Political Madness - What Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment?

According to This Day Newspaper of December 5, 2017, Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo state have sworn in 28 new commissioners and eighty one transition committee members of the 27 Local Government Councils in   Imo state.

Appointment of commissioners is a usual thing in Nigeria but there is something unusual about this appointment that has kept many people wondering what manner of man is Governor Okorocha. Barely few weeks after the erection of Zuma statute and the statute of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Governor Okorocha has again aggrieved the citizens of Imo State and Nigeria by creating an irrelevant office named: Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment. What an abuse of an office and a mockery of the citizens!

According to Governor Okorocha, “The real essence of life is to be happy and to fulfill one’s purpose in life; Government officials are elected to address this. Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment Ministry therefore, is established for the lost time to correct the policy framework to guide ministries and departments on what they must do to guarantee the citizens’ happiness and contribute better to the society. Governments at different levels have created several ministries and departments to achieve this, yet, people are bitter, angry with hate speeches which lead to crisis, war and even terrorism”. What a flimsy reason?

Meanwhile, Mrs Nkechi Ololo, Governor Okorocha’s younger sister said that the ministry was created not because of family relations but to help secure the welfare of people in need. Why won’t people see it as a family business when Governor Okorocha’s Son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, is the Chief of Staff, his wife, Nkechi Rochas Okorocha, is the Chairman of Imo Amnesty Committee while his father-in-law and the current Minister of State for Education Anthony Anwuka, was the former Secretary to Imo State Government.

People are bitter and angry because their needs are not being met. The welfare of the people in need will be secured when the salaries of civil servants are paid on monthly basis, when pensioners are duly paid, when jobs are created for the teeming youths; to get them out of the streets, when water supply is regular and clean, when there is steady power supply for technicians, hairdressers, welders, etc. to work with and help boost the economy, etc. Will Ministry of Happiness make all these possible? We have good and talented comedians in Nigeria so I don’t think we need this office because it seems to me like this Ministry of Happiness is created to stir up temporal laughter to make people forget their sorrows while their problems linger.

I think this is the height of madness, or are we yet to experience another? Another election season is approaching; the best thing for Nigerians to do is to boycott elections if the candidates are from the present and past leaders. We need a change of leadership please. This political madness has reached its peak.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

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The Controversy over Zuma Statute in Imo State

The statute of the president of South Africa in Imo State erected by the state Governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha has continued to stir dust in Imo State and Nigeria, Yet, the governor decided to ignore the feelings of the people that joyfully elected him to power.

If it was just the naming of a road after Zuma and giving him a traditional title, it would have been a lighter subject to deal with; but to spend almost half a billion naira to honour a president who is facing serious charges of corruption in his own country is an abuse of office.

What was his reason for this honour? To encourage business relationship and attract business in Imo State was his alleged reason. And what was this business all about? To sign a memorandum of understanding between the Jacob Zuma Educational Foundation and the Rochas Foundation College of Africa, a private educational foundation of the governor; was the so called business. What a selfish business deal to the detriment of those who elected him to office. Why should the private visit of a foreign leader be given such a lavish memorial, and why the president of a country where Nigeria has been at the receiving end of xenophobia attack?

This is the governor of a state where workers are owed salaries and a governor who deemed it right to demolish the market where many of his citizens depend on for livelihood. What pains the most is that the governor blatantly ignored and lashed at his critics; those who entrusted their lives and assets in his hands when they voted him into power; as if they have no say in the matter concerning their collective resources.

The problem here is not the honour accorded a great man from South Africa. The issue here is that such honour should be earned or deserved, and should not be at the expense of poor citizens. For such an honour to be given, there must be a genuine reason. There is no evidence that President Zuma has done anything for Imo People.

Is it not yet time for the church to stand out and judge evil? Is the church waiting for every one of us to die spiritual deaths before they demonstrate the power of God in this generation? Has the church eaten what they are not supposed to eat from the so called politicians that made them seal their moths to the truth? Has the church not slept enough? People are suffering and our leaders think of nothing, and do nothing other than abuse their political offices and squander peoples resources on frivolities, yet our church leaders only pray and treat the matter on the pulpit. Our today’s carnivorous politicians need messages directed to them personally from highly placed men of God, not general messages that address no one in particular. If prayer and pulpit talk are enough to solve the problems, then why is it that the more we pray and preach, the more our leaders embezzle public funds and the more youths and poor masses take to crimes? Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, etc during their own time, did not only pray but also demonstrated God’s judgment upon the then leaders. The political atmosphere in Nigeria today is so tense and does not call for a gentle approach. Our leaders want everybody to remain calm as they perpetrate evil. If we all continue to keep quiet, expecting a change, then this madness will soon become a culture that will be difficult to abolish in the future, and maybe, by then bush meat will not satisfy them but human flesh.

Everybody cannot be a governor and everybody cannot be a president. The same goes for other state and national positions of power. Imo people and Nigerians are not fools to have voted their people into positions of power. All we want are responsible leaders that will manage the resources given to them well, in the best interest of their citizens, and not selfish leaders who have hard copies of good and wonderful promises, who will match into their seats of power with soft copies of their personal and destructive agenda.

Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi