In his ‘Outside the Box’ column article of June 2016 titled “The Fish Gets Rotten From The Head: The Leadership Question,” the present Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, made a strong case for Nigerians to be intentional in their leadership choices because, according to him, everything starts and ends with leadership.
Eight years later, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, now Governor of Abia State, has been vindicated as people from different walks of life have swiftly changed their hitherto wrong impression and description of Abia State because of the visible and verifiable success stories that keep coming out of the State courtesy of the right leadership enjoyed in the State.
Two strong cases that would have literally consumed Abia State or caused anarchy if our mediocre experiment with leadership in Abia state had continued beyond 2023 are as follows:
One is the recent killing of innocent security agents in Aba by criminals. This atrocious act enraged the Nigerian security agencies beyond comprehension and would have led to serious bloodbath if security agents who were spoiling for a war of revenge did not have a change of mind out of respect for Governor Otti whom they know and whose giant strides they appreciate, especially his massive support and cooperation with security agencies.
The Governor wasn’t just proactive, theoretically and practically, in bringing his powers, influence and goodwill to bear, he also brought the finest of diplomatic skills to the fore in his engagement with the authorities at the highest level, and was able to douse tension and threats that had reached the point of explosion. By showing leadership when it mattered most, innocent lives that would have been lost were saved.
The second case was the recent #EndHungerProtest embarked upon by Nigerians over the rising economic hardship in the country.
The protest didn’t happen in Abia, not because Abians are not hungry like the rest of Nigerians, neither did the Alex Otti-led Government use violence or threats to dissuade Abians from protesting like has been seen in some states; rather, the Governor appealed to the conscience and intelligence of Abians and Abia residents who are keenly following his activities and can attest to his thoughtful and pro-people policies and programmes geared towards creating the platform and enabling environment for economic prosperity. He refreshed their minds and memories about where Abia was and where Abia is. He reminded them of the destructive and far-reaching consequences of the planned protest if hijacked by persons who do not wish Abia well. He reassured them of his avowed commitment and determination to continue to work hard for the development of the State and betterment of the welfare and well-being of Abians.
As expected, Abians heeded to the call and pieces of advice from their beloved Governor and went about their normal businesses, while the Governor ensured that they weren’t molested or threatened by anyone.
The aforementioned two cases are different from our sad experiences of the past when the infamous ‘Operation Python Dance’ in Umuahia, the state capital, led to the loss of lives and property, because those in authority who should have engaged the appropriate authorities and prevented the destructive onslaught stayed aloof and looked in the wrong direction while the State went up in flames.
The same thing was witnessed in the State during the #EndSARS protest. Record showed that Abia was the worst hit in the Southeast as banks, public buildings, and private businesses were either destroyed or looted by rampaging arsonists while the government stayed aloof. Some of the banks that were destroyed and looted in Aba just resumed operations not too long ago.
The iconic Aba South Local Government Headquarters that was looted and set ablaze had to wait for almost four years for the emergence and intervention of Governor Alex Otti as Governor before it received the New Abia touch of excellence courtesy of the hardworking Mayor of Aba South Local Government Area, Hon. Uche Nwogu.
While Governor Otti deserves commendation for not allowing selfish political permutations and ambition to stop his interventions on issues that bother on the security and welfare of Abians, Abians deserve a special commendation for being thoughtful, emotionally intelligent and in sync with the Governor at all times.
Without doubt, Abia is on the path of speedy recovery and all hands must be on deck to support the vision of the Governor towards creating a peaceful and progressive State that will be economically viable to impact the lives of Abians positively.
