Politics in Ebonyi State has been dominated by goons and violence of all sorts over time, thereby preventing the state from producing competent leaders such as Anambra who produced the likes of Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige, Mr Peter Obi and Dr Willie Obiano respectively. Our case has been different: from grace to grass. Although the present administration of Governor Dave Nweze Umahi’s far better than the previous government, but the simple truth is that Ebonyi is yet to produce a leader who truly understands the nature of things in the state; the change the people want and the reality on ground. The problem is that our leaders focus more on personal interest, thereby seeing winning election and political positions as a “do or die affair”, which is a wrong perception of leadership/politics. Leadership entails your individuality: If you’re a saint, as you may claim, the people knows. So, you have little stress to do, because the good people of Ebonyi will take the campaign to the streets, since you heeded their call.
Umahi’s chances in 2019
He must start to play politics based on competence as against personal interest. He must relate to the latest political trends, diluting uncivilised political mindsets. Criteria for electing leaders into offices should not be based on whom we know, who met us first, personal interest, instead of competence as criteria for selection.

What is competency in governance?

My definition: “Competency in governance has to do with the level of experience, hard work, dedication and commitment towards achieving a target goal, and selfless service to humanity.”
Competency in governance is not measured by the look in our eyes, the size of our body, one’s wealth or possession as rooted in the mindset of some conservative liberals. Neither should it be measured by the way we fluently speak and interact, or ability to fight, grind and crush opposition/critics or level of education, as misunderstood by many.
Rather, competency in governance is measured by experience, transparency, dedication, commitment towards achieving targeted goals and the ideology of honesty as the best policy in leadership.

Therefore, Umahi should invest more on human structure of the youths, because it is only the living that walk and ride on ring roads and flyovers; people have to eat very well, be in good health, educationally sound and engage in vocational training and acquisitions to walk, ride and enjoy those beautiful infrastructures.

You’re there for the people not your self-interest

The recent statement credited to the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr Umahi, on democracy day, May 29, that “People who observe the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to honour the dead and in respect of our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the Biafran struggle should risk forfeiting their shops”, is total betrayal from the heart of Ndi-Ebonyi, Ndigbo and, an assault on the votes casted for you by the ordinary people. A day to respect people who died in this struggle shouldn't be joked with, even if it does not suit you or favour your political ambition: one thing is certain, these citizens are the ones their votes brought you to the seat and if you still hope on them to do it again, you must respect their interest instead, or you keep mute on the issue. Putting the people first is very essential in leadership.

Handling critics and opposition

Critics and opposition is part of democracy, for a nation/state to be democratic, there must be critics; people don't always criticise because they have the solutions or remedy to your area of difficulty but, because, they can take advantage of exposing your weakness to emerge into power.

The reality on ground now is: if not that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is a confused set of people, the party has 70 per cent chances of taking over power in the state come 2019. But that is only if they can produce competent hand, but their problem is that they only confuse themselves with the slogan “change” when they don't know what to change: not the change of Elechi from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC, or Egwu from governor to senator. What we need is Change of Public Office Personals.

Rise up and think for our future generations!
Time to think for a better Ebonyi!

•Comrade Nwokwu is facilitator, motivator, human activist & youth advocate, writes via dancydaniel45@gmail.com

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