27.05.2015
In the run up to the 2008 American presidential elections, the youthful, charismatic Barrack Obama remained to me a hero of titanic proportion. I was addicted to him. I dreamt Obama, walked Obama until I became a prisoner of Obamania. His picture hung in my bedroom. His effigy was on my tea mug. That permanent state of homage meant that I would then quote his phrases, imitate his mannerism, and scoop from the shrine of his wisdom.
Seven years after, not much has changed about my perception of Obama. I easily forgive his mistakes because I like to reminisce that historic moment in American history when the ‘change’ slogan reawakened old belief in the power of American democracy, rekindled the dreams of the American forebears of a nation dedicated on the preposition that all men are equal.
Obama’s rival, John McCain, told his supporters in his concession speech in 2008: ‘My friends, we have—we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honour of calling Senator Barrack Obama- to congratulate him-please—to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country we both love.’
“In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.
“Senator Obama and I had argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge …to do all in my power to help him lead us through the challenges we face…I urge all who supported me to join…in offering our next president our goodwill.”
Like America, like Nigeria, like Ebonyi, that word ‘change’ has repeated the miracle of ‘America 2008’ when Barrack Obama made history as the first African American president. He was not the likeliest candidate to emerge at the nomination judging what America was. Yet, it happened at the party primaries and he went ahead to win the final battle.
The election of Gov Dave Umahi carries the 2008 American elections insignia. Looked at from every angle, he was not to be the likeliest candidate to be given the PDP gubernatorial flag after government had announced its intention to do otherwise. He found his way by breaking all the stereotypes that had hitherto strangled such uncommon rise to power.
He initiated a war that charged the political atmosphere in the state. The battle raged hotly. Invectives were hurled from both sides of partisan divide. Most people were caught up on what and who to believe as truths, half-truth, and falsehoods were all mixed up and served to Ebonyians by both sides of the struggle. Each day of the electioneering era carried its own maximum fear. It was as if Ebonyi would not exist beyond April 11, 2015.
But ‘hurricane Dave’ was unstoppable. The mass support, the campaign strategy which ignored nobody in arrangement nor left anything or process to luck will be a story to tell the next generation. Taken up in the hurricane, Ebonyi people experienced party campaigns for the first time since creation. The appeal for votes went from state level to family and individuals. And finally on April 11, 2015, the Ebonyi people spoke and spoke clearly, no matter what motivated some.
They spoke by their massive support before, during and after the elections. Before the elections, they spoke though too-serious-to-be-ignored indescribable rebuffs of any proposals or action taken by the immediate past administration in the state on issues that would affect elections. They spoke through acceptance of those whom they had been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of their ambition.
On election day, they spoke through the lines that stretched around schools, streets and churches in numbers this state had never seen. They spoke through people who waited five hours and six hours, many of them for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voices could be that difference. They voted and waited to protect their votes.
They said ‘yes’ where government wanted them say ‘no’. They put their hands on the arc of history and bent it once more towards the hope of a better day.
No doubt, some Ebonyians would have wanted the outcome to be different. There are reservations in some quarters but the people had spoken. Every criticism appears to be a natural feeling because criticism is a disappointed ambition and a literary critic is often one who had tried his hands on a book and failed.
Yesterday, we voted and today, Chief Dave Umahi is a governor. The election of Engr. Dave Umahi alone is not the change Ebonyians seek; it is only the chance to make that change. Ebonyi people did not vote just to win an election and they didn’t do it for Chief Dave. Ebonyians spoke because they understood the enormity of the task that lies ahead. That is why as the state rides on the swearing in of His Excellency Chief Engr. Dave Nweze Umahi as the third democratically elected governor of Ebonyi State, we have to be cautious because the challenges we face as a state is real, serious and many.
As the administration assumes duty, average Ebonyian lives on less than 50 cent per day. There are many Ebonyi mothers and fathers who lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they will buy their cough syrup, add protein to their menu or save enough for their school fees.
Many communities are at war; we know there are brave Nigerians patrolling the savanna and valleys of Ezillo to risk their lives for us and save that community from returning to Stone Age. There are many critical projects half abandoned. Our share of federal allocation is dwindling just as our generated revenue is next to nothing. We have large mass of unemployed and unemployable youths who think that governance is a miracle and that Dave is their answer.
The worst is that our chances at the federal level do not look too juicy in the next four years. This means that our brothers at Abuja are returning home to fall on the meager resources down here. And the array of political opportunists who joined the moving train of Divine Mandate Campaign Organisation is clearing their throats waiting to descend on our collective treasury. Not all those elders who supported the campaign have good of Ebonyi at heart. There are over 1000 youths hoping to be compensated as Development Centre Coordinators and similar positions. This means our cost of governance will go up.
And above all, wounds of last elections have not been properly lacerated, meaning that sabotage may occasionally springs up. The fear is that the arms used for the last elections are still in the hands of violent-ready youths and who knows their next victim. They have killed people and they will not hesitate to kill again.
Dave’s problem is that he has come to rule Ebonyi at a time everybody expects much from him. This means that the road ahead is long, that they may be false starts, that the climb will be steep. Unfortunately, Ebonyians lack patience.
For an appeal, not one more distraction will do Ebonyi any good. Ebonyians must find the necessary political compromises, bridge the differences, and help restore Ebonyi prosperity, defend Ebonyi security in a dangerous Nigeria. We must resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that have poisoned our politics for so long.
We must aim to leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better state than we inherited. Whatever our differences, we are fellow Ebonyians and there is no association that has ever meant more to us than that. What we can’t help out, we surrender to God. Let us join hands to pray for Ebonyi and pray for the new Gov.
If we subject him to too much scrutiny he will make mistakes. If he has to look over his shoulders he will never look forward. And Ebonyi will lose.
