It is offensive that certain persons from Enugu State who have been in Power for the past twenty-six years at both the State and Federal levels, are now insisting that Enugu should further patronise them with the Governorship slot in 2023, even when they know, it is in violation of the Zoning Arrangement in the State.
A man who has been a Local Government Chairman, Chief of Staff to Governor, Secretary to State Government and a four-time Member of the Nigerian Senate, should be grateful and thoughtful enough to know that the best time to bow out of a Stage, is when the ovation is loudest. It is worrisome that some people with inordinate ambitions want to destroy the peace and stability in Enugu State to foster their selfish ambitions.
The only strengh of those against Zoning in Enugu, is the offensive wealth they parade which they amassed in their long stay in Power at all levels. It is indisputable that there is a Zoning Arrangement put in place in Enugu by our founding fathers. The Zoning Arrangement is meant to ensure that no one part of Enugu dominates the others. Zoning stems from our long struggles against internal domination and external interference in our affairs.
In 1928, our forebears founded the Enugu Aborigines Development Union.
The main objective of this Union, was to mobilise Enugu people against marginalisation, domination and oppression by the “ijekebes” or stranger-elements who had more education, more resources and influence. The rise of Chiefs Jim Nwobodo and late C.C. Onoh as Governors boosted the morale and social standing of the “wawa” man. The freedom, fairness and justice which we won through long years of political struggles, cannot be trampled upon by a man or a group of men who , on account of their accummulated wealth from our common Patrimony, want to hang unto Power at the expense of other Enugu sons and daughters who do not have the type of resources controlled by these individuals.
The argument here, is that Zoning has become an integral part of the political culture of Enugu State and no one should be allowed to violate it. This explains why Senator Ben Collins-Ndu and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Dubem Onyia have maintained that it is the turn of ENUGU-EAST to produce the next Governor of Enugu State.
For sixteen years, ENUGU-EAST has waited patiently for Enugu-west and Enugu-North to take their turns at the Governorship. Our leaders have admonished that Zoning was entrenched in our political culture for justice, peace, equity and fairness.
It is Zoning that made it possible for Barr. Sullivan Chime (from the West) and Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ( from the North) to emerge as Governors. At the advent of the Second Republic in 1979, late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Alhaji Uba Ahmed, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye among others who founded the National Movement that later metamorphosed into the National Party of Nigeria(NPN), inserted the Principle of Zoning in the NPN Constitution to reflect Federal character in picking Candidates for political positions. The PDP as a truly national Party , also included the Principle of Zoning in its Constitution for inclusiveness and national cohesion.
The ZONING Principle in PDP’S Constitution trickles down from the Federal to the Ward levels. Power should never be acquired on the basis of “Survival of the fittest”. Man will return to the Hobesian State of every man against every man if we allow only the fittest to perpetually have power and exercise it.
According to Fanz Fanon, the great Philosopher and thinker:”The future will have no pity for those men, who possessing the exceptional privilege of speaking words of truth to the oppressors, but have taken refuge in an attitude of passivity, of mute indifference and sometimes of cold complicity”. What we owe power mongers, is to tell them the truth: they cannot continue to oppress the people with wealth acquired from the System. Another truth is that Enugu State is not the Private Estate of anyone. Those who want to remain in power forever at the expense of the rest of us, cannot continue to have their way.
The possession of wealth does not confer any privilege on those who want to rule Enugu forever.
Late President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere left office without owning a house. The immediate past President of Tanzania, John Magufulu remained an usher in his church and had no wealth until he died. In Nigeria, late President Shehu Shagari had only an old un-fenced duplex in Shagari village till he died.
The first elected President of indipendent South Africa, Nelson Mandela rejected a Second term because he did not need to remain perpetually in Power to better the lot of his power. This is a lesson our brothers in Enugu who see Government as an avenue to amass wealth for perpetual relevance must learn. They do not need to remain in power to serve the people. The wealth they have accummulated is enough for them to find expression in other spheres of life.
It was late Prof. Chinua Achebe who said in his book, “Things Fall Apart”, that “those whose palm kernels were cracked by benevolent spirits, must learn to be humble.” Those that Providence has been kind to, must be humble and also know that other people too, deserve power, wealth and influence.
Zoning is the foundation of the peace, development and stability Enugu has been enjoying. It has come to stay as the foundation of our Political culture. Those who think they can use their wealth and influence to disrupt Zoning and bulldoze their way through to Lion Building in 2023, must be stopped. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has kept Enugu peaceful and united. His successor who ought to come from ENUGU-EAST must sustain this legacy .
Almost all the Leaders of Enugu State have proclaimed their support for a Governor from ENUGU-EAST based on Zoning.
No one should be allowed to disrupt Zoning in Enugu, no matter the amount of wealth he has and the number of political positions he has held or still holding. What is paramount is the peace and stability of Enugu State.
All hands on deck.
Hon. Anayo Edeh
Eze Di Na aka Chukwu 11.
