The tenets of good governance rest on
conducting policies, actions, and affairs of people in a beneficial way for the
governed. The democratic system of governance also ensures that the supreme
power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly
through a system of representation. Therefore, staying in tune with the demands
and needs of the people by the government is crucial in ensuring that benefits
are accrued to the people who gave the mandate to those in power in the first
place.
It came as a shock on October 14th, 2017 when Nigerians, especially ‘imolites‘ woke up to a massive bronze statue of Mr
Jacob Zuma, the South African president. The statue was erected by Governor
Rochas Okorocha to honour the 4th president
of South Africa. If that was not surprising enough, Mr Zuma was also decorated
with a chieftaincy title of ‘ochiagha imo’
(literarily meaning warlord) by the Eze Imo, HRH Samuel Ohiri. The certificate
was presented by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria. Lastly,
a road was named after Mr Zuma to cement his hero’s status in Imo State.
From time immemorial, statues have been
erected in honour of men and women who have contributed immensely to the
development of a region, the actualization of a noble cause or for exhibiting
exceptional qualities in a chosen field. From the Nelson Mandela statue in the
union building grounds of Pretoria – which reminds us of Mandela’s gallantry
during the apartheid struggle in South Africa to the Mahatma Gandhi statue in
Patna, India- Gandhi led the independence movement in India without
violence; indeed, erecting statues are known to be one of the greatest ways to
honour exceptional achievements.
We need to ask the sitting Governor of Imo
state the following questions: What is the contribution of Mr Zuma to the
socio-economic advancement of Imo state? Is there a place for him in the
history of Imo? What has been the fate of Nigerians living in South Africa
under Mr Zuma’s watch? Even a layman knows the answers will be negative.
While many expressed their displeasure on the
alleged cost of the project, others could not fathom the rationale behind such
a move at a time when
Many traders in Imo recently lost their means of livelihood due to their forceful eviction from
the Eku-eke market, Owerri.
Despite a subsisting court order by Justice
S.I. Okpara, restraining the government from demolishing the market pending the
determination of a suit filed by the shop owners, the governor proceeded with
the demolition. This is a clear disregard for the rule of law
and the judicial arm of government.
The killer of Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, who was
shot during the demolition, is yet to be brought to Justice. The Governor as
the Chief Security Officer of the state should and must do more than issuing
press statements to immortalize the deceased and claiming the demolition had nothing to dowith his death.
Mr Zuma on his part has been accused of
corruption and abuse of power in his native country and attacks on Nigerians in
South Africa has increased in recent times. Imo state, as well as Nigeria, is
still battling with poor infrastructure. So, what is the sense in erecting a
statue for the South African President at the expense of people-oriented
actions? There is no justification for this move by Mr Governor and this is
clearly an ineptitude of good governance.
Source: eie.ng
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