ENUGU 2023: A CASE OF UDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLITICS OF UNSPOKEN CHAINLESS SLAVERY by OBORI ADAKA
In childhood curiosity one of the kids asked the adults who was this Chime that did not provide water for our community. They said Chime was a big politician in the mold of Odenigwe, Agballa, Onoh and others, who promised to provide water and even asked them to make contributions before the Biafran war. But unfortunately, the promises were never kept. The community only saw water during the construction of the Enugu - Oturkpo road when the Italian construction company Bartalotti dug a first ever borehole in the community.
Growing up we remember the popular Chime Avenue in New Haven Enugu but we did not make the connection to the Chime in the song until His Excellency Barrister Sullivan Chime was elected Governor of Enugu State, that’s when the whole Chime song and name made rhythmic sense.
Udi local government is one of the oldest with its powerbase centered around Udi town, it’s long time headquarter. Power flows from the center and revolves around a certain diameter but never to the entire Udi LGA. This piece will basically take a cursor view of the power relationship between the Udi South and the rest of Udi and for lack of a better term and yielding to geography, we describe it as Udi North. We will revisit elected and appointed political positions to shed lights into the inherent imbalance which can best be described as the Fulani - Hausa relationship whereby the Hausas are not slaves, however, they know their place in relationship with their Fulani masters after the conquest of 1804 by Utman Dan Fodio leaving visible presence of unspoken chainless slavery.
However, before we continue it is necessary to do some house cleaning or sort of disclaimer about what we do at Obori Adaka. We do not advocate, subscribe nor support zoning. We see zoning as anti-democratic and undemocratic. We view zoning as mediocrity over meritocracy. We see zoning as a shrewd political strategy and tactics mischievously used not to advance democracy but to disenfranchise and exclude formidable political opponents. We point out the deceits and ask for voluntary redirection.
Therefore, without going all the way back to 1999 at the dawn of the 4th Republic, we will start in 2007 at the administration of our own brother, His Excellency Gov. Chime. Udi North was overwhelmingly elected as Chairman in what was seen as fair balance. The senior brother Udi South holding the big fish and the junior brother Udi North guarding the small fry. But towards the tail end of his administration, all hell broke loose and the mantra was that he must go. In the most artful move, our political gurus of Udi South reached into their Oshie clan Eke that happens to be in Udi North to present an alternative. After he served for two years, power promptly returned to where it belonged in Udi South and he served a full term of 4 years.
Prior to 2007, Udi South served at the Federal House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. In 2007 apart from holding the highest office in the state, the Executive Governorship, Udi South held onto the two commissioners slots from 2007 to 2015. Udi North was left with Senior Special Advisers cum Assistants, lone commissioner and a clandestinely placed Federal Minister from Udi South widowed to Udi North evidencing the unspoken chainlessness. All these are done on the guise of zoning of equity, fairness and justice.
Fast forward to 2015 till date, Udi South retained two commissioners from 2015 to 2019. Today, Udi South still has one commissioner and Deputy Treasurer PDP National Working Committee going into 2023. Udi North in their unspoken chainlessness were satisfied with one up till 2019. Udi North also has Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, a great feat.
Perhaps, Udi North has the member representing Udi-Ezeagu at the Green Chambers. But let’s review how he emerged in the race. The competition was tight and it was yielded to Udi North. Guess what, the political gurus of Udi South did not allow Udi North to proceed with their candidate instead they meddled and handed it over to their own anointed candidate. The Udi North in Federal House was chosen by Udi South and near fracas followed but was swiftly swept under the rug as Udi North dose off into their usual unspoken chainlessness.
Information reaching us indicates that there is an unwritten rule that the PDP Chairman and Udi Local Government Chairman must not come from the same part of Udi. However, in 2015 or thereabout such rule was shunted aside by the political gurus of Udi South. From about 2016 till date PDP Chairman and Udi LGA Chairmen are both from Udi South despite tepid protest from Udi North. As a matter of fact it is now acceptable and normal for Udi South to retain both so that peace will reign.
One would have thought that our peace-loving His Excellency Gov Ugwuanyi would have seen the imbalance in Udi and do something about it but the political gurus had promptly warned that it is better to act as Romans when you are in Rome. They assured him that for political expediency it is better to leave Udi in the current state of unspoken chainlessness to achieve his political goals and objectives. Tell me any politician who will not yield to such assurance which is more like Chioma Assurance.
As the political atmosphere of Enugu heats up, Udi South is leaving no stone unturned in their dominance of their Udi North brethren. In the recently concluded election of Udi LGA National Convention Delegates, it was surprising that Udi South did not think it worthy to share with Udi North. The two positions are one for an able bodied man or woman while the other is for a disabled man or woman. The political gurus of Udi South promptly swept the two elective positions. Reasonable minds would have figured to allow their chainless Udi North at least to produce the disabled delegate as a sense of belonging but no way, it is now in your face and maximum dominance.
If you think that the above is outrageous wait till you hear about the move for the senate seat in the guise of Ka Udi Jee. Any political observer knows that there are many qualified aspirants for the senate seat being vacated after 20 years. These aspirants from Udi North, South and Ezeagu LGA, both men and women who are sharp, articulate and organized in their campaign as they interact with the people, delegates and party members. Some of them have already started doing for the people such as charity, philanthropy and palliatives. We have high hopes for the aspirants as we expect a fair contest.
However, our Udi political gurus in their strategic thrust have figured out how to corner the seat for Udi South. Their first attack was launched against the current House of Representative member from Udi North. The same one they handpicked who will have 8 years legislative experience by 2023. First of all, they prevented him from speaking at a PDP party meeting, a case which is pending at the State and National PDP offices.
Secondly, they initiated what they called a quest for consensus candidates without inviting the same House member from Udi North. They did not even invite the aspirants from Ezeagu which include but not limited to former Senator and a former House Member with 12 years of legislative experience. They invited the rest of the aspirants from Udi both North and South and had them sign a consensus paper asking His Excellency to select one of them for the rest to step down.
They met and informed His Excellency Gov. Ugwuanyi that the senate seat was for Agbaja which comprised Ezeagu and Udi. They said that Udi has opted for the senate leaving Ezeagu with the House seat. They informed the Governor that all the Udi aspirants have agreed for the Gov to select one of them and the rest will step down. They did not tell the Gov that they failed to invite the House member from Udi North which rendered whatever consensus irrelevant. To cut the long story short, information reaching us indicates that His Excellency as a political astute leader advised them to go back to the drawing board by first appealing to Ezeagu people and have a meeting of mind with them about sharing what belongs to both.
As the discussion about the visit to Government House was raging in one of the groups, one of the participants posed a question that the request to His Excellency should have been more specific. Instead of telling the Gov. to pick from the pool of all Udi aspirants that he should pick from a pool of Udi North aspirants. His argument hinged on the fact that Udi South took the highest office in Enugu State and held it for 8 years. He added that the second highest office should be reserved for Udi North. I repeat Udi South took the Executive Governorship. Why not allow Udi North to take the Senate Seat? Can’t we see the equity, fairness and justice in the simple request? Is this not what zoning is all about? Do you take and keep taking? Answer the questions our zoning advocates.
In conclusion, the song we heard and sang as kids reminds us of the power base in Udi LGA. It reminds us of the limited diameter and those outside the diameter. It reminds us where and how it started and the clandestine and mischievous ways it is perpetuated with the mantra of zoning when in fact it is a symbol of inequity, unfairness and injustice. His Excellency Gov. Chime rose to his father’s leadership level and provided water and other infrastructure to many. However, he could not shake the long imbedded and unspoken chainless slavery that has since taken root in Udi LGA. This is so pervasive that the leaders of Udi North know their boundaries and what they ask, contest or demand. We at Obori Adaka have one simple request and that is, if you can’t practice zoning with fairness and justice please throw it open. Let the best take even if they come from one family. Deceit does not lead to progress. Let’s do things right.
Obori Adaka, a political analyst and social critic, writes from Enugu
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