By Chris Nwanjoku
It was on a sunny morning of Wednesday, August 20 ,2025. On that beautiful day, those recruited from various hamlets in Owerri zone, particularly Owerri Federal Constituency, were adorned in various designs of Ishi Agu materials with all manners of bead hanging on their necks and wrists – all in a desperate bid to prove to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State at Government House, Owerri, that alas,Owerri zone political leaders and stakeholders are in unity after all.
But, beneath this self-deceit, lies the undeniable truth that this hurriedly packaged congregation of supposed leaders was like a marriage of strange bed fellows. Each harboured his resentment for the other’s audacity and attempts to outshine him. It was like the gathering of the conspirators in the capitol as captured in the epic drama, JULUIS CEASER, written by the legendry William Shakespeare.
It was the Second Missionary journey of Owerri zone political leaders and stakeholders, at least, according to the promoters of the mission. The First Missionary journey was on March 10,2025. That earlier visit in March was, of course, a disaster, hence the repackaged and enlarged composition of the delegation.
To create a semblance of unity amongst them, the leadership of Owerri Zone Political Leaders Forum (OZOPOLF) led by Chief Charls Amadi (Charlvon) was agreed to head the delegation. But Amadi, an astute and ambitious power broker, had another agenda up his sleeves.
Immediately after his address, he beckoned on his trusted ally from OZOPOLF, Chief Henry Njoku (Harritex), to give a vote of thanks on behalf of the delegation. Charlvon was determined to dwarf the integrity of the leadership and members of other minor groups in the delegation, particularly the Imo Harmony Project (IHP) led by Capt Emmanuel Iheanacho. It was the IHP that constituted the bulk of the March 10,2025 earlier delegation,who claimed to be representing the entire Owerri zone’s leadership,prompting the governor to caution them to stop distracting his administration,and that they should go home and unite first.
Charlvon’s decision to shut out further comments from any other member of the delegation(and rightly,too)drew shameful and embarrassing murmurings from other groups in the delegation. Of course, Charlvon was the leader of the delegation and protocol demands that he alone should speak for and on behalf of the visitors.
But, internal rivalry could not allow that to happen. Why must Charlvon shut us out? Who does he think he is – another Ahaejiagamba? These questions kept agitating their minds because of Charlvon’s audacity.
It took Governor Uzodinma’s intervention before others in the delegation from mainly IHP were allowed to speak. All these absurdities happened in the full glare of the governor.
The Governor’s Response
Firstly, Governor Hope Uzodinma is an intelligent and maverick politician and administrator. This perhaps accounted for how he diplomatically responded without any concrete commitment,AGAIN – which literally means a hope or expectation dashed for Owerri zone political leaders no matter how anyone might struggle to repaint it. A spade should be called a spade
I need not bore readers with the governor’s response. It is already like our national anthem. But to make it concise, it was an empty cheque given to Owerri zone political leaders. In Igbo cultural worldview, it is usually said that “it is only a foolish man who doesn’t know when his kinsmen have used proverb to resolve a dispute he brought to them for adjudication.” Such can be likened to the governor’s response to Owerri zone political leaders delegation last week Wednesday.
To everybody’s surprise, the media handlers of the delegation went to town jubilating and distorting hard facts. Ignorance is indeed a disease. Nevertheless,facts are sacred while comments are free.
Who did this to us? What a shame to my people!
WHEN IS THE NEXT COURTESY VISIT?
A piqued commentor and observer of this show of shame by our so-called leaders asked this poignant question some days back after the horrible outing in Government House,Owerri.
And I ask again,where were Emeka Ihedioha, Chima Amadi,OZAC President, and many other Mbaise and Ngor Okpala political leaders not part of the visit?
Is Owerri Federal Constituency,which constituted 80% of the delegation and from IHP, now the leaders of Owerri zone? Are other political blocs in Owerri zone inferior or subordinate to IHP and Owerri Federal Constituency?
What were the rationale and modalities for hand picking those men who wore newly sewn Ishi Agu clothes specially prepared for the embarrassing visit?
Must we (in Owerri zone)beg for Imo governorship like the Amaljiris and internally politically displaced persons (IDPs) beg for food? Is running to Government House to disturb the governor’s peace of mind and his family now our hobby? Indeed, when is the next visit?
In fact, there are more questions begging for answers than any available answer at all.
Conclusion
What happened on August 20,2025,before the Governor of Imo State,tantamount to Owerri zone political leaders belittling themselves shamelessly. It was a sign of pure desperation for power.
Inadvertently, they are sending an obvious message to Governor Hope Uzodinma – which is, never trust desperadoes with power. They can easily be power drunk – the Rivers State debacle is still fresh in our minds.
Owerri zone political leaders should first of all tidy its home-front before hiring every Tom,Dick,and Harry and baptizing them thereafter as leaders and stakeholders for the purpose of another Missionary Journey.
Once beaten twice,shy.
Let the good people of Owerri zone be spared of another shameful outing – bikonu,our leaders.
