The Scramble For The Soul Of Udi Local Government By Obodo Collins Okolo

The Scramble For The Soul Of Udi Local Government By Obodo Collins Okolo

The Scramble For The Soul Of Udi Local Government By Obodo Collins Okolo

Measures to curtail a repeat of such endless agitations

The endless agitations about who occupies the coveted seat at the Udi Local Government Headquarters has continued unabated. I have been able to identify two major protagonists on the issue. The two have dominated the groups platforms almost on daily basis.

One faction argues that power should move to Udi North in 2024, expressing the need for justice and equity. They stressed the need to sustain the zoning arrangements in Udi Local Government between North and the South, and also among the zones within each divide, asserting that it was the turn of Udi North, Zone C, to be there in 2024. Zoning, they said protects the weak and gives every one a sense of belonging. The argument sounded very plausible to me. Their main slogan was “Ka Udi North, Zone C Jee Udi LG Chairman 2024″

On the opposing side the argument centered on the fact that the incumbent Chairman Nze Philip Okoh has been living up to expectations and should, therefore, be allowed one more tenure of two years to continue in 2024, to consolidate his tasks. Their own point of view also makes sense to me. Their own slogan was: Nze Philip Okoh ga achi ozo ma ochicha nkea”

I quite agree that a tenure of two years is not enough for an ambitious Chairman to exhaust his project plans, and how I wish Hon Okoh had an extended tenure. Quite unfortunately, that may not be, simply because precedences had already been set in the zoning of the coveted seat in the Udi LGA, and there is a compelling need to sustain the existing zoning arrangements.

The precedences I have observed were: The Seat has been rotating between the North and the South divides, also between Zones within each divide, and each divide (north/south) holding a maximum tenure of four years. When an incumbent from a particular Zone lasted for two years on the seat, another person from the same Zone would come in for a two year term to exhaust their maximum tenure of four years. Below are some instances that bound.

Udi North, Zone A

Dr Walter Oji from Abor spent two years. Hon Bona Ude from Eke spent two years to balance off and make up the maximum 4 years for the Zone.

Udi North, Zone B

Dr Sam Ugwuozor from Ukana spent two years. Hon Nestor Ochin from Awhum spent two years to balance off. Hon Hyacinth Ngwu spent two years.

Udi North, Zone C

Engr Amadi Obiora Julius (Affa/Ikono/Oghu) spent two years. Dr TC Mgbodile (ditto) spent two years to balance off.

Udi South

Similar situations obtained, but let me only highlight that Hon Ifeanyi Agu from Umuaga Udi spent two years. Nze Philip Okoh from Obinagu Udi is about completing the remaining two years, to exhaust their maximum tenure of four years.

So far, from the information at my disposal, only Hon Chinedu Iloeje from Amokwe had alone exhausted a maximum tenure of four years in his capacity as a Chairman.

Above were the precedences I had earlier talked about that had been set, though I stand to be corrected.

Flowing from above, yes it is true the incumbent Chairman Nze Philip Okoh has reportedly performed very creditably. However, that wouldn’t be enough reason to allow him truncate the harmonious existing zoning arrangements put in place.

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The Scramble For The Soul Of Udi Local Government By Obodo Collins Okolo

Whoever cries out for equity must ensure he has washed his hands very clean. I have not seen where Ebe in Udi North Zone A was mentioned among those that have had a bite at that juicy cake? There may be others like that not yet given a chance to perform.

Since zoning arrangements was meant to protect the weak, the stronger and more vocal groups should not drown the voices of the weak ones. They also have the right to be heard. Yes it is good to win the Chairmanship battle come 2024, but it will be better if we do so without trampling upon the rights of others, particularly those who have greater legitimate rights to be there.

This is the reason I sometimes refuse to buy into the radical philosophical postulations of the great Niccolo Machiavelli, who said: “If a goal is morally important enough, any method of getting it is acceptable”. The rights and voices of the weak or the minority should be respected. In our desperation to capture the chairmanship, we should exercise restraints, because what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.

Measures to curtail a repeat of such endless agitations may include, but not limited to:
(a) Extension of chairmanship tenure 3 – 4 years straight single tenure, to allow a high performing Chairman fulfill his or her ambition.
(b) Sitting chairmen may reach out to the Zones in the other divide other than his own, to carryout some projects, rather than concentrate only within his own immediate constituency. A pragmatic chairman should see every nook and crannies of Udi LG as the areas of his jurisdiction, hence he would be able to discover that there are zones or towns groaning under much more deplorable conditions than those where he had concentrated all his efforts. Deliberate spread of projects across the length and breadth of the LG may reduce unnecessary tensions and desperate agitations for power shifts.
(c) Strict adherence to established period of tenure ship and conscious compliance to the existing precedences already set.
(d) To consider stakeholders other than ones own Divides or Zones as having equal rights to be heard rather than intimidating them with overbearing tendencies such as use of unsavoury remarks and selfish domination of the spaces in the groups platforms.

The Scramble For The Soul Of Udi Local Government By Obodo Collins Okolo

OKOLOCHUKWU CCO OBODO
DCC RETIRED