Framework for Development – Bold Leadership, Community Peace, and Urban Renewal in Imo State
PART 3 – FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT
By Barr Kezie Ogaziechi
The best leaders are often those who are bold, determined, and willing to challenge outdated traditions. They embrace new ideas, confront the realities of change, and press forward simply because it is the right thing to do.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Any real change in the status quo depends on continued creative actions and the establishment of a climate where even the most recalcitrant are forced to admit that change is necessary.”
Indeed, every new era demands new thinking. The New Face of Imo development agenda confronted old habits, entrenched attitudes, and a stagnant outlook with a fresh vision for progress.
But driving such change in a democracy is never easy. Unlike military rule, constitutional democracy is guided by separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. Any policy or programme that creates obligations, incurs costs, or risks judicial scrutiny must have legislative backing.
For this reason, most flagship projects of the New Face of Imo Agenda required fresh laws or amendments to existing ones. This meant preparing executive bills, forwarding them to the House of Assembly, and waiting for rigorous legislative processes to run their full course. It was painstaking, but it was also necessary to build development on the solid foundation of legality.
Within the life of Ohakim’s administration, the number of executive bills sent to the House of Assembly was unprecedented in Imo’s history. The Legislature could no longer afford endless recesses—governance became serious business, driven by urgency and focus.
The Ohakim government was not about “catch-and-hold populism,” which often guarantees cheap applause but fails to meet the demands of a 21st-century society. Instead, it pursued a transformational agenda, laying short, medium, and long-term foundations for sustainable development.
This orientation reflected the character of the chief driver—Ikedi Ohakim—and his team of professionals. They were determined to apply their knowledge, exposure, and international best practices to create a framework for lasting progress.
Building Peace Before Progress
Development cannot thrive in the midst of communal unrest, mistrust, and disorder. When Ohakim assumed office in 2007, Imo was plagued by multiple crises within its autonomous communities, each with serious security and developmental implications.
Recognizing this, the government immediately set up an administrative panel that investigated these crises, identified root causes, and recommended durable solutions. The panel’s work helped to restore peace across many communities, thereby giving government the stability needed to mobilize for development.
URBAN RENEWAL INITIATIVE – CLEAN AND GREEN IMO
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
Perhaps no programme tested Ohakim’s political courage more than the Urban Renewal Initiative, popularly known as the Clean and Green Initiative.
At the time, Owerri and other urban centres were overrun by filth, illegal structures, street trading, and shanties that defaced the capital city. The ecosystem was collapsing, refuse dumps littered the roads, and the health risks were frightening.
The administration faced a choice: play safe and abandon the project to protect political goodwill—or “bite the bullet” and implement it at great risk. Ohakim chose the latter, convinced it was the foundation for building the New Face of Imo.
The Clean and Green initiative tackled sanitation, road reconstruction, drainage management, greening, organized transport systems, relocation of motor parks, banning street trading, and creating pedestrian walkways. In the process, hundreds of shanties and illegal structures were removed—many of which shockingly harboured arms and criminal hideouts.
The results were stunning. Over 400 tipper loads of refuse were cleared from Owerri alone. The suffocating odour of neglected dumps disappeared. Green parks, flowers, and fountains replaced piles of waste. Visitors marveled at the sudden transformation, while residents regained pride in their capital city.
The initiative directly created over 4,500 jobs statewide, reduced crime, boosted tourism, and attracted conferences, workshops, and business activities. The hospitality sector boomed, event managers thrived, and Imo’s investment-friendly rating rose significantly.
So impressive was the impact that the Federal Ministry of Environment adjudged Imo the cleanest state in Nigeria at the time.
The Backlash and Political Trenches
Yet, despite the overwhelming benefits, detractors attacked the programme viciously. Political opponents incited displaced groups, set up internet cafés to churn out propaganda, and attempted to brand the government as insensitive.
But time vindicated Ohakim’s vision. Many who initially resisted later admitted the wisdom of the reforms. For example, Owerri car dealers, relocated to Somachi along Egbu Road, returned to thank the governor after realizing their new site was far more profitable.
Even some of the young people recruited by political godfathers to fight the government eventually abandoned the smear campaigns. They saw that the New Face of Imo was creating jobs, opportunities, and a future where youths would no longer be exploited as tools of hate but empowered as stakeholders in society.
THE NEW FACE OF IMO CHARTER
The Clean and Green Initiative was more than a sanitation programme—it was a Charter of Renewal.
It symbolized the rebirth of Imo’s psyche, a call for citizens to take pride in their environment and join hands with government in building a modern, model state.
“The New Face of Imo means our streets will no longer be littered with sachet water bags, posters, and filth—but adorned with flowers, fountains, and order. It means saying goodbye to the lunatic inn look and welcoming a city that glows with dignity. It means every Imolite, young or old, must take responsibility for the environment and embrace a culture of cleanliness. Change may be painful, but the gains are worth it.”
This was the spirit of the New Face of Imo Charter—bold leadership, community peace, and urban renewal working together to lay the foundation for a modern, prosperous state.
Barr Kezie Ogaziechi ,
Director Legal Affairs, Bring Back Ohakim (BBO 2027) Organization
