Bold Leap: Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s shocking, unnecessary outburst

By Magnus Chidi Onuoha( Mmanuakara)

Senator Chris Anyanwu’s autobiography, BOLD LEAP makes an interesting reading. Like a novel, i relished and I am still relishing it. Why? First:The contents are laced with good, eventful and memorable stories.

Secondly, the language of delivery is not stuffy. It makes me think that I am reading one of the collections of my best writer, James Hardey Chase. I have relished over 70 of his collections right from my secondary school days. By the way I am not a literary giant so do not ask me why i chose my best.

Thirdly, BOLD LEAP is like a cuisine that is not presently on any chef’s list. Therefore, all avid readers must endeavor to grab and savour a copy and further appreciate the distinctiveness of this cuisine.

It is always good to subject any research work to an objective peer review and/or assessment so as to enable the writer to take heed and update in the future revision of the work. BOLD LEAP will certainly not be an exception.

After reading the book, one thing that resonated in my mind was “Kai, Distinguished merely scratched the surface” and it appropriately fit in as the caption of my review not until I saw the comment by former Governor Godson Ikedi Ohakim and the flawed analysis of Ethelbert Okere.

To me, I consider Ohakim’s outburst as shocking and unnecessary. The reasons are legion but few will suffice here:
First I was an active participant in the process of thawing the ice in the relationship between him and Senator Chris Anyanwu after the 2011 election. I remembered vividly in 2013 Chris Anyanwu and I visited him at his Asokoro residence.

We met for over two hour and x-rayed all that happened: pre and post 2011 election. Even some of our discussions for obvious reasons was not captured in the BOLD LEAP.
After the meeting former Governor Ohakim came to the ultimate conclusion that he was wrong. When he was seeing us off, he jokingly said he will not be involved in an unjust fight against any woman again in his life. We all laughed.

In attendance at that meeting was Barr Jerry Egemba, the current Imo State Commissioner for Tourism and who at that time was the Coordinator of Ohakim’s political structure-New Face Organization.

In all sincerity former Governor Ohakim’s outburst is shocking and unnecessary because ever since that peaceful pact, I saw him as a statesman. His comportment, humility and sense of humour and forgiveness over the years honestly tickled my fancy.

I also saw him as one who had outgrown ” running of mouth” or Eke Onunwa market place of filthy lies, blackmail, calumny and propaganda. While in government, we all knew him as “Ikiri” who was so full of himself and feels that he was indispensable and therefore unstoppable.

An Ostrich arrogance and an alibi of self entitlement. But we later realized that he was better than even the ” Owuru” that came after him. Nke a Bu Nke Wu Eziokwu.

Third, my admiration for him knew no bound when in the build up of the 2023 election, I threw my heart and mind towards him. I made publications about him as the best choice at that time for Okigwe Senatorial District. But his party and its supremacy hold the ace in the choice of candidate.

Fourth, former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, is averse with the character and personality of Senator Chris Anyanwu that there is no way she would have apologized to the late General Sani Abacha through letter or video. For what ? I was just wondering what informed him into making such unsubstantive allegation!. Is it to score a cheap political point ? or to situate Senator Chris as a hypocrite or a coward ? If she ever did, you would long see the letter or video in public domain.

After all, history is replete with military personnel that were videoed then apologising in that ‘phantom’ coup: Generals Diya, Adisa, Olarenwaju et al.

Your Excellency, please do not let us have a second thought that the diarrhea of the mouth has started running once again and thus becoming a ‘Doe let loose’. Please do not let the garb of statesmanship elude you no matter the level of provocation. It pays to be calm, humble and truthful. There’s always tomorrow. Thus, history and posterity always vindicate the just.

To my friend Dr Ethelbert Okere by brandishing your book DEMOCRACY BY TANK in defence of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, I make bold to say that the facts you presented are fatally flawed. Honestly, I am filled with a sense of guilt that I have not been able to publish my work on the ” Politics of Imo: The unending chess game.

No thanks to my stepping aside from the murky waters of politics.
In summary what you saw as democracy with a tank was a clarion call and signal of demobilization of the military personnel in Imo state.

How would explain a situation whereby the PDP State Chairman up to the Ex Officios had military personnel following them in the build up of the 2011 election. To be fair to former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, we did not see him with military personnel in his entourage.

The military demobilization opened the eyes of these non partisan and highly professional men and women in uniform that the PDP was up for some sinister game. The rest is history. Wait for my book.

To Senator Chris Anyanwu there was no point daring former Governor Ikedi Ohakim to publish the letter and failure to do so you take him to court. He wants to draw you out. Refuse it. Approach it with philosophical calmness Ma.

BOLD LEAP cannot lay claim of a compendium that addressed all issues right. That may belong to your future work.

But for now congratulations for publishing your autobiography -BOLD LEAP as I look forward to your anchoring a collective work- QUANTUM LEAP where former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, Ethelbert Okere, yours sincerely, amongst numerous others will pour out knowledge on diverse field of human endeavour and there will be no more tension.

It is only then that we will sing the nursery rhyme of yore: “The day is bright, its bright and fair, oh happy day, the day of joy, the day is bright, its bright and fair, oh happy day of Joy” for Imo state and Nigeria at large.

My name remains Prof Chidi Magnus Onuoha( Mmanuakara)