“Our Governor Is Calling Us Poor People”

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Latest Headlines, Letters/Rejoinders Sunday, June 28th, 2015

Imo people are dying of hunger in the hands of Governor Rochas Okorocha . But like some strange figure from another planet, he seems absolutely unconcerned of the enormity of the problem. Every act of his demonstrates his lack of respect for the people he rule, and his gross underestimation of the level of political consciousness they have attained. He has not paid pensioners for 18 months now while civil servants are owed 9 months salaries but when we complained and told him to stop showing us pictures of himself inside a private jet and pay us our salaries, what did he do? He called us poor people who are envying him. Yes, speaking with SaharaTV on Saturday, Okorocha said he hates poverty, adding that anyone criticizing private jet owner like him was a poor person. You can all see the kind of man we have as governor of Imo State. Our governor is calling his subjects poor people. Oh my God!

If the interview with SaharaTV on Saturday was an image laundry project for Okorocha by Sahara Reporters, then in my opinion Sowore should refund to Rochas whatever monies advanced him for the project. Sahara Reporters might have done more damage to their client than any good and therefore left him more soiled than they met him. By calling Imo people poor people Okorocha has revealed to us that he has nothing but contempt for anybody who works for a living. The harder you work for a living, the more contemptible you seem to him. To him any one who therefore don’t have his ill-gotten riches is pathetic. To him anybody who acquires wealth through shady means, or who is a wizard in the art of stealing and lying, is to be celebrated as heroic, virtuous, and worthy of praise.

Indeed, until a decent and patriotic leadership emerges in Nigeria, Okorocha would never be compelled to explain the sources of his wealth, or how over N130 billion naira council funds flew away nor how he come about his N1billion naira Spibat estate and many more. What all these go to show is that in Nigeria, it is, perhaps, safer and more rewarding to be a successful criminal than a poor man – which is very saddening indeed.

Can someone tell our governor that what we asked for is our monthly salaries. Imo is in a mess. Even the free education announce all over is in a mess. We suffer the failure of the Okorocha’s capitalist anti poor government to adequately fund education. The situation from primary to tertiary levels in Imo has continued to deteriorate with no end in sight to the rot. Examples of this decay include: the collapse of structures like buildings in the public schools, over-crowded classes causing some students in Imo to sit and study on the floor, Ill-equipped laboratories many of which have, in any case, been converted into classrooms, thus making the teaching of science subjects virtually non-existence in Imo,complete absence of library facilities and lack of necessary books in the few available ones,shortage of teachers etc.

Today in Imo there is decline in pupils’ enrolment into public primary schools with most parents handing over their wards to exploitative private proprietors who’s only and real interest is profit and there are no vacancies, compared with the hundreds of those seeking higher education. What about massive unemployment among school leavers and graduates – a horrifying situation that has created no confidence and interest in honest studies. Don’t be an onlooker. Every onlooker is either a coward or traitor. If you agree with the viewpoints expressed above then join us immediately or get in touch with us. If we fight we can win, if we don’t, we have lost. The struggle continues, Imo must be better.

-Kenneth Uwadi, Mmahu-Egbema, Imo State , Nigeria