I have seen jobless persons at various some points in my life. First, was few months after my SSCE and the next was another few months after NYSC. These stop gaps exposes people to what I would like to describe here as the “psychology of the jobless”. This creates a certain kind of hyper worldview that predisposes the individual to thinking in assumptive or hyperbolic ways. For instance, a jobless person is more likely to have a clear-cut idea of how an employed person or business owner should manage their resources, and can argue without empirical substance the amount of money in the bank accounts of those he feels have a job.
Have you ever sat in a bar and watch grown adults argue between C. Ronaldo and Messi who is richer or between Davido and Whizkid who owns the biggest asset. These set of people argue with grey data and speak in very certain terms as though they are the book-keepers to Messi and Ronaldo. This was the feeling I got listening to Mr Valentine Ozigbo as he threw huge figures about forcefully claiming they are the total number of monies accrued to Gov. Soludo in 30months. To cap it all, he claims to have seen “nothing on ground” maybe all the bogus monies he mentioned are starched up in Soludo’s bank account and “Inspector Valentine” is out to recover all.
Opposition is interesting, but for a jobless opposition like Valentine, all you will get is hyper reality scripted like the commercials of a skit done by a social media influencer. Ozigbo is simply being opportunistic, hoping in vain to fly under the shadow of Peter Obi. This is an easy place to be. The difficult task before Ozigbo is convincing Ndi Anambra that Soludo is profligate. May be, Ozigbo is unaware too that Soludo’s Anambra is rated number one on fiscal transparency — a feat which shows that every kobo of revenue accruals to the State and budgetary expenditure are in the full knowledge of the public, coming to social media to act a script is not enough to cow the gullible, much more the mass of enlightened Ndi Anambra who have seen the ongoing transformation of Anambra.
Ozigbo should go to Okpoko, now christened “New Heaven” by the locals, to ask them what Soludo has done for them. He should come to Awka to tell them same thing or go to Aguata to give them his desperation induced analysis. He should remember to tell Parents of public schools in Anambra that Soludo is doing nothing. He should remeber to tell Pregnant women that Soludo is doing nothing; then move on to the 8,115 teachers, 1000 Health Workers and over 2000 security officers that the man who gave them a job in less than 2years is doing nothing simply because Ozigbo wants to be a Governor.
Ozigbo should also tell his listeners how he arrived at the data on Soludo’s palm and coconut revolution where he stated categorically that only 1000 palm and coconut seedlings survived out of the over 2 million, when the gestation for these hybrid seedlings is between 3 to 4 years? For opposition to be effective, it must thrive on data, hardcore data, not hearsay.
Ozigbo is also oblivious of the fact that all contracts awarded under Governor Soludo goes through rigorous bidding processes and fully vetted by the BPP for due diligence. After which it come to the State Executive Council for approval. Then, it is made public by the commissioner for information with the cost, contractor and project timeline expressly stated for transparency and accountability. Yet, Ozigbo in his very absurd skit, referred to these reputable companies as “Soludo and Sons” — this is not fact driven opposition but some intentionally scripted false narrative all because Ozigbo wants to be Governor.
Ozigbo, is not aware that under 30months, Soludo is birthing a brand new government house and Governor’s lodge, dualising from Amawbia to Uga, building the Solution Fun City in Awka, transformed Okpoko, building the Solution Innovation District the Anambra’s own Silicon Valley, increased civil servants salary by 10% and now implementing the 70,000 minimum wage etc.
Ozigbo must avoid the allure of social media and come to embrace reality. What he is currently doing is very easy, the task before him is much more complex than facing the camera to act a script. Before I forget, Ozigbo should visit the people of Amansea, Ebenebe, Ugbene, Ugbenu, Awba-Ofemili, Ezinator, Ndi-ukwuenu, Awa and Ufuma with his chequered analysis. Ndi Anambra, in Ogbunka, Nawfija, Umuomaku, Eziagu, Ekwulobia, Uli, Ukpor, Nzam etc will be glad to host Ozigbo on a tour of Soludo’s glaring developmental footprints across the State.
By: Mazi Ejimofor Opara
