By Oguwike Nwachuku
This time last year when Imo State Governor, Dr. Hope Uzodimma, CON, marked 65, I was intentional in the choice of the title of my piece, “Imo’s 65th birthday gift to Uzodimma.”The circumstances in the build-up to his reelection for a second term in office in 2023,with all the political shenanigans that characterised the period, made the title inevitable.
Desperate political opponents and their likes who don’t like the governor’s face, had worked tirelessly last year to ease Uzodimma out of office willy-nilly, deploying all manner of negative political permutations, innuendo, and blackmail to ensure he lost his re-election. Unfortunately, their efforts turned out to be a storm in a teacup, a big waste.
To their utter disappointment Uzodimma did not just win overwhelmingly and convincingly, but put all seen and unseen detractors to shame when the results were announced.
In the main, Uzodimma’s reelection turned out to be historical, with all the 27 local government areas in Imo returning an unprecedented electoral verdict; a feat that will take any governorship candidate in the State a lot of hard work to achieve in future. That was just a year ago.
It is no longer news that Uzodimma, now in his second term as Governor Imo State, will mark his birthday today, December 12 as he is wont to doing.In fact, what would be news is that he did not mark his Special Day.For the sake of those who may not know, His Excellency has turned 66. He is already six years older in the elder statesmen’s club where 60 is the official entry point. If you have issue with your Arithmetic, regarding the year of his birth into the royal family of late Igwe Michael and late Ezinne Rose Uzodimma at Ozuh Omuma, in today’s Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State, it is in 1958.
So, exactly on that day/year, young, handsome, intelligent, wise, bold, kind, generous, spirit-filled, God-fearing Hope Odidika Uzodimma, became a gift to humanity. Yes, you heard me correctly. That is the man we gladly serenade every December 12.
Needless to say that the goodwill messages have been pouring in from across the globe, signifying the genre of man in focus.
Fast forward to the years before 2020 when he was elected Governor of Imo State, Uzodimma an accomplished businessman, bestrode the private sector like a colossus while at the same time keeping a keen eye on politics due to his passion for philanthropy and generally, service to his people.
Perhaps his election into the Upper Legislature (Senate) to represent the people of Orlu zone (Imo West), from 2011-2019, turned out to be the turning point in the exposition of his mastery of politics as he eloquently displayed his leadership acumen cum managerial dexterity in the Senate, features that appeared to be on incubation during the years he was in private practice as a business wizard.
Before I digress, Sen. Uzodimma is not just the Governor of Imo State today, a position he was fully prepared for, but he is also Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF), among other leadership portfolios at National and Sub national levels.Lest I forget, last weekend, December 7, 2024 to be precise, another feather was added to Uzodimma’s cap, with the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), conferring on him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Management (DMT), Honoris Causa.
The award, according to the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. (Mrs.) Nnenna Otti, was in recognition of Uzodimma’s “decades of meritorious, selfless, and outstanding services that have positively impacted the lives of the good people of Imo State, the nation and humanity.” The award is nothing but another befitting 2024 birthday gift to Uzodimma by the society.
Watching the governor between December 12 last year and now, yours sincerely keeps seeing an Uzodimma who evolves significantly in the manner he applies himself to the demands of his office, and his commitment to the service to humanity and God.
At 66, he has moved to greater heights in doing the things he loves to do best. He remains the same strong, energetic, upwardly-mobile Senator, nay Dr. Hope Odidika Uzodimma, known for motivating his aides and those around him with the, “let’s go, let’s go,” gentle yell anytime there is serious work to be done. Yes, serious work that demands application of intellect, zest and total commitment.
Whenever that, “let’s go, let’s go,” alarm bell sounds from his lips, I am reminded again about certain views of Plato and Aristotle on Leadership. While the former insists, “your job is not to tell people to follow you, but to persuade them to follow you,” the latter believes that, “he who cannot be a good follower, cannot be a good leader.” To a reasonable degree, I am tempted to conclude that certain of Uzodimma’s actions and deeds portray him as a student of the classic ancient Greek philosophers.
Regardless of the demands of his office that keeps him awake virtually every night, the governor never ceases to glow physically and spiritually whenever he shows up in the day. Signs of tiredness, weakness, boredom or laxity are difficult to spot anytime you are with him. He keeps worry far from himself, radiating daily strength that convinces you that he is as fit as a fiddle, and agreeing with former United States President George Washington that, “worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble.”
What I see, therefore, is an Uzodimma who is moving to a greater height and looks good on 66 or if you like, who 66 looks good on.
One would have thought that the additional responsibility the governor is shouldering at the State and National level would have wearied and slowed him down either physiologically, psychologically, mentally and otherwise. But how wrong can anyone be?
Instead, at 66, certain factors keep standing him out. One is leadership. To a large extent, Uzodimma has shown Imo people, through his leadership attributes, how they can do the right things even without his spending time proving to them that he is right. His exemplary leadership equally finds expression in the manner he handles the common patrimony of the State. I am talking about accountability and transparency.
Despite the cravings of certain persons who have remained unrepentant in their quest to undermine his government, through baseless propaganda and smear campaign since January 15, 2020 when he mounted the saddle till date, Uzodimma remains unfazed by such unbecoming demeanour, bearing in mind a Yoruba proverb that says, “the tortoise cannot make any progress until it sticks its neck out.” Uzodimma has long stuck his neck out for Imo’s good.
Two is service. Uzodimma is serving Imo State sincerely and truthfully, away from the deceitful machinations of those who came before him. We are not surprised because only insincere people will treat with levity their covenant with God regarding service to Him and humanity.
Three is commitment. He has shown unalloyed commitment by the manner he goes about his people-oriented innovative programmes, policies and strategies for the development of Imo, and with that helping to position the State for competitiveness in business and economy in the years ahead.
Four is compassion. Uzodimma is compassionate to a fault. His forgiving spirit regardless of the gravity of offence one may commit against him is exemplary. Nothing excites him like lending a helping hand and putting himself in the shoes of those who are challenged. Whenever he says, “If you are happy, I am happy and if you are sad, I am sad,” he speaks from the heart. His feeling for others is a true reflection of the Igbo adage that says whenever the nose is crying the eye joins it to cry as well.
Five is boldness and courage. Uzodimma is one man whose outward, good-looking posture belies his God-given boldness and courage that can only be found in the lion. But unlike those who deploy theirs on the weak, Uzodimma uses his inwardly endowed strength, boldness and courage to protect and liberate the weak from the stranglehold of the powerful. Regardless, he believes that “courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace,” as former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela would say.
Yes, Hope Uzodimma is moving to greater heights at 66 with his Shared Prosperity 3R mantra government that aligns with the properly articulated Imo State 10-year Development Plan (2024-2034) Vision Document, with the capacity to transform the State into an industrial, self-sufficient entity in the next 10 years.
With emphasis on improved health, education, agriculture/food security, road infrastructure, housing/new cities development, water supply transportation/infrastructure, electricity/power generation, trade/quality assurance, sanitation/waste management, digital economy infrastructure, market access, industrial policy, enabling laws and policies, public finance management, sports development, hospitality/tourism/internationalization, air transportation, security/safety, among others in Imo, the State, therefore remains in good hands.
What is happening in the above sectors, particularly in the health, education, transportation, digital economy, hospitality/tourism sectors are simply testament to what the future of Imo looks like. They speak to the vision of a leader in the mould of Uzodimma who is bold, courageous, compassionate, sincere and service-oriented.
Gradually and steadily, Uzodimma is turning Imo into the industrial hub of the South East, and by extension, Nigeria with his road revolution, the dredging of Orashi River to the Atlantic ocean, the ongoing innovation in the power sector, and a lot more.
Across the three senatorial zones of Imo State, completed road projects are in excess of 190 kilometers while the on-going ones stand at 375.80km.
Special mention must be made of critical roads such as the Owerri-Okigwe road, Owerri-Orlu road, Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia road, Airport-Aba Road intersection, Orlu-Akokwa-Mgbe-Uga road, Avu-Obosima-Etekwuru road, Road Safety-Toronto-Orji road, Nkume-Umuowa-Orlu road, Assumpta Cathedral Roundabout Flyover, Ihiagwa-Obinze Bridge, among others that are either completed or nearing completion.
Key infrastructure such as the Imo State House of Assembly Complex; the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre; Regional Government House Complex, Orlu; Owerri Modern Abattoir, Naze; Reconstruction of Imo Concorde Hotel; Construction of Waste Recycling Plant, Owerri; Cardiovascular Centre and Installation of Oxygen Plant Machines at IMSUTH, Orlu; Construction of 500 capacity Auditorium a University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, and others too numerous to mention, suggest the difference Uzodimma is making to the lives of Imo people that will determine the overall significance of the lives they lead in future.
Under his visionary leadership, Imo has successfully funded five higher institutions – Imo State University, Owerri, K O Mbadiwe University, Ideato, Orlu, University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, Imo State Polytechnic Omuma and Ben Uwajumogu College of Education, Ihitte Uboma. This is outside of the funding of different Schools of Nursing and Midwifery operating in the State.
Besides, Imo under Uzodimma’s watch is comfortably playing host to three higher institutions – Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal University of Education, Owerri and Federal Polytechnic Owerri.
Uzodimma has scored commendable goals in the health sector. His vision propelled the establishment of the Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA) which the beneficiaries have not stopped giving testimonies.
Operating under four major planks – Formal Sector Social Health Programme (FSSHIP) designed to cater to the needs of civil servants in Imo; the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) for the poor and vulnerable in the State; the Imo Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (Imo-TISHIP) for all students of the State-owned tertiary institutions and the Imo Health Care Insurance Programme (IMOCARE) for those in the informal sector, the IMHIA has become the talk of the town with more than 186,000 enrollees and beneficiaries.
The recent commissioning of three General Hospitals at Oguta, Omuma and Ohaji with modern facilities, to add to the ones at Aboh Mbaise and Okigwe, are also meant to complement operations in the 305 Health Centres Uzodimma cited in the Electoral Wards in Imo.
As a way of giving back to the people while marking his 66th birthday, thousands of Imo residents are currently benefitting from an ongoing two weeks medical mission at the IMSUTH, Orlu; General Hospital, Omuma, and Specialist Hospital, Umugumma, Owerri, where 30 doctors from the United States of America with their Nigerian counterparts, are deployed to handle complex and semi complex medical conditions tormenting the people.
Truth is that in all facets of governance in Imo State under Uzodimma, the hope of the people for a better tomorrow has been rekindled, their zeal for more hard work energized and their spirit for a better Imo activated, compared to the gloom that pervaded the environment before he came on board.
Be it in the area of digital infrastructure/e-government, youth and sports development/talent hunt, agriculture/natural resources, commerce, security, women affairs, power generation, civil service, labour, employment and productivity, payment of salary, pensions and gratuity, rule of law and separation of power, environment/waste management, housing and urban development, land survey and physical planning, petroleum resources, there is light on the horizon.
At 66, Hope Uzodimma has proven Mandela right that, “it always seems impossible until it is done.” Our confident is that it can only get better.
Here’s to another year of good health and great memories, Onwa.
• Nwachuku, is Chief Press Secretary/Special Adviser Media to Governor Uzodimma