Okorocha chased out from Mbaise Iri-ji Festival

There have been conflicting reports on why our Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha had what could be tagged a disgraceful outing at the 2014 IRI JI MBAISE CULTURAL FESTIVAL. This is my own side, and it represents the whole truth as my conviction sees it. I have taken my time to interact with some stakeholders and also did necessary intelligence gathering and I will summarize my findings in the following points:

1. HE LIED TO MBAISE PEOPLE: Hate or love them, there is no faulting the fact that Ndi Mbaise have some of Nigeria's brightest heads. You do not go to such a place to tell some cheap lies and expect applause. They switched off the microphone and hushed our Governor out, because they could no longer swallow our man's barefaced lies. You cannot look a gathering of intelligent people in the face and tell them that you will complete a university campus within four months and resume academic activities there, while you have not been able to complete what some people have seen as a private university, since three years that you started work there. And this particular university is sited in your hometown.

2. HE WANTED TO CONVERT THE CULTURAL FESTIVAL INTO AN APC CAMPAIGN RALLY: The youths of Mbaise do not play with the sanctity of this IRI JI Festival, they know that it is an occasion for complete and unfeigned show of love and celebration of friendship. They also understand that politics can be so divisive, hence, their desire that politics should be seriously played down on. The organizers of this year's festival were not interested in any individual's political leaning, hence, they extended their invitation to all people from across political lines and orientations. Okorocha's idea of advancing his political aspiration in this colourful gathering is ill-advised. Our Governor is actually fortunate that the disagreement did not degenerate into a free for all. This is to the credit of the enlightened orientation of Ndi Mbaise.

3. HE DISPARAGED NDI MBAISE: During the last Oru Owerri festival, our Governor disparaged the culture and punctured the pride of Ndi Mbaise and their women, especially, when he insinuated that Mbaise women are prostitutes and husband batterers. When he alleged that against one Mbaise woman, he has alleged it against the entire Mbaise women. He also insulted Mbaise people by insinuating that their men are weak and effeminate. It is of course, only an effeminate man that will fit the picture Okorocha painted about a certain woman's husband in that Oru Owerri Festival. Truth is, if Okorocha had good advisers, he would have stayed away from that festival and rather sent in a representative. I wonder why an intelligent man like Chinedu Offor was thinking when the Governor talked about going to that festival. Well, I did hear that my Governor does not listen to anybody. EZE ONYE AGWALAM.

4. MBAISE IS MARGINALIZED: Another good reason why our Governor was this embarrassed is because of the popular thinking among Ndi Mbaise that this present government has treated them worst than any government in the history of Imo State. I do not know if it is true, but I have heard not a few of my Mbaise people cry over the apparent marginalization visited upon them since the inception of this administration. There are other people from among Ndi Mbaise who also believe that the Governor does not have any regard for Ndi Mbaise. You should agree with me that Ndi Mbaise are a very proud people. They are so sure of themselves, hence, they feel terrible when someone treats them with disrespect. My brother and Governor should have been made aware of this. However, I do not believe that any clan is bigger or better than the other, hence, I believe that every tribe deserves respect and honour from others. My Governor's embarrassing idea of doing a ground breaking ceremony for the fictitious Mbaise campus of Imo State University a day before the only Mbaise Iri Ji he has attended as a Governor is seen by some of my Mbaise friends as the biggest insult, he has given them, so far.

5. NDI MBAISE WANT A CHANGE: Like most enlightened people across Imo State, Ndi Mbaise are desirous of a better deal in the governance of Imo State. They are not happy with the more you look, the less you see system of government which our Governor has consistently pursued. Like most Imolites, Ndi Mbaise have not been able to point to one quality project that this administration has started and completed.

I will advise my Governor to drastically reduce his visibility. He has had this kind of embarrassment more than twice in the last few weeks, he should see this as a pointer to the fact that Imo people are tired of him. He should go into his enclosure and think out real reasons why his popularity has dwindled this drastically in the last three years. He should not forget that these are the same people who showered him with so much love, before he became Governor. He should identify the things that have changed about him from 2011, when he was the toast of many Imolites and this 2014 when his name has become a taboo to a majority of our people. He must think deep, and repent, if he can. Or, is it too late?

Onwuasoanya Fcc Jones