UMUNEDE: President John F. Kennedy of the United States Of America did not voluntarily accept to be one term Chief Executive…. He was assassinated!
President Abraham Lincoln Of The Land Of Uncle Sam, after many electoral losses before assuming office and power as the elected President Of The United States Of America never told any then living American that he was going to serve for a term….. He was assassinated!
President Nelson Mandela of South Africa subtly refused doing second term as President Of Free South Africa because he was not sick BUT ill…..
You can all go and verify this lines…..
For upcoming Umunede politicians, believe whatever your brother or sister from the same kindred tells you BUT whatever a politician, especially the Nigerian politician says and you believe, is at your own risk!
The problem of Umunede is that some of us, the old generation of the POLITICAL ELITE, were always telling our people the home truth and it contributed in no small measure to the betrayal attitude of the uninformed within the political system in pursuing the “self interest” Appian Way!
Hon HC Iweribor of blessed memory always told his kinsmen the truth and nothing but the truth…… What is discussed in the temple of politics in Owa will not be heard in Umunede or Otolokpo, neither political decisions nor strategies will ever leak out to other gentiles. That’s how it is supposed to be and great too because it helps for a cohesive political union.
Tony Aninih from Uromi was one of the greatest strategist in Nigerian political terrain. This Writer was a student of his, no wonder when the political war zone is uncertain, we try to see how to navigate the seaway…. His Esan people did not let him down.
Umunede now! Call a meeting of our Umunede political associates and the room will be filled with faces grinning with delight. All decisions reached gets outside Umunede, five minutes after the conclusion of each topic.
What a wonderful Community! Has it stopped now? Elebeeee! You must plan from home and when the house is divided, a David cannot defeat a Goliath!
When I hear people talking about Umunede unity, I only laugh in Swahili because that is just a hollow dream.
Umunede people are to the Ika ethnic nationality what Ndigbo is to the Nigerian nation!
During the Nigerian Biafran war, a new word was introduced into then rebel enclave….. What was the WORD? SABO…was the new sing-song, literally meaning saboteur! The Igbo man was ready to sell his fellow Igbo man for a mince of meat.
According to the then Biafran Chief of Army Staff, Major General Alexander Madiebo, their people called it SURVIVAL….. Now with all these…. Has Umunede truly survived?
In the entire Ika nation, Umunede used to be the political Mecca. How come that Umunede people are now the pilgrims?
I will today tell you people the very reason why political unity in Umunede will always be a mirage….
I was well trained by political juggernauts. I received my baptism from Chief Humphrey Iweribor the Ogidi of the Ika political house in 1979. I was handed over to him by Mr. Anuku of Owa Oyibu.
I was more educated than Hon HC Iweribor, urbane, and young, yet, I was hungrily ready to be a student and I was!
Then, the political divide between the the Owas and Agbor people was unimaginable. Umunede was the beautiful bride in the three way pyramid.
I truly learnt a lot from him… We had our political differences. Yes. The reason I ever had political differences with HC Iweribor was because of Umunede!
I never wanted Umunede to be politically marginalized under my watch during the period of trying to share spoils of office…. I thank God for his mercies that before he died, we were like father and son….
His son, the former Executive Chairman of Ika North East Local Government Area Council, Hon Festus Iweribor sees me till date as a political father.
In the home front, as our people will normally say… Charity begins at home…. I was formally introduced to Chief Felix Ozere Osuhor, Obaseki of Umunede by Chief Etumonu Onyeagwu, the Onya of Umunede and by all known descriptions and adjectives, the traditional Prime Minister Of The Kingdom.
It is true, that Obaseki knew me as a lad because he was always at the then Umunede Rest House, that shares boundary with my home and for emphasis sake…. It wasn’t fenced then.
In the sixties, when he was a Regional Minister, each time, he is around, we normally have the privilege of been given a little pint of “Lemonade” to drink. Then, poor man pikin nor dey drink lemonade!
Now, Tony Aninih…. I was introduced to Tony Aninih by Mr S I.O. Giwa-Amu, from Sabongida Ora. He was one time Solicitor General of Mid-West State.
NOTWITHSTANDING all human Conundrum directed at me, I had two objectives to have achieved in my hierarchy of needs which money wouldn’t have solved….
(1) I am happy that my good friend, Chief Gabriel Egbule is on this platform(Umunede Agenda)…. Before my election as the President General of Umunede Progressive Union -UPU, I told him that I will be PG of Umunede, even for an hour…. I was…. Chief Gabriel Egbule only reminded me about that talk three years ago and we just had a big laugh.
(2) The second one was that no matter the home front backstabbing, I must reach the national political firmament and I did…. My arrival at the Nigerian national political orbit,was an oracle that metamorphosed into a miracle and that was my finest hour……
Now this……….
The deteriorating political fortunes of Umunede was sown as a seed in the year 1987.
This author was fully involved BUT as a historian, I have a duty to be very objective especially when many actors are still very much alive and are on this platform. This is where the Big Rain started falling……
Chief Francis Igwebuike, Odabemeze Of Umunede as early as June 1987 indicated interest to contest the Chairmanship Position in the then Old Ika LGA Council under zero party.
There were no registered political parties then. The election was midwifed by the Babangida military junta.
At the time, because of Chief Etumonu Onyeagwu was sick, he called a meeting Umunede leaders in his house. The meeting was well attended by all that is amongst the who is who in the Commune and is ordinarily resident,therein…..
In conclusion, they agreed that Chief Felix Ozere Osuhor, should lead the general Umunede political contingent to lobby other towns and villages outside Umunede because non availability of any organized association for that purpose. They did their assignment with confidence, courage and carriage.
Then, HC Iweribor was on the side of Chief Francis Igwebuike doing what he knows well in Owa and Abavo precincts…. Hon. Nwajimeeje of Agbor Kingdom was in charge of the Uhunyase district….. It was a formidable grouping that became an intimidating organ to upcoming Aspirants outside Umunede.
Things were going well until the bubble got busted….
What really happened…
My dear brother, Mr Francis Igwebuike Ochei is no more…. He had transited to the spiritual realm…. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.
To be fair to him, he had every right to do what he did… On my return from Mozambique to Nigeria on business trip, I left Lagos for Umunede. Why did I leave Lagos for Umunede?
I was at the Oba Youths Association meeting in Lagos of which I was the elected President, procedurally presiding over the meeting, when I was discreetly invited by a member of Oba Youths Association who is equally a member of Ede Club outside the venue of the meeting….. Umunede doe ooo!
He said that Ede Club held a meeting and they have unanimously agreed to support and sponsor Mr. Francis Igwebuike Ochei for the Chairmanship Position in Old Ika LGA….
Frankly, I was dumbfounded! Why?
I have reached out to my elder, Mr. Francis Igwebuike Ochei and informed him of my intention to run for the elective position. He told me before God and Man that he was really interested in running for that office BUT that he just retired and wouldn’t want to blow up the little money remaining.
He now told me in clear terms that he wouldn’t run…. NOTWITHSTANDING being a chief, I did ask him to bless me and he did.. That was in the presence of Mr. Odoe, the retired Principal from Oba Town.
So what happened?
My informant from Ede Club mentioned that he changed his mind when they told him that the resources or supplements for the election was the responsibility of Ede Club! No wonder, he now decided to contest the election…..
I got to Umunede and drove straight to house. I told him what I heard about his intention to run for office and he answered in the affirmative. I asked why now…… He emphasized that he is retired and needs financial succour while Odabemeze is still very young.
He did plead with Odabemeze to step down for him! The Umunede project has become Ede Club vs Umunede leaders of thought as it were then.
Ede Club reached out to HC Iweribor to drop Odabemeze for Ochei. HC Iweribor vehemently refused…. Who did Ede Club send to HC Iweribor?
It was my in-law, Sir Stephen Akumabor. He was a member of Ede Club and was then a technocrat with the Old Bendel State Civil Service in Benin City. In later years, he did apologize to me for that political misadventure and truly, I did forgive him because it was a club thing and someone had to do it putting into consideration that Sir Stephen Akumabor was close to HC Iweribor through government contracts.
HC Iweribor was ready to forfeit government contracts for Odabemeze to be chairman…….
The election divided Umunede into two camps and the wound was like a cancer
We move…..
Late Francis Igwebuike Ochei and Odabemeze reconciled before the former kicked the bucket. I have to specifically thank Chief Boniface Chijeh, nephew of Ochei who brokered the peace. Ochei and Odabemeze became very close as friends before his transition…. May the Lord be praised for his mercies….
During the period, before and during the election, the gluttony of the average Umunedian was exposed… You go to Ochei, eat and drink, carry real or imaginary information to Odabemeze and equally eat and drink to stupor.
There was this man,who resumes from Odabemeze’s house every morning as if he is on monthly salary!
I did state that election was contested and lost.
Implications…..
Those communities outside Umunede now saw that Umunede was just “BIG FOR NOTHING” elephant. The open vulnerability of the town was clear and total.
Secondly, the very curse upon Umunede by HC Iweribor in the presence of Owa people of 25 years of political darkness in the presence of Umunede people like Hon Jude Onwuegbuzie et al sent a red signal to our political adversaries that Umunede was just like Songhai Empire that needed just a General Pasha to give a humiliating defeat to….
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No wonder, today, the host of pilgrims is now a Pilgrim….
I tried my Plan B. Formula and it worked! No Umunedian contributed to my national political assignments!
People who are today talking about Umunede Unity, will be the first to abandon the same Umunede when the price is right…… Who is fooling Who?
God and Man knows that Odabemeze has paid his dues…..
When Barr. Gabriel Egbule was contesting election for the House Of Assembly, I told myself that this innocent young man needs help. I offered to help knowing fully well that he was ready to be assisted.
I had a Master plan for his success. The young man was aware that my plan was a masterpiece but Ilenobu Man who felt that he won’t make money from our plan was responsible for the sabotage…. Ebe ka nge si bido ebido….. ????
Umunede is a community of dog eat dog! It pains me to the bone marrow that since independence in 1960 no Umunedian has ever been a Chairman of a ruling party in the local government except just one person… Sad.
What is the solution to this evil….
Umunede and her people must accept a single political leadership before unity can be achieved…… Is Umunede prepared for that? Big question!
Secondly, the royalty must leave politics and politicians to players….
Meaning of Royalty in this context….. The Obi in Council, The Umunede Council of Chiefs and the members of the Royal family as extended as a BODY NOT INDIVIDUALLY…..
A new dawn is possible if politics is left for those who know how to play it and not just anyone…..
This game is not just for everyone…. The Umunede professionals can come and render advice and electoral supplements BUT not hijacking the community political terrain during elections ONLY and after a loss, they all run away…
Copy Jim Ovia of Agbor. Copy late Long man’s Boss Chief Iwerebon of Owanta…..
Finally, the reason for poor showings within the local government, the election results irrespective, is because some of our upcoming political leaders DON’T accept sound Political Strategies…. They think they know when they don’t know!
I will be in a position to give useful hints on our way forward when the time is right…..
In this struggle for Umunede political development, let light shine…
