BOTCHED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON ROTATION OF ENUGU SOUTH CHAIRMANSHIP AMONG COMPONENT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

By a Witness, Hon Bob T Ugwu. 

1. Background/History 

Following the liberal democratic culture of the post-Second Republic when political elective offices were held by popular candidates as follows: 

a) Federal House of Reps (an    

Anambra State indigene, Hon Ufondu?) 

b) House of Assembly (Hon Andrew Obuna and Hon Sunday Jim Ogbodo, from Obeagu and Ugwuaji, respectively; 

a meeting of Leaders of Thought of Enugu South local communities was held at Liberation Hotels under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Nnamani who also singlehandedly bankrolled the documentation of its proceedings. 

The need to harmonize the sharing of political offices between the component communities was agreed upon. Reference was made to the bizarre plot of some elements to install an Agbani citizen as Chairman of Enugu South which was successfully aborted by patriotic forces unleashed against it, without losing sight of the sentiments adduced for its attempt. Another logical reason for the meeting was to stem the tide of urban residents monopolizing the party structure in those military supervised transitional elections, to the detriment of the indigenous communities.

A Legal Drafting Committee was set up consisting legal practitioners based at home, with Barr Eddy Onyia (later Hon Justice, now deceased) as Chairman and Barr Ike Onah as Secretary; from Amechi and Ugwuaji, respectively. The Committee ultimately produced a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by 30 persons across the four communities of Amechi (10), Obeagu (10), Ugwuaji (5) and Akwuke (5). 

On the appointed historic day of signing the Memorandum of Understanding, the 10 signatories of Amechi had signed; 10 of Obeagu had signed BUT OF THE TWO LAWYERS FROM UGWUAJI AND AKWUKE COMMUNITIES RESPECTIVELY WHO CO-AUTHORED/DRAFTED THE DOCUMENT, ONE OPENLY SAID HE WAS SIGNING UNDER PROTEST AND THE OTHER FROM UGWUAJI REFUSED TO SIGN. There was consternation among those who attended what would have been a guiding principle for the equitable rotation of both the Chairmanship and other key political offices among the sister communities. 

2. Post Mortem/Fallouts 

It is common knowledge that Amechi, having fortuitously produced a Governor of old Anambra State (His Excellency Senator Jim I Nwobodo) has a massive headstart over the other three indigenous communities of Enugu South Local Government Area. In an all-holds-barred open contest for political relevance, now accentuated by the addition of His Excellency the former President of the Nigerian Senate (Chief Ken Nnamani) and H.E. Ambassador Gordi Agbo and alas Right Hon Ofor Chukwuegbo plus a riot of Secretary to Government and Permanent Secretaries, the other communities together are not a match in cornering any governmental position due to Enugu South. This is a reality that the recalcitrant signatories of Ugwuaji and Akwuke ought to have borne in mind and so saved their communities the current misplaced vituperations, bellicosity and anger now colouring the discourse.

I can also make bold to say that in spite of the avoidable blank cheque implicit in the cutting their noses to spite the faces of the now disadvantaged communities, Amechi citizens have in the past bent backwards over to assist individuals from the other communities who approached them with genuine aspirations to political offices. The facts are there. 

3. Way Forward 

It is true that the global Nkanu Disease has somewhat influenced the way each group perceives the other. But I submit that the way individual citizens relate to one another weighs more in most important spheres of our life. I’m aware that those who have tried to break away from the stereotype of group suspicion and atavistic hegemony have often been surprised by the residual humanity of their supposed “antagonists”. What is lacking is the humility of some of the champions of fatalistic self-pity in accepting that a serious mistake was made and arranging to tender apologies accordingly. Luckily some of the patriots who attempted to carry every other community along are still alive and with proper contrition could be persuaded to temper indignation with mercy as God’s agents of change. It is pointless to always wait for run-ups to general elections to bring the matter to the front burner and thereafter savour the spoils of our habitual tantrums as crusaders. The demonization of some people in order to wash our hypocrisy and poor judgement is once again bound to fall flat on its face.

Finally I would strongly suggest that whoever manages to get into office this year as Chairman of Enugu South Local Government Council should embark on consultations with a view to restoring the old spirit of our leaders who continually dialogued over issues affecting our people and and found solutions that favoured everyone.