By Samuel Nwanjoku
“I understand the vision of my boss. I feel his pulse in his passion to render service to humanity. In all these, keep it simple and ensure you make input to make your leader succeed because that is one of the reasons he has me around.
“He is gifted. You should also pray that God grants you the grace to be able to understand him at every point in time, interpret his vision and you must be proactive to ensure a smooth sail of work plans.
“Again, always show deference to your father irrespective of your knowledge, exposure or whatever because such is the heavenly prize you must pay in gratitude. What Governor Okorocha has exposed me to in his magnanimity is nothing money can buy.”
The above excerpt was how the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere way back in September 2016, in an interview with some reporters, gave an insight into how deep the relationship he shares with his principal, Governor Rochas Okorocha is.
Wake Madumere up from deep sleep and ask him about his boss, assuming there is something negative or damaging to the image of Okorocha, you are likely going to get a response not different from what he said in the above quotation that highlights the depth of love they share as political associates and family.
Perhaps, one man who understands the chemistry of Madumere’s relationship with Okorocha too well is Dr. Chuks Osuji, the United States of America trained historian and undisputable public relations icon and former Imo State Director of MAMSER.
In a piece he wrote recently tagged “Prince Madumere And The Dignity Of Politics”, Osuji, a man who represents the conscience of Imo masses and the elite said: “We all know that Prince Madumere is a long time confidant of Owelle, long before Owelle became the Governor of Imo State. Such a long relationship transcends political relationship….
“Secondly, it is clear that Prince Madumere has earned and continuously for nearly six years now that Owelle went to the government with Madumere, as Chief of staff, Government House, (prime minister and secondly as the Deputy Governor, his trust and confidence.
“Evidently, his Excellency is a unique person with different complexional and unpredictable operational variables. Some may say very difficult to comprehend appropriately. Yes, but like every other individuals he certainly has two personalities, the public and private personalities. One can therefore say that except Owelle’s spouse, Prince Madunmere is one individual; that can adequately read and analyze Owelle’s disposition.
“During the years of interwoven relationship, the ups and downs, Prince Madumere has remained constantly and unequivocally loyal, trust worthy and reliable. And he has never been known to criticize his boss in private or in public.
“Besides, he has preferred to remain as what John Collins, a social psychologist referred to as grand master of character assessment and adherent to ensure that two different individuals of different kinds remain as one almost two in one.
“Furthermore, since within the last few months as 2019 elections were drawing nearer, people in various press speculations tend to stir some issues of concern which Prince Madumere could emotionally react to, but has remained incontestably calm, quiet and non-committal, believing as he always believe, he is ‘Nwachinemere’, because whatever he has gained from Owelle he gained to the cost of his undiluted loyalty. And Owelle knows it.
“What is more, with such noble trust, he believes that this is time to continue to serve his boss and not time to begin to be drawn into preventable and worthless actions and speeches that would compromise his outstanding qualities for which Owelle loves, trusts and relies on him. Why must he rock the boat?”
Any moment from now, Okorocha will unveil to Ndi-Imo the man after his heart as far as 2019 and who succeeds him is concerned.
Going by what Okorocha told reporters during the week, he knows who will or not succeed him, and definitely the likes of former Senator representing Okigwe zone, Ifeanyi Ararume or the former governor, Ikedi Ohakim are not on the succession radar.
Though Okorocha did not expatiate on his beef with Araraume, he spoke so eloquently why Ohakim should not be allowed to return to the Government House, Owerri. “Ohakim will be on a revenge mission and cannot be trusted with state resources any longer,” Okorocha said.
Okorocha said of Ohakim: “If the former governor, by any means, returns to power, he will loot the state blind to make up for the long time he was out of power.
“I learnt that Ohakim is contesting the governorship in 2019. But this time, he is seeking for vengeance, and if he finds his way to power, he will pack the money of the state to cover up for those years he was out of power. So Imo people should not allow that to happen.
“The governor we want is a man that will continue with what we have done, because my administration has laid a solid foundation for the next governor.”
Explaining why he has not disclosed his likely successor, Okorocha said part of the reason was a deliberate ploy not to expose the person to harm.
Hear him: “If I show them my successor now, they will kill him. The politicians here are very wicked, but at the right time, when I disclose the identity of my successor, I will stand behind him to protect him.”
Tongues are wagging as to who the person Okorocha wants to unveil would or should be.
What is of paramount importance is that the governor had indicated interest in letting whosoever his choice would be to meet the desires of the electorate, who eventually would cast their ballot for the person as stakeholders in the Imo project.
Many names have sprung up in Imo as aspirants to the number one seat. Unfortunately, many analysts and commentators know for sure that not all those aspiring for the governorship ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) of Imo are really in the race. To many commentators, there could be more spoilers of shows than are aspirants.
As I write, none of the governor’s associates is yet to formally declare even though from grapevine the likes of Madumere; the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Acho Ihim; Okorocha’s Chief of Staff and son in-law, Uche Nwosu; his former Secretary to the State Government, Jude Ejiogu, another in-law of Okorocha who is a House of Representatives member, Chike Okafor; a top banker with the Zenith Bank Plc, Stanley Amuchie and George Eche are said to be interested in succeeding him.
When the above persons make their own aspiration known, they would join one person, Retired Air Commodore Peter Gbujie whose has become public knowledge, to seek the nod of Imo APC electorate.
For the purpose of this intervention, the point ought to be made that nobody indicates interest in governing a state without the person having something to offer. So, to that extend, it is commendable that we have such number of brothers from Imo with genuine interest in taking over from the governor any time he exits office in 2019. They all need to be congratulated.
But beyond that, governance and leadership transcend mere showing of interest, and that is where we ought to be critical of whoever Okorocha unveils at this point in time.
Suffice, therefore, to say that the pedigree, capacity, and chances of the lucky one garnering the support of the generality of the Imolites in such a way that it would turn to electoral victory for the party must be the starting point.
The speculation that Madumere was poised to succeed Okorocha is wide and the sympathy for the deputy governor deep. Forget the political gerrymandering going on within the Rescue Mission camp, insiders and informed observers of the APC-led state government of Imo State believe Madumere remains first among equals and should be favoured and positioned to succeed his political mentor.
The things going for Madumere are legion. Apart from being one of the oldest associates of Okorocha in the Rescue Mission political family, he remains a known confidant of the governor having worked with him for more than 25 years.
Even within the Owerri zone where Madumere comes from, virtually everyone is at home with his aspiration and will be proud to work for his success which eventually will translate to APC success.
In fact, many had argued that had Okorocha earlier unveiled his deputy, most of those who exited the party would not have done so, and that since it is better late than never, unmasking Madumere now as the preferred choice of the governor would go a long way in healing old wounds and cementing the fractured relationship that many fear was injected in the party by selfish APC political nitwits and killjoys who have been selling wrong ideas to Okorocha knowing same to be faulty and not in his interest and in the interest of the party he has laboured so much to sustain.
Those who live under the illusion that Madumere’s interest may divide Okorocha’s political family in Imo State are enemies of Okorocha, his private and political life. They are also enemies of Imo State where the people need consolidation of developmental foundation the Rescue Mission had laid in the past seven years.
Madumere, who is from Owerri zone, which has not produced a governor since the return of democracy in 1999, is equally loved in other zones that constitute Imo State. Of late, all segments of the society from across the state have been visiting his office and home to practically drag him into the race, but he is one man who would never jump the queue for selfish reason. He wants his boss to say something first.
Those who understand the complexity and perplexing nature of Imo politics will wittingly or unwittingly tell you Okorocha is a grand master and has been in the game since 1998, but only those with perceptive minds will come to the conclusion that his deputy has learnt the ropes like no other aspirant or aide to the governor no matter the pretension.
Madumere is many things combined – loyalty, hardworking, respectful, intelligent, educated, humane, astute administrator, entrepreneur, God-fearing, family man, and more. He is also a young man full of untapped energy.
Okorocha, what you are looking for in Sokoto is in sokoto (kaftan) and if 1 Corinthians 3-6: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour,” is anything to go by, then your best bet remains Madumere.
.Nwanjoku, a political analyst writes from Orlu