OPINION

 Orji's temperament against Kalu

By Odimegwu Onwumere

The bible account says that God said let there be light, and there was light. But some people yet preferred to walk in darkness. The later is the disposition of Governor T.A Orji of Abia State. Sometimes one thinks with embarrassing intuition and asks what did his political mentor and predecessor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu did against him that he cannot forgive and forget and make peace with him, owing to the glaring fact that in Nigeria today we need more peace than we need problem.

As it is very sad that Orji could bite the finger that fed him with the golden spoon and at the same time cannot forgive himself, it is even worst that he’s bent on a mission to bring the hard-earned reputation of Kalu down to bite the dust by all means and be sold less than 25 pieces of Silva. God forbid!

Only a man who knows his onus can boast of forgiving, but this is not Orji. He is boasting and fighting Kalu everywhere and anyhow when there is hardly functional electricity, roads, water and good governance in Abia State. The students today are shouting “Holy Ghost Fire!” in Abia State, because of their school fees he has recklessly hiked to the Olympian Height. These are the kiths and kins that Kalu gave free education in all the schools in Abia State, when he was governor. This posits a question to Orji: what is he using the collective money of Abia people doing?

Most urgent needs in Abia State are not attended to; but we heard last time that – like father like son – Orji’s beating about the bush compelled his bigheaded son to also be beating about the bush, thereby allegedly intimidating Abia residents with impunity; but inopportune for him, he fell in the hands of some Army personnel, who taught him the lesson he will live to remember all his life.

This Orji’s son was alleged to be uselessly painting the state red, whereas there are no light, water and roads, for the people living outside the government house, Umuahia, the state capital. On whose expense? The same way people are murmuring that majority of the lands and buildings in the state have been bought by the Orjis? Are they not saying that the present government is squarely a government of Orji for the children and by his wife? Ekputu!

Abia people have to find a solution. When will this kind of thing end? He was bent on destroying every legacy that was left of Kalu, culminating to a lot of problems that needed to be solved. Can they rise and tell him to find solution to electricity, construction and maintenance of roads, portable water that have to reach the villages? Though, the people have risen. They have pelted him, yet he has not woken up from his premeditated slumber to work, in order to prove a point that, yes, it is not only the Orjis that need electricity, tarred roads and water in Abia State. Everybody needs!

Because Orji has refused to attend to the pressing needs of the people and stop the chasing of frivolities on Kalu, the consequences are death rate, poverty and sicknesses which have increased in the people in that state. Why not! When Orji has seen every Igbo who is not from Abia State as a non-indigene? This is what we are talking about people who have chosen to walk in darkness.

He is not thinking and working towards making sure that industries spring up speedily in the state and see businesses booming, rather he is after making sure that people’s shops are destroyed, christened illegal structure, when even the roads, schools, hospitals, governance, etc. in Abia State are illegal, because they are below standard or have no standard .

There is no food for Abians at different quarters to eat except those that are connected to his shoddy government. The Abia environment is not neat. Very dirty! It is leaders like Orji that are causing the problems that Nigeria is having. Imagine a governor owing workers an untold months of salary, which didn’t happen during Kalu-led government. The once Orji has paid were counted payment of salaries of workers. Provision of desks and chairs to schools has become the most essential achievement of his administration, if actually they are not newspaper achievement.

Orji should have a human sympathy for Abians and Abia State. He should understand that he is not a robot; even robot has some sense of decorum. If he refuses to turn a new leaf, we will not relent in enlightening him. The question he should be asking himself henceforth is: When will Orji be tired of stories and blowing of grammar and face the reality in Abia State?

Odimegwu Onwumere, Poet/Author, and Media Consultant, writes from Rivers State.