Recent news coming out of Owerri, Imo State courtesy of Daily Champion newspaper (26 October 2007) is that the State House of Assembly has asked the Federal Government to honour INEC Chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu.  The legislators described Iwu as a “soldier of democracy”.  Similarly, the Assembly men requested that a street be named after the infamous Professor.  They asserted that Iwu be commended for making the State proud.

On the surface, this would seem perhaps a strange turn of events in this strange land called Nigeria.  But to understand it, one needs to understand a thing or two about contemporaneous Imo politics. 

Back in mid 1998 When General Abdusalami Abubakar announced an inevitable transition programme to democratic rule after Abacha mercifully keeled-over, Chief (now Eze) Ilomuanya called a meeting of the top “contractors”, hustlers and 419 practitioners of Imo descent, then mostly resident in Lagos, to advise a diversification of trade.  That meeting took place in Lagos and in attendance were big players like the late Maurice Ibekwe, Hope Uzodinma, Tony Ezenna, Tony Chukwu, and a few others. 

With the example of ex-Senator Arthur Nzeribe as bidding proof, these young turks did not require too much persuasion at all.  Awash with cash, they relocated to Owerri and moved assiduously to put themselves in the right places.  For guys who make it their business to always know where the action is and to read the scene correctly, a home was quickly found in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  As we say: why proceed to a funeral when there’s a chieftaincy party happening just nearby. 

What initially began with diffident steps has become de rigueur.  Protocols have been established; lines clearly delineated; and a well refined modus vivendi is now in place.  Welcome to Imo State; home of REAL money politics. 

In Imo politics, there is money, and there IS money.  The new entrants not only possess the dexterity and cunning not available to the previous establishment grandees, they also have the foot soldiers.   A lesson bitterly learnt by that old fox, Arthur Nzeribe.  His “old money” just couldn’t compete.  Quite a few of them have successfully inserted themselves into national and State political offices.  Obviously, not all of these people ran for elective offices.  Some have remained in the background (voluntarily or otherwise) directing traffic and oiling the wheels.  Hope Uzodinma is one.  This fine chap – for all intents and purposes – owns the Republic of Sao Tome.  Tony Chukwu is another. INEC would probably not function logistically/materially without him.  All roads (literarily) stop at Ilomuanya’s doorstep. Others are similarly reaping a bountiful return on their investment.

These are the true power blocks of Imo politics.  The major stakeholders.  Especially powerful is the Orlu axis.  You cannot even think of beginning a political move or career in that State without going through them.  When you go to introduce yourself to them individually, ensure you’re holding - among other things - a couple of cow ropes that you place affectionately on their coffee table. And on your trip for a collective audience with them, please fold away your political service programme or agenda.  In fact, leave it at home.  And if within five minutes of the audience granted you, you have not produced serious money, they walk out on you leaving you standing there looking silly.  But you’re not done yet.  You then proceed to the Chairmen of the relevant Local Councils to pay homage.  You’ll have to say something like: “Chairman, I am passing through your kingdom.  This is your drink; this is your envelope”.  Then you proceed to the council of Ezes to, again, do the right thing.  That is how you pay your dues.  And lately, at election time proper, you’ll have to contend with the one and only Maurice Iwu.  He, true to form, doesn’t come cheap at all; but he delivers.   Among many others, Orji Kalu’s PPA would testify to this. 

This system works so well that even their erstwhile Otimpkus (bag carriers; like some current State and Federal officers – for instance, one of its present Senators) are confidently allowed to hold top political posts.  In Imo, Party affiliation matters very little.  So, I’m always plenty amused when I read another news story of one “concerned citizen” group or one “Imo Association” or the other agitating about some irrelevant matter.  These associations are mostly a motley assembly of lesser monies angling for a look-in.  I laugh even harder when people try to ascribe higher or nobler intentions to the current political class in Imo.  Not here Sir. It is strictly business - although the current governor seems to be making some initial commendable moves.

There are, of course, other heavyweights like Chiefs Udenwa, Rochas Okorocha, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who are still in the thick of things.  However, it is strictly speaking a symbiotic relationship with the NNukwu MMawus (chief masquerades) and their control of the political environment (with the exception of Ararume) is considerably weakened.   The young turks have a hand in the appointment of every political office holder from the Local Government level right on upwards.  Even Obasanjo knew enough to negotiate with them.

There is a variation of this system in Abia State.  The difference is that while in Imo everything is done in a businesslike and completely civilised manner, in Abia, Orji Kalu introduced unpleasantness.  Also, Kalu personalised everything and grabbed all for himself and his immediate family. 

Even in the social arena, Imo remains peerless.  Though the Yorubas invented the “spraying” of money at parties, this art has been redefined in the South East.  In Imo State, it has been further inauspiciously elevated to an absurd level.  You have never heard music switched around in mid play as quickly as Oliver de Coque does when these big masquerades turn up at a social function.  In Imo, you just don’t spray the money; you have to learn the very special way the money is transported to the dance floor and the wonderfully fanciful way it is held! 

This is the State with the highest literacy level in Nigeria.  Until recently, it has a very vibrant and highly vocal professional class.  Curiously, this class now seems quite happy to take instructions and directions from the new political class.  Oh, things have changed vastly since the days of the very charismatic Chief K. O. Mbadiwe, the very man of timber and calibre.  He talked quite brilliantly and talked quite often but he never left his people completely impoverished. Then came Governor Sam Mbakwe a man truly of the people who spoke and understood their language and needs.  In fact, most of the infrastructures still feebly clinging on to life in Imo State were arduously put in place by him. Presently, there is not one single thriving industry in Imo State.  What you have is a smattering of “me alone” firms and businesses doing the best they can.  Now - as it is in the rest of Nigeria - it’s all about money and self aggrandisement. 

demdem@hotmail.co.uk

Robot  Villager

# 1 Recent news coming out of Owerri, Imo State courtesy of Daily Champion newspaper (...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 05.11.2007 19:40

blondie  Villager

# 2 The real power in Imo lay and still lies with Udenwa and Maurice Iwu . All the other upstarts you mentioned are just circus clowns. Yes they may be stupendously rich but Imo politics is much more complex than you present it. Hope Uzodinma has no power in Imo State no matter how you try to present it. All he does is flaunt his wealth during every electoral season and that ends it. Nobody takes him seriously. Same goes with Rochas Okorcha and your Tony Chukwu, whoever he is. All these guys are noted more for their nuisance value than for any real power play. Udenwa single-handedly stopped Arthur Nzeribe in his tracks. He also put the Abuja politicians like Kema Chikwe in their proper place. But the new kid on the block in Imo politics is that scoundrel called Maurice Iwu. In collaboration with Udenwa, he installed his townsman as governor of Imo State from an unknown party. Don't forget that Martin Agbaso was coasting home in that governorship poll at the initial time when it was free and fair; but like IBB, he annulled it and with the utmost impunity and installed Ohakim from his hometown in Mbano. Posted by blondie| 05.11.2007 20:52

i-go-better  Villager

# 3 You are 100% accurate in your account of the sad socio-political situation prevalent not only in Imo State but the whole of South East. That is more the reason people from this part of the Nation will NEVER forgive Obasanjo who by his do-or-die ideology created these monsters derogatorily refered to as Abuja ploiticians. They are so bereft of reason that they gallop their very expensive state-of-the-arts cars on the worst Federal roads without concern. They may even rename the State from IMO to IWU; curiously the only job they will aparently do is to LEGISLATE the removal of the tangent on "O" to make it "U"; it is very easy to wuruwuru "M" to become "W". Don't forget that 992/3% of the menbers of the House are Iwu-ruwuru made. Howver, people of this state must be recognised and appreciated being the only citizens of this country who took their destiny into their own hands, unleashed mayhem on known criminal elements (Otokoto et al) amongst them and cleansed their State! I want to advise those brave men and women to wake up; THAT TREE THAT WHENEVER IT BEARS FRUIT SOMEONE DIES HAS STARTED TO FLOWER ( I pray translators of Igbo proverbs will forgive me for this elementary attempt); IT IS TIME TO CUT IT DOWN! Posted by i-go-better| 06.11.2007 04:03

Adeola Aderounmu  Villager

# 4 Though mildly put across, this type of Thought-Provoking essays reveals the extremely SAD situation in Nigeria. It shows that very MAD people are allowed to run our politics and spread their madness and our poverty. It shows that ordinary and helpless citizens in Nigeria are viciouly ENtrapped. Imagine the glorification of an idi ot and cra zy man like Iwu! Who can do that if not a bunch of other cra zy people, all who should be stoned in the village market square. A serious call for a revolution of ideas, that which will salvage people in hopeless situations, cannot sound LOUDER than this. Posted by Adeola Aderounmu| 06.11.2007 06:54

Oru-Ama  Villager

# 5 This article aptly captured Imo State the way it is. It is sad. The bunch of f o o ls that are calling for recognition and a street name in Iwu's honour are (as we all know) people that found themselves where (ordinarily) they should not be found. There is time for everything. Let's see how long this rubbish will last. Obasanjo played a major role in the level of decadence in Imo State. As for A chi ike, he will be running when no one is pursuing him. The God of the people of Imo State is not sleeping. SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. LET'S WATCH AND SEE. Posted by Oru-Ama| 06.11.2007 08:20

Kelechi  Villager

# 6 It's absurd for any sane person to call for honours to be conferred on Iwu. A guilty verdict punishable by firing squad is more appropriate for the man. Posted by Kelechi| 06.11.2007 10:00

Profegee  Villager

# 7 Imo State has the highest literacy level in Nigeria? What is the source of this information? I doubt it. It does not show at all. Yet, the belly-conscious politicians (Nzeribe, Nwanyanwu, Udenwa, Okorocha, etc) would just wake up and direct the so-called literates which way to go. Haba? Posted by Profegee| 06.11.2007 10:35

datuouwadaberechi  Villager

# 8 But to understand it, one needs to understand a thing or two about contemporaneous Imo politics. Back in mid 1998 When General Abdusalami Abubakar announced an inevitable transition programme to democratic rule after Abacha mercifully keeled-over, Chief (now Eze) Ilomuanya called a meeting of the top “contractors”, hustlers and 419 practitioners of Imo descent, then mostly resident in Lagos, to advise a diversification of trade. That meeting took place in Lagos and in attendance were big players like the late Maurice Ibekwe, Hope Uzodinma, Tony Ezenna, Tony Chukwu, and a few others. With the example of ex-Senator Arthur Nzeribe as bidding proof, these young turks did not require too much persuasion at all. Awash with cash, they relocated to Owerri and moved assiduously to put themselves in the right places. For guys who make it their business to always know where the action is and to read the scene correctly, a home was quickly found in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As we say: why proceed to a funeral when there’s a chieftaincy party happening just nearby. What initially began with diffident steps has become de rigueur. Protocols have been established; lines clearly delineated; and a well refined modus vivendi is now in place. Welcome to Imo State; home of REAL money politics. YES INDEED, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO POLITICS IN THE SOUTH EAST. IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NIGERIA, PLIERS OF OTHER QUESTIONABLE TRADES "SAW THE LIGHT" IN POLITICS AND THEY ALL HOPPED ON THE BANDWAGON, LARGELY PERSONIFIED BY, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LIMITED TO PDP, THAT POVERTY DISTRIBUTION PARTY A.K.A PEOPLE DECEIVE PEOPLE. THERE IS HELPLESS FEELING INVADING THE LAND AND ITS TRUE THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE SOUTH EAST, SOUTH WEST AND NORTH, NOW ALL CAN BOOST OF WORTHY AND ABLE INTELLECTUALS, THE POWER OF MONEY IS HARD TO CHALLENGE IN A DUEL IN NIGERIA, DUE TO THE DECAY IN THE MORAL FIBRE THROUGH OUT THE COUNTRY. IBB PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE, ABACHA CARRIED ON WHERE HE LEFT OFF, AND OF COURSE OUR OWN SELF-PROCLAIMED "FATHER OF MODERN NIGERIA" HAPPILY CONCLUDED WHAT WE HOPE WAS THE LAST LAP OF DISHONOUR. WE DO HOPE AND PRAY THAT IT WILL ALL END, HOPEFULLY WHEN THE WEAK AND TOITERRING STEPS OF OUR "RULE OF LAW" DISABLED OLYMPIAN ARE CUT SHORT AT THE TRIBUNAL. SO THAT FINALLY THE "RULE OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE" WILL TAKE OVER. MAY OUR LORD HELP US. Posted by datuouwadaberechi| 06.11.2007 11:05

docokwy  Villager

# 9 =Profegee;2091817260>Imo State has the highest literacy level in Nigeria? What is the source of this information? I doubt it. It does not show at all. Yet, the belly-conscious politicians (Nzeribe, Nwanyanwu, Udenwa, Okorocha, etc) would just wake up and direct the so-called literates which way to go. Haba? This is a fact. JAMB statistics gives an insight. Plus other established insights. But Nigeria's problem is not about literacy. So that is not an important issue here. The politicians you mentioned are amongst the most literate politicians you can find in Nigeria. But politics is divergent from literacy. Plus, I thought what happens in Imo is a microcosm of what happens in Nigeria? Is there any state free of political contractors? Posted by docokwy| 06.11.2007 11:33

Vaya con Dios  Villager

# 10 =docokwy;2091817275>This is a fact. JAMB statistics gives an insight. JAMB statistics are not quite reliable and accurate. That is why so many universities in Nigeria these days, conduct their own post-UME tests, to ensure that the right candidates who have the greatest potential to perform well academically, are offered admission into their schools. Posted by Vaya con Dios| 06.11.2007 11:37

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