people who have never been given a chance to demonstrate their God – given talents. This is a new era where technology rules the world. How technology savvy are these Imo leaders to play in the knowledge space. Good leaders must be equipped with relevant skills and competence to fit into the ever changing dynamic world.
Societies are gone past the era where a leader only relies on information and statistics made available to him which he lacks the competence to verify. This is dangerous. Mention has been made of a governor in this state who went with other governors in search of foreign investors. While the other governors were presenting their information on slides to convince the prospective investors, the Imo governor who had nothing to offer stood to promise that “I will give you land, I will give you protection”.
You can imagine the shame of a state that has bred the best minds making waves all over the world in various fields of endeavour. This is where Ikenga Johnjude Okere, a young man well versed with the use of Information Communication and Technological (ICT) tools in resolving diverse challenges, stands tall. Information is key and ability to source it at will improves your decision making skills as a leader – and Johnjude is an expert here.
It has been said over and again that this is a period where equity, justice and fairness is the sing song. There should be balance in power rotation to ensure fairness and acceptability. Johnjude Okere represents this new quest, coming from a background hugely endowed with natural resources, land mass and population and in spite of their contributions to the economy of the state, has never been given the opportunity to rule Imo. That enclave is Ngor Okpala!!!
It would amount to great injustice of monumental proportion to allow power to remain in the same zone of Orlu for another four years. This is the reason the recent charter of equity so proposed by the APC elders council does not bear the equity it seeks to achieve.
Rightfully, Owerri Zone should be given an opportunity, and rightfully too, Ngor Okpala in Owerri Zone has every justification to take a shot at the governorship position.
If there is any group that is at the receiving end of bad leadership in the state it is the youth groups. Johnjude represents the new face of Imo youths who have taken the challenge to refocus things and give the youths a new lease of life. It is only a youth that can better appreciate the problems of his fellow young men. It is Youth O’Clock, so to say, and this is the best chance Imo youths must grab with both hands and maximize it accordingly. They should take their destiny in their hands now. One person well fitted for this is Ikenga Johnjude Okere.
Born 49 years ago in the Ihitte Okwe Ancient Kingdom of Ngor Okpala, Okere attended the prestigious Alvan Ikoku College of Education Primary School where the foundation for his good formative years was laid. The St. Peter Claver Seminary he attended at Okpala helped to shape and equip him the more with integrity, discipline and love to serve fellow beings. The fear of God inculcated in him in the school had seen him achieve tremendous success in his life’s endeavours.
The polytechnic education he acquired among others honed his skills in various ways. He was one of the pillars in the Obidient support groups before Accord party arty found great opportunity in him to fly the party’s flag as its standard bearer in the Imo governorship election billed for November 11, 2023. His passion to serve in order to right the wrongs in the state is a credit he enjoys. He has masterfully dimensioned the issues in the state and how to lay them to rest.
In this new era that Imo people is desirous of a new face to give it a breath of fresh air, Johnjude Okere is well positioned to close the gap in every way possible.
Therefore, Imo voters must not allow this great opportunity to slip off thier hands.
