Okorocha: A Governor indited by rebellion, vindicated by unbeatable scorecard

OKOROCHA: A GOVERNOR INDICTED BY REBELLION, VINDICATED BY UNBEATABLE SCORECARD

By Okwuaku A.I. Okwuaku

He could be better described as a rebel with a cause. His rebellion is an indictment against him for the political class and among the political circles angry at him for going against the old political traditions, starving the polity of cash, ending the Ghana Must Go Republic, breaking the jinx of domination of the polity by a privileged few, and not honoring the gesture of the Godfathers who played great role in electing him to power.  However, his cause is a vindication for him before the masses, the common electorates and the people yearning for change in the way the polity has been run, and for Imo citizens, both home and abroad, clamoring for the development of the state and its people. His cause is to deliver the dividends of governance to the commonest of the common people “for the sake of the glory of the job and not for the sake of the profit of the job.”

 He was almost the last, if not the last candidate, to secure his nomination with a party during the 2011 general elections. Ordinarily his emergence and journey remains an interesting one. First he was at the door of his party, the PDP, where the then serving governor, Ikedi Ohakim, fought ferociously to keep him at bay. From ACN to an array of choices of possible credible parties he made an interesting foray. All he needed was that ticket, not actually the party. His political personality was already a hot sale and his name was as palatable as iconic in the minds of the political class. He was also as charismatic as courageous to earn the confidence of the power brokers in the ruling PDP who were already managing a mutually hypocritical relationship with the incumbent governor.  They considered Ohakim a hard sale for the coming elections owing to his unhidden blunders in human relations, especially the catholic community whose influence in the polity is well known.

He, Rochas Okorocha, was expected to emerge the best choice of the masses who had a mental picture of him as “Rochas of The schools For The Poor and The Less Privileged.” His brush with the Red Cross Society and his exploits as the global organization’s Nigerian President constituted a great leverage. For the masses in all the political regions of the country, Rochas is a selfless philanthropist and a lover of the common people and the masses. Voting him into power with access to huge state fund would help him to do more than he had done. Of course, before this moment he had built free schools with free education in all these regions, catering for not less than 5000 students. His oratorical prowess was also a charm of some sort and a great tool at that. Luckily he had a window of opportunity in All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) where he negotiated his way to secure the guber ticket already considered to be in Chief Martin Agbaso’s palm. That was all Okorocha needed to become the governor of Imo state.

As soon as Okorocha secured the candidature of a party, he had a lot at his disposal to help his dream come true. There was an enormous goodwill of the masses, as many were quick to demonstrate their willingness to volunteer at no charge. But beyond all these, he had his political foot soldiers led by the former Chief Of Staff in his first one year plus in office, and his current deputy Prince Eze Madumere (MFR). Madumere came from the flanks as an American trained management consultant whose exploits in political strategic thinking took the incumbent governor Ohakim and his ruling party by a shocking surprise. He was a long time ally of Okorocha and his COS before the elections. Sooner than later, Rochas Okorocha, the APGA candidate, had taken the shine off every other guber candidate including the then incumbent governor. School children began to sing his name like national anthem, and the fear of Okorocha’s son became the beginning of wisdom for the then Gov. Ohakim. The energy around him was too engulfing, warranting former president Obasanjo to visit the state to help the then Gov. Ohakim. By this time, the PDP had decoded Madumere’s ability to upturn the tables against them. Sooner Madumere was jailed on fictitious grounds and later freed by the court to continue his onslaught. Minus-plus into the electioneering campaign, Owelle Rochas Okorocha won the elections. He is now Gov. Anayo Okorocha, the executive governor of Imo state.

The emergence of the Gov-elect, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, was simply symbolic in all sense of it. The celebrations and the events that followed were as historic as memorable. Personally, I vividly recall the frenzied crowds; I recall the wild, wild jubilations, and the endless celebrations in colorful admixture. I also recall the tears rolling down the faces of a people long held hostage by old powerful political establishments that left nothing but carnage and plunder on its trail. Even the Military guys, the Customs, the Road Safety, the Police and the Civil Defense joined the frenzied crowd to gyrate and chant “Ikiri Bu Onye Ohi (Ikiri is a thief- a cynical reference to the then Gov. Ikedi Ohakim who was alleged to have looted the state to bankruptcy with his allies in the PDP)”. I can’t forget a soldier dancing with a man holding a live cock, the symbol of APGA. But beyond the celebrations, Okorocha’s victory represented many things for many people; some for good, some for evil; all masked within the hearts of men. Of course Shakespeare, the legendary writer once said that “you can never know a man’s mind by the configurations on his face.”

For the political class, Okorocha was one of them who also understood the reason why they abandoned Ohakim for being greedy and selfish. So he had to be liberal to avoid Ohakim’s kind of fate. Okorocha cherishes his popularity, so oiling the system is one unavoidable way he would choose to keep this beat, some of them believed. Minus or plus, Okorocha’s emergence would allow some banana republic kind of politics and governance- the chop I chop kind of thing. In fact, some opinions among the political class viewed Okorocha as a business politician who must inevitably need some kind of “Ghana Must Go” atmosphere to thrive. But for the masses Okorocha’s election marked a new dawn of freedom, development, peace, security, stability and progress. He was the Messiah that would bring the change so long needed. As an individual he had demonstrated the messianic attributes and now he has a better chance to do more, and he shouldn’t fail.  The point is that all were happy with Okorocha’s victory. But this happiness was soon to be overshadowed by the fallouts of Okorocha’s approach to politics and governance, especially his stand against bribery and corruption.

All were happy for one man’s victory. Each group’s happiness for this victory was for different reasons. The complicating dimension to it came from the fact that all the reasons ran on contradictory narratives. This contradiction created a hard choice for Okorocha who must choose to go with one group against the other. Without blinking Okorocha chose to go with the masses and the people. Today he has created an unbeatable record of achievement in developmental strive, but I am sure that by now the governor would be shocked to discover that blackmail sells like pure water and the stunts of media demonization sticks as long as a birth mark. He has received enough of it. However, Okorocha, a leftwing politician with a typical mindset of a rebel against the old order, is not willing to bulge in his fight to reclaim the soul of the state from a set of powerful figures who have ever held the state and its people to ransom politically, no matter the price he has to pay. At whatever price, “Imo Must Be Better” and his mission remains “My people! My people!”

At his inauguration the new governor was too quick to distance himself from the old political traditions. For the Godfathers of Imo politics and the guys of the old political establishments, Okorocha’s stern words on stamping out corruption were a clear indication that their support for Okorocha’s emergence has become “euphoria turned tragedy”.  The governor added salt to fresh injury when he stated without equivocation “I am not driven by the profits of the job, but by the glory of the job.” If you are a smart insider of the Imo politics or a seasoned analyst with his fingers on the pulse of the Imo politics, you would notice without much ado that this statement belies more than it seemed.

While branding his administration’s agenda “the Rescue Mission” the new governor told an unimaginable crowd of Imo people like never seen before that he was in a hurry to develop Imo state. In the people he saw dejection and poverty, and the deep yearning to be freed from these limiting vices. Then when he saw the love of the people for him, Okorocha felt and confessed his indebtedness to the people, letting go of  his emotions at a point and weeping tears while delivering his inaugural speech at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. “If delivering these promises is what it means to be poor, then I choose to be poor” “ If not being corrupt is what it means to be poor, then I choose to be poor” the governor told an elated crowd, giving the people every reason to believe the messiah is here with us. Today, to every honest Imo citizen, Okorocha has justified his statements.

Sooner the governor swung into action, cutting the bogus security vote as enjoyed by his predecessors, downsizing an oversized staff, and ministries. But first, he had stopped last minutes looting of the system by the previous administration of former governor Ohakim. His manner of appointments for commissioners, SAs, and SSAs was the first signal that a rebel was on the horizon, and stopping him should be the highest priority of the political elites if they hoped to see the old system preserved. Ordinarily, appointments were doled as slots to political elites who would in turn share among their most loyal disciples. Okorocha’s own format was funny. It was as weird as unthinkable for the old guys. It was an absurdity in all logical realms. From one corner of the state to another the new governor, poised to break from the past and stamp his political will on the polity, picked candidates from among the common people who had the zeal to be part of the rescue mission. He showed the same attitude in the manner in which his government gave out contracts to younger people and commoners, people who before now would never dream of such opportunities.

Sooner than later the old political establishment went for the governor’s head- a head hunt they were ready to invest or stake anything. Career blackmailers went on the rampage, and paid fifth columnists churned pages after pages of fictitious allegations and character assassinations aimed at discrediting the governor’s agenda, his vision and his personality. His closest ally and the most consummate insider of his political dynasty, Prince Eze Madumere, was also not spared of the damaging stunts. The primary aim of the plotters of these machinations was to create loss of confidence in the system and to create disaffection between the governor and the masses, especially the electorates, with the 2015 elections in view.

Of course, Gov. Okorocha parades a combination of compelling qualities and factors working for him, including his unassailable charisma and a rare kind of political will that provides an inner steel to make him unstoppable in his vision to develop the state, while stamping out the cancer of corruption within the polity. Yet, the fact remains that the governor, being a first timer into elective offices, especially an office as sensitive and tasking as the one he occupies currently is bound to find himself in blunders. At the slightest misstep, his opponents and detractors jump out of their hiding to attack him like caged hyenas released unto a man with bloodied red meat in his bare hands. Some even established local newspapers charged with the task of publishing everything unpalatable about the Okorocha administration and misrepresenting facts about all his noble strides with the aim of misleading the gullible and largely uninformed masses. In the midst of all these, Gov. Okorocha has remained undaunted in his effort to develop every facet of the state and end looting and corruption.

First the governor kicked off his agenda with huge dive into infrastructural development of an unimaginable extent. Every Imo citizen was shocked to learn that a state government could undertake such magnitude of infrastructural development in all the geopolitical zones of the state. Today, new cities and modern market facilities are springing up in strategic locations in all the geopolitical zones.  Sooner his detractors went to town to misinform the public that with huge investment into the infrastructural sector, the governor would render the state bankrupt. What they failed to tell the people is what the fund to be reserved has been used for in the past, if not for sharing it among corrupt elite politicians and elite civil servants.

 As if he was not listening to the distracting voices of his detractors, both real and imaginary, the governor unveiled a massive road construction blueprint that touches all the communities in the 27 local governments, while opening new special new roads within the state’s cardinal cities of Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu, and rehabilitating all the old ones. Today, the governor’s name and administration has become synonymous with road construction and infrastructural development. No one denies him that credit.   The immediate and remote impacts of the government’s massive rural road project remains unquantifiable.

Aside his giant strides in the above two areas, Gov. Okorocha has left an unbeatable record in the area of health delivery services and improved health infrastructures. In all the 27 local governments, new hospitals to be well equipped to world class standard are springing up, with some already completed to takeoff stages.  In education, the governor shocked many Nigerians when he declared free education for Imo people from primary to tertiary levels and encouraged school children by paying them stipends. He followed up with complete and comprehensive implementation of the policy. Today, to the extent the available records indicate, the governor maintains a leading record in educational infrastructures.

At least each community has one of its schools being retouched or completely overhauled. Meanwhile the infrastructures of the Owerri City School can compete with some universities in Nigeria. There are a lot to be said in this sector of a governor dubbed “The grand commander of free education” in Nigeria due to his unassailable record in that sector. Just few weeks ago, tens of thousands of free school desks and chairs were made available to the schools in each of the 27 LG council areas, in addition to other free material provisions earlier made available to the students of these schools.

From Agriculture, power, environment, community development, youth and women empowerment, job creation, to security of lives and properties and numerous areas, the governor is building a sterling record of achievements that cumulatively forms a most credible compelling scorecard for vindication from all kinds of blackmails, discredits and constant stir of negative sentiments by his detractors. He has changed the face and quality of civil service in the state, and workers welfare remains a priority to his administration. By 21^st of every month salaries have been paid. The governor has also given the teaching profession the credibility and attraction it ought to have. Today, unlike what obtained before, kidnapping and armed robbery have abetted to the lowest ebbs. The prospects and the development benefits of the Community government council system (CGC), a fourth tier government system pioneered by the Okorocha administration to bring governance closer to the people, is a vindication for the governor against stiff opposition that greeted its introduction.   

The fact is that giving an appreciable and fair account of the achievements of the Okorocha administration can never be a paper affair. Probably it will take the entire pages of a newspaper edition to capture the entire developmental strides. Gov. Okorocha’s choice to go with the people against the elites of the many political circles in Imo has stood him out as a rebel.

As impressive and unbeatable his performances and achievements are in just 2 years of his coming to office as the governor of Imo state, it is evident the governor might be fighting the biggest battle of his political career.  Of course, today in Imo state, after Gov. Okorocha has tinkered with the system, we can’t afford to ignore the fact that a new civilization of governance and politics is emerging in our lives as a state. Unfortunately, blind men within the powerful political circles are trying to suppress it. They are frantically and desperately fighting to restore the dying world that gave them birth. In the midst of this life or death fight, the governor has earned a barrage of unfounded blackmails, destructive criticisms and all manner of attacks from the opposition and the old political establishments. But while the grand plots to stop him by 2015 by a desperate opposition continue to gather momentum, the fact remains that his scorecard remains next to none after the legendary Chief Sam Onunaka Mbakwe. Hence, with a considerable accuracy, but with appropriate discount for uncertainties, the governor remains a candidate to beat as his record makes it almost impossible for the opposition to offer the electorates a more credible alternative come 2015.

Politically, both now and come 2015, the choice is for Imo people to choose between mediocrity and excellence. It is the choice of the people   

to either decide to choose to support the governor in his mission to rescue Imo from the hands of slave masters or remain slaves in the hands of these slave masters. For me and other people of goodwill, Okorocha, no doubt, is a rebel, but he is a rebel with a cause, vindicated by his sterling scorecard.

Okwuaku A. I. Okwuaku a media strategist writes in from Owerri

 234-803-662-7764

The Madumere Mystery: A model test case in political imagery and symbolism...

The Madumere Mystery: A Model Test Case in Political Imagery and Symbolism

Why is Imo’s Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, becoming such a powerful technician of power and such a powerful figure in Imo politics with a frightening personality? Of course, in the last few moments, some of his detractors have been raising false alarms to create the impression that Gov. Okorocha is plotting to impose Madumere on Imo people come 2015. Some have even tried to blackmail him. But the question remains’ Is it that Gov. Okorocha is imposing Madumere on Imo people? Or that Prince Madumere, by merit and public opinion, is the most possible credible, capable politician to man the Douglas House, if his boss gives him his support? And the funniest part of the game is that Madumere is not even concerned with 2015 elections and has shown no sign of any ambition whatsoever, to the best anyone can say. So let’s accept that such moves by his contenders are born out of fear or whatever motive.

I have read a few notable books on politics and social wave ideologies including Alvin Toffler’s ‘The Third Wave’. There is Robert Green’s ‘48 Laws of Power,’ ‘The Art Of Seduction’ and ‘The Art of War,’ I have also read the Mafia Lord series of Mario Puzzo including “The God Father” and “The Last Don”. There was also “The Prince” by Machiavelli De Prince, ‘Office Politics,’ and ‘The Mafia Manager’, all by Machiavelli De Prince. I have read ‘The Corporate Guru’ and also ‘The Strategist’, including Malam Nasir el-Rufai’s ‘The Accidental Public Servant’ and Abdul Salami Abubakar’s biography- The Legacy of Honour. I once glanced through the pages of ‘The Incorruptible Judge’, and ‘The Impeccable Mortal Man’, including ‘The Satanic Verses’ by Salman Rushdie, exposing the dirty political side of the Islamic temple insiders, including the corruptions and maneuverings.

In addition to all these, I once walked into the room of a catholic insider and a friend and saw a copy of a book titled “In God’s Name” by the legendary David A Yallop- An investigative account of the other side of the “Holy Vatican”, the murder of Pope Paul 1 by brother cardinals, and the Vatican cover-ups.  The daring author gave a shocking, but fascinating account of the high level of corruption, powerful political intrigues, maneuverings and manipulations that dot the lives and activities of the cardinals that rule the Vatican city- the home of the Pope. The book sees them as the brothers of the pope, the holy reverend gentle fathers who forgave the sins of others on God’s behalf, yet living their daily lives as the princes of power and normal political figures who employ same dirty political tools as used in the world out there. But let’s leave that for now, so that my parish priest won’t deny me Holy Communion. But for sure, nothing could have been more fascinating like understudying ‘the making of holy politicians and saintly mafia in the holy home of our holy father the pope. I also came across many other political books while I studied philosophy with the Pontifical Urban University, Rome.

In all these books, I discovered one single truth; none of the authors, including my political philosophy lecturers where able to answer the question “How do people rise in politics and power to the extent that, suddenly, their names get so shrouded in Mystery? Sometimes, like me, you are forced to ask ’How did this guy get here?’ And ‘’How come he has become such a mystery personality in the polity? I have asked ‘How did Barack Hussein Obama, the street side son of a Kenyan immigrant father, make it to the White House as the President of America? I have asked “How did Tarcisio Bertone become the most powerful diplomat and global figure in the Vatican? I have also asked “How did Adel Fatah El’ Sisi become such a symbolic figure in Egypt, Arab’s most populous nation? Today in Nigeria, I have joined many close watchers to ask “How did Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere get here?

The more you ask questions like the ones above, the more the echoes of your voice returns back to you like a man shouting into an empty ancient Greek orchestra hall.  This is one of the things I learnt in my study of political symbolism and Imagery. A South African thought me about it when he took me on a few lectures on Media Strategy and Creative Writing as it relates to politics.  One day he told me “Creating a big name in politics is not about how much publicity you can engage in. It is about getting things done… It’s about fixing things and being able to deliver… It’s about developing and deploying realistic strategies that get results in politics, in administration and in human relations… Sooner your name becomes symbolic and your personality becomes god-like. It’s all about your qualities and capabilities, and your ability to deploy them against your opponents or in favour of those who believe in you. You just become a mystery to the guys out there.” Today in Imo state, same question echoes in every coroner about the personality of Imo’s current Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere(MFR).  ‘The Diplomatic Prince’ as he is regarded in many corners now, Madumere surprisingly came from the flanks to become a powerful political figure and the most trusted loyal ally his boss, the governor, can trust without blinking. As he makes an unimaginable impression on the masses and the political class, the ‘Madumere mystery’ remains a case study for political pundits and a shocker to those who never gave him a chance.

As political pundits scratch their heads to figure out how  on earth the young Comrade Tony Nwoye sprung such a daring surprise to emerge PDP’s flag bearer in a highly competitive political terrain like Anambra PDP, even more puzzling is the speed at which the image of Prince Eze Madumere is seizing the Imo political terrain.   How did the son of a 1970’s moderate income earner become one of the top brand politicians in the star-studded political circles that dominate Imo state politics? At the threshold of the Nigerian independence his father rode to work on a bicycle in the Southern city of Port Harcourt; As the Nigerian-Biafran civil war raged, he was a small lad moving with his father from one town to another as the Nigerian military captured Owerri; But by the end of 2011, immediately after the 2011 general elections, Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere has become a test case in political symbolism and social imagery.  How on earth did it all happen? This is one question that all political observers, including insiders, are asking.

One of the things that have eluded the interpretative mastery of political scientists, analysts, and pundits is the issue of myths in political symbolism and imagery. That is  why it is very hard for anyone, no matter how informed, to accurately predict the next set of power brokers to decide things politically after the 2015 elections have come and gone. Sometimes you wake up to hear that that  common lad from the village side has become a power broker of some sort, while money bag men are yet to arrive after years of efforts. So, the ultimate question remains ‘How does one emerge to become a political figure of relevance? Is it by investing money into politics? Is it by connection to the big and mighty in the society? Is it a game of luck and chance? However, my South African friend and teacher has answered that question; It is by getting things done, and Madumere’s case is a fitting case.

Traditionally leaning pundits like me can attribute Madumere’s political success to the fact that his political mentor, lifelong friend and principal, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, practices a type of politics that encourages the new young people to make fast inroads into the political terrain. Okorocha has a reputation for believing in the ingenuity of the younger generation in politics and human administration. Madumere is one of such younger generation that never allowed that opportunity slip off by proving his mettle in politics and his ability to manage men and missions.

Of course, immediately after being sworn in 2011 as the governor of Imo state, the governor left no one in doubt of his approach to politics and his believe in the younger generation to deliver. He changed the political paradigm by pulling down the old political establishments which bestrode the Imo politics like eternal colossus. First he stamped out corruption and looting which were perceived to be the life wire of the old guys of power in the “Ghana Must Go Republic.” Then he went to town to look for the new guys to help him rebuild a state on the brink of collapse. Some he called from obscure corners of the village sides of the state; some he brought home from far away Asia, while some he met in the downtown Manhattan, USA and brought them home for a chance to create a political future for themselves. But there was also the story of a young man of 28 years appointed Transition committee chairman of an LG council just because there were evidences he has the will to get things done. That is Okorocha for you.  But the story of his journey with Madumere dates too far into the past.

Madumere, like the rest of many others in his time, joined the Okorocha political team as a humble figure from the countryside in the early 90s. However, before then Madumere had already distinguished himself as a management consultant in the United States of America where he spent most part of his life. It was not too long Madumere emerged the second in command of the Okorocha political team, following after his boss. Of course his dual qualities of being a thorough bred political strategist and his unflinching believe in Okorocha’s political future stood him as the most appropriate disciple among many to earn the trust of his principal. But beyond these, he was a figure of disarming humility and simple lifestyle, buying big time into Okorocha’s ideology of philanthropy and socialism. These, as a matter of fact, are the very ideologies that have made Madumere’s personality greatly appealing to the masses, the political class and the by-side watchers. Today, whether we like it or not, Madumere’s entrance into the club of the political elites of Imo has altered the traditional political equation of the state in a way too significant to be ignored. Of course, the general perception in town at the moment is that come 2015, if Gov. Okorocha moves up federal with APC’s presidential offer, then the guber race in Imo is between Madumere and the rest. The rating is not only because Madumere is Okorocha’s most loyal, and most trusted aide. The fact is that by every standard Madumere has proven to merit his rating and popularity among the Imo people. And it is increasingly becoming evident, that beating Madumere at the polls, if he is given the chance, will be synonymous to, as Jesus said, passing the head of the Carmel through the eye of the needle.

The fact is that with considerable accuracy, but with appropriate discount for uncertainties, Madumere, who is the current Imo’s deputy governor, is largely favored by every credible cluster of opinion ratings to emerge the most possible credible successor to Gov. Anayo Okorocha of Imo state anytime the governor serves out his 4- year or 8-year term as he chooses, and if the masses renew his mandate. And observers at home and abroad are once again puzzling over the reasons for Madumere’s success. Is it his studies in management that gives him an edge in his fast rise to power’s topmost echelon? His practical and realistic approach to politics? Or his ability to combine an attitude of independent mindedness with unflinching loyalty to his principal and political mentor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha?  No matter the question, Madumere’s case is a unique one when it comes to decoding myths and prototypes in political symbolism.

One point most pundits can agree on is that almost all of Madumere’s close watchers have underestimated him from the moment Okorocha picked him as a political aid even years before Gov. Okrocha was elected governor of Imo state in an election- an election whose success is largely attributed to the political wizardry of Madumere and the crack team of political strategist he put together. Madumere is now widely regarded as one of Imo's most powerful political leaders, following after his current boss. Comparisons have been drawn with the likes of Ifeanyi Ararume and such other grass root political strategists. But the downing of Ararume’s credibility by former president Obasanjo leaves the likes of Madumere to grip the Imo political space with such a bestriding mien anytime Okorocha leaves the seat for any reason. Madumere, a figure of moderate lifestyle and few words, known as 'The Diplomatic Prince' for his constructive approach in public relations, in political diplomacy and negotiations, according to political analysts and observant insiders, took strategic tiny steps to arrive at such level of political relevance in Imo politics.

In the 90’s Madumere returned to Nigeria to start a political career from a sideway corner. Of course, he left Nigeria to the United State of America as a teen, and returned back as a soundly educated special breed in management consultancy and human administration. His political career took off as an aide to Owelle Anayo Okorocha, and later earning a reputation as Okorocha’s most capable political aide, and the most trusted political insider of the Okorocha political dynasty. Of course the Okorocha dynasty has been an old dynasty growing from the flanks during Sam Mbakwe’s time when Okorocha dared the likes of the maverick Francis Arthur Nzeribe. But the dynasty largely grew on the wings of Okorocha’s reputation as a nationalist detribalized philanthropist and socialist. Later Prince Madumere (MFR) vied for the senate in what was seen as victory denied. But by the 2011 elections rolled on, it was too hard to ignore the fact that someone like Madumere was in town to get things done for his boss. In fact, as the elections went on, there were two Nigerians to watch. The first was Douglass Oronto- the little known countryside guy who mesmerized Atiku’s team to get Goodluck Jonathan on the card. The second was Prince Ezeakonobi Madumere- a little known fellow whose political strategies held the then incumbent Gov. Ikedi Ohakim and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party to ransom.

Initially, Madumere was never seen as a force to reckon with amidst such political heavyweights and smart guys. Silently he coordinated series of political strategies that put Ohakim and the PDP on the defending side of the game, and finally secured victory for his boss. A lot happened in-between, anyway, but let’s leave that for now. However, what enshrined Madumere’s name in the sands of time in Imo politics is his role as Chief of Staff to Governor Okorocha. He performed creditably well in a way that left no one in doubt that Madumere is a capable hand in all sense of it, whether in administration, in political diplomacy or human relations. He also made it to the national honours list that year, where President Goodluck Jonathan personally decorated him with the MFR medal. Today, as deputy governor of Imo state, Madumere’s ability to deliver has become a vindication to Gov Okorocha’s political approach of giving the younger generation a chance, and the secret of his soaring popularity is his ability to deliver.

Beside his role in the 2011 elections, Madumere is credited with being a smart guy in political strategic thinking. By 2011, lending their support to the election of Okorocha was an off-the-table option for the old political generation in Imo politics. Their reason was simple; this guy is another new guy like Ikedi Ohakim. Because, Ohakim, in as much as he, according to popular opinion, did not make positive impacts on the polity in terms of developmental strides and was accused of orchestrating a blatant campaign of looting and corruption, he also dealt ruthlessly with the guys of the old political order in an attempt to tighten his grip on the levers of Imo politics and the PDP structures. Even Willy Amadi who was his closest ally was not spared the hammer. For them, their support to the maneuverings that produced Ohakim as governor is “Euphoria Turned Tragedy”. For them, Okorocha would not be different. But Madumere and his team were able to broker a deal to the skeptic old guys by developing a political bargaining chip that revolved around the principle of Double Effects- a smart narrative of bigger evil versus lesser evil. Of course, in ‘principle of double effect’, you choose the lesser evil when you are faced with two evils in which you must necessarily choose one. So Okorocha was made to wear the toga of the lesser evil, and the old guys went for him. That is Madumere for you. He knows how to develop a credible bargaining chip, and how to deploy it in a way that brings results.

Personally Madumere comes along with rare qualities that make him a mystery to the most discerning observer. I met Madumere for the first time while I was undergoing an informal series on Media strategy and creative writing as it bothers on politics. I had heard of his exploits, so it was a privilege meeting my mythical figure in real life. I wanted to understudy him and know his secrets, but I was puzzled the more. I noticed one thing; he was consistently self controlled and has a reputation for calculating carefully before every move. Madumere will give you a task but won’t tell you what the final product should look like and what it is meant for. That’s an incredible strategy in human administration.  Suddenly, I discovered what might be his secret; he was too simple to a fault and everybody, no matter how lowly or common, could access his office and have his audience. Of course, initially I tried to let him know that meeting him was a privilege, but he insisted on making me know that it was a meeting of two equal citizens and brothers who must be united by the Governor’s vision to build a better Imo.

However, to my shock, I discovered that Madumere has no special marketing technique to promote his image for political reasons as it’s the case with a typical Nigerian rising politician. He has no penchant for media and publicity. In fact, to make it more perplexing, he is very, very conscious about image control. You just find out he has a plan about how he wants to be seen and how information should come out, and joining the media frenzy is not part of that. For him, it’s all about helping his boss to get things done and realize the mandate the people gave his boss. One day he said “Look, there is only one governor in Imo state, and that is Anayo Okorocha. The rest are staff helping him to deliver on his promises to the people” So how then did this guy’s name become that symbolic?  This is what has become the Madumere Mystery and a test case in understanding political symbolism and social imagery. It’s a big task for the detractors and distracters of His Excellency Prince Eze Madumere (MFR). We keep our fingers on the pulse of Imo politics!

Okwuaku A.I.Okwuaku writes from Owerri