A MAN OF HUMBLE BEGINING AND UNQUENCHING ADMIRATION

THE MAN WITH OWHOR NU OGWU

He has sounded very philosophical in one of his interviews “A man Reaps what he Sows”. he said.

1991-1993

As a poor young under graduate student or graduate, I am guessing, he had worked in Pamo clinic owned by Dr. Peter Odili and worked with the likes of aunty, Oke, Dr Amanze, Friday the cook, Papa, Saturday etc. His boss had built so much BELIEVE in him from then because of his deliggent service, unreserved loyalty to his boss, confidentiality in transactions with his boss and trustworthy. I was a regular visitor then to Pamo clinic due to my affiliation to the now defunct Nafcon limited. Not long, Dr Odili was made deputy governor to Mr. Rufus Ada George and he became the P.A to the deputy governor while i became the Assistant secretary of NRC in Port Harcourt city LGA before the military coup by General Abacha in 1993 disrupted.

1998-2007
As a young pioneer word party leader of PDP then I was unnecessarily guided to hate the character Amaechi as he was seen as the obstruction by my political group in PH then being the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and was literally incharge of the 4 Ikwerre LGAs of PH, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Emuoha. As the group I belonged tried to resist his powers on PH city, but the obvious happened just as few of his opponent had rightly feared and as many of his supporters had also rightly predicted and to the constertion of delegates and wailer as I was then he was honourably and trustworthy given the governorship ticket of the PDP in Rivers State by Dr. Odili the outgoing governor then.

2007-2015

He was by a surprising supreme court ruling made the governor of Rivers State in 2007. A position he took with dignity and honour for his people. We saw aggressive governance particularly in the areas of INFRASTRUCTURES, EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE, HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT. The citizen and visitors to Rivers State felt the ease of good road ranging from street roads to state roads and from federal roads to crafty designed bridges. The reason that turned my attention to this liberal and people oriented politician was his unbeaten attention to Primary education particularly the redesigning and building/equipping of over 1000 primary schools in all villages, looks and crony of Rivers State with computers, lawn tennis courts, football fields, connected internal water and electrification with generating sets,free books, pair of sandal and uniform to each pupil and importantly free food to the students, not minding the valume of each of the large classrooms, Rotimi insisted that only 25 children will learn in a class at any time. I was proud of being Rivers man and of Chibuike as a visiting co-traveller in a bus from Lagos exclaimed in his belwilderness ” see university wey Rivers State dey build for primary school children” as we sight the model primary school along East/West road in Alakahia Town in Obio/Akpor LGA and since then I BELIEVED in Amaechi as I was convinced in his good intentions to make Rivers state better than any previous governor of Rivers State had done. He did not just stop at primary education as he embarked on building model secondary schools in each local government of the state and the scholarship to over 400 Rivers State students to study abroad. The over 13,000 teacher employed by him in 2013 and those he employed in RSSDA, TIMARIV, Judiciary, lecturers in Ken Sarowiwa polytechnic etc. The primary and secondary health facilities built by Amaechi was world class, a pointer is at Elekahia community in Rebisi Port Harcourt, only God knows it’s condition now and the Harry Hospital in mile1, every doctors in Rivers State were very proud to serve in Rivers State as they got pay rise and new Toyota Corolla cars. He touched every department not even sports was left out as the largest capacity stadium in Rivers State named after Amesimaka was built with other sporting facilities that hosted till date, the biggest and most interesting National festival in Nigeria. Tourism was of interest in his mind as he recreated and reenvigurated the Caniriv festival that attracted people of all works of life from deferent country and state in Nigeria to Rivers State for fun and it created direct and indirect employment, social life, fun, entertainment and boost the state economy. He also touched on housing like the Rainbow town high uprising buildings that seems abandoned and others authorised n different locations of the state. Transportation was also part of his fancy to ease movement of people and create job and business particularly to ladies cabis hence the ESI cabs, Tata bus mass transit, mono rail etc. The songai farm was of interest as the farm produced different crops and chicken/meat, the banana farm, the fish farm etc were all bubbling with life and produce.

2015-2020
Amaechi has remained constant and consistent in his fucus and believe, he has learnt to speakless and do more. His out spokeness against the former president on his recklessness in the illegal and un-proceedural financial transactions and recklessness to the detriment of the state shares being the chairman of the All governors forum, a position that brought him in log ahead with the then president to the point he was denied of his personal security, control of the state security apparatus, impeachment attempt, ceding of oil blocks belonging to Rivers State to Bayelsa, Abia and Akwaibom states respectively, a regrettable loss till date, withholding of the state monthly allocations etc. Seeing the extent of his frustration in PDP and the eminent embarrassment set awaiting him, he jumped rank and party to APC were he combined with the likes of Tinubu, Buhari, Oshomole, Saraki, Tanbuwa etc to unseat an incumbent president, what a record! though he lost the state to PDP through massive rigging and intimidation but it was a war he won because he contested not Wike but with Jonathan and patience. Buhari in his admiration and trust for his campaign director, appointed him the minister of Transport, a job he has perfected, designed, implementing and delivering. His detractors which are mostly data based here in Rivers State only has been his opponent as in PDP and particularly those he had groomed, empowered, enthroned and made politically relevant in his camp but he has learnt to live with them all because, just as he had said “A Man Reaps What He Sow”. Yes Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is reaping popularity because he built on popular infrastructures not minding the combined forces of his enemies and former boys in Rivers State, he is reaping accolades for good works as usual, he is reaping political attention and prominence as Nigerian all over are trusting him, he is reaping high rating amongst those that will pull weight and take over as president in 2023. He had remained in main stream politics no matter the home rats.
Sir, owhor nu ogwu is what you hold with and for every politician both in Rivers State and in Nigeria who you have in one way or the other helped. Like Duncan Mighty would sing, so I will advise your betrayals to “gwuru ako nu iche garu ngeri’ngeri” because for who God has blessed no man can curse. They should remember as the Ewehn(monkey) laughs at the amazement of the falling trees, he quickly forgot that the fallen trees are his home.
I hereby join millions of Rivers men, woman and Nigerians who still have reasoning and sense of fairness, unbiased judgement dignity and appreciation to thank God for making you reach 55 year old on earth today and I pray that God continue to preserve you, love you unconditionally like he loved king David, give you health and give you cause to smile at your unwarranted enemies. Happy birthday my mentor 1 and my model 2. I remain with come rain, come shine.

–Austin Ogbonna