Ndi’Igbo, this is actually the period to trade blames on any of our sons and daughters in the leadership position that didn’t deliver. This is the time to throw away the quick aura in blaming the rest of Nigeria for marginalization whereas some of our sons and daughters had marginalised and are still marginalising us in the respective states that made up the South-East geopolitical zone they are the leader. And the 2011 elections bell is ringing and they are still warming up again for us to give them a 2nd chance even when they could not deliver in their 1st chance. It is very sad that those we thought that went to school to better us have swiftly become the people that have betrayed us. With their messy character, what eye do the people of other regions watch us with? Do they see us as a people that involve in anything bad? Do they see us as 419ners, drug dealers, kidnappers, money launderers, and ritual killers? Is the problem we have in ala-Igbo not with us? These and many more are the questions every Igbo person should be asking.

Governor Ikedi Ohakim’s declaration of a 2nd term to rule Imo State at Dan Anyiam Stadium on the 6th November 2010 calls for sober reflection. What we should be asking Ohakim is what is he declaring for 2nd term when the majority of Imo people are yet to see the dividends of democracy in his 1st term. This is a gentle approach which should not be intended to defame or bastardize anybody. Should Imo people give him a second chance to homogeneitse power again as if the trust given a person to lead his or her should be a personal affair? Ndi’Igbo should ask Ohakim and help pity Imo State and those Ohakim has empowered as media tigers to wire and write their own aggrieved version against any person who writes what they wouldn’t want and like to hear of the governor.

Is Imo State rooted out of the system in Nigeria in the administration of Ohakim? Instead of his advisers to advise Ohakim on matters that have been binging disgrace to his name and the state, rather they continued pouring fuel to the inferno with their malicious articles to defend their pay master and their job. But are sources not contended that Ohakim had rendered the local government sole administrators in Imo State useless and powerless? Are the sole administrators not turned puppets and rubberstamps? These are puzzlers!

Are the majority of Ohakim’s commissioners and special advisers, according to sources, not dismayed by the governor’s style of governance? “Imo is run like a family business by Ohakim, his wife and his brother,” said one source. “None of the commissioners can initiate or award any contract, and they don’t even receive monies in a timely manner to run the ministries or pay salaries,” said a disaffected permanent secretary. “Ohakim’s Government House controls every contract. Commissioners are often compelled to meet Emma Ohakim, the governor’s younger brother and deputy Chief of Staff, to discuss their needs and concerns.” said a top government source. And many other mindsore that are alleged happening in Ohakim’s government.

Whether Imo State was traded to compensate Morris Iwu, as has been speculation, for rigging the 2007 general election in favour of PDP, Imo State in earnest does not deserve this Ohakiding approach of governance anymore. This is time no one should be compensated the Secretary to the Imo State Government because his brother was allegedly aided ‘rubbish’.

Ohakim has been many times reportedly involved in personally beating-up of people because they told him the gospel truth as if this is military regime. Does Ohakim know the man known as Kingsley Ibe who is alleged is a scammer? Does he also had a stint with the Fafink Finance owned by an ex 419 kingpin? These could be glaring facts on the ground but Ndi’Igbo might not talk because a man with money in the recent times holds the ‘power’, whereas Ndi’Igbo regard the above act and others as abomination. Ndi’Igbo are not fools. Is Ohakim allegedly looting Imo State dry? And if this is true, would he be allowed to go free, let alone coming back for a 2nd chance, as governor of Imo State?

However, anybody that is involved in the act of lootcracy is deluding himself or herself. It is sad to note the allegation of a story where a guy was mentioned as his front man in South Africa and yet he still collects money from the state as a special adviser. Tufiakwa!

It is the likes of Ohakim that have always made people imagined what kind of country Nigeria is. It is very sad that those entrusted with leadership in Nigeria would love money more than those who entrusted them with the leadership. Ndi’Igbo must rise up to their responsibility and move into Imo State to check the alleged pillages of the state’s resources by Ohakim.

Whether Ohakim and his cohorts like it or not, Imo is a failed state laced with unrepentant fraudsters both in the government and in the traditional institution of the state. Is the New Face of Imo not actually said is the New Face of Deception? Did Ohakim launch any 7-star hotel in South Africa during the World cup?

Ndi’Igbo should tell Ohakim to respect himself for his 2nd term bid till all the allegations levelled against him in virtually all the facets of his government are cleared. Ndi’Igbo should stop relying on the EFFC before they checkmated their own leaders. After all, EFCC died with the forced exit of Ribadu. Who can say what Florida Waziri has achieved since her assumption of office, if not roll call of alleged corrupt politicians, without bringing them to book?

Let government officials stop selling the soul of the people of their states, as many Imo people are saying that Ohakim is doing. Anybody that betrays his or her people have sold his or her soul to the devil. Everything should not be left to God to intervene; Imo people need a neat character as a Governor in 2011. Imo people have said that they have listened to Ohakim’s declaration speech and the hocus-pocus intricacies didn’t lag in the nature of his manifests. But whether Ohakim is corrupt today or not, Ndi’Igbo should be the opposition to any governor of the Southeast states and should stop blaming opposition political parties that could have done the same in government if they were given the chance. Like Ndi’Igbo would say: “The owl farted and asked his kinsmen to sing praises – the rhythm of his farts – and they told her that bad things were not sung for.”