Rochas Okorocha as Role model ....he is Awolowo of South-East---EU President

Emeka Ibemere

It is very difficult to choose a role model from Nigerian politicians especially in the face of abject corruption and power drunkenness associated with politicians from this clime of the world.

But for a very long time, not even during the gigantic political hey days of late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s Premier of the Eastern Region , was there free education as enjoyed today in Imo State.

The first civilian governor of the state, Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe’s feat is unparallel in terms of Infrastructural development; Rochas Okorocha’s free education endowment in Imo State makes him a role model.

One striking quality and distinguishing role model character of Rochas Okorocha was his refusal to pocket the constitutional N6billion security vote allocated to the governors on yearly basis to resuscitate the dwindling education sector in Imo State, a feat no governor or President has been able to do in the last 52 years independence of the country; marked him out as a political role model of sort.

The mass upheaval that led to the election of Rochas Okorocha and the solid defence the Imo people put up to ensure that their choice counted in the governorship election was prophetic that Rochas Okorocha who contested under the umbrella of All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA), is God’s sent.

He routed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and incumbent, Ikedi Ohakim to be the governor of the 27 years State.

 Rochas came into governance with a lot of enthusiasm and patriotism to revive the dying state from its comatose.

Mid way into his tenure, he has positively justified the huge responsibility placed on him by Imo people on May 2011.

“To do a proper and value-free assessment of Rochas, I decided to visit my state, which I did between March 2 and March 10. I devoted the full one week to studying my Imo, the developments that have happened vis-à-vis what it used to be before Rochas came, the local politics in my state, listen to the radio and television, read the local newspapers and gauge the minds and feelings of my people”, Steven Nwahiri, a Public Affairs analyst, wrote in a column with a National Newspaper.

“At the end of my visit, I state that I am satisfied with what is happening in Imo at present in terms of infrastructural development, the upgrading of the health and education sectors, urban development, rural development, agriculture, among other dilapidated sectors of Imo governance”. 

Prior to his ascendency to the Imo Cabinet office, as it’s fondly called, was a state in coma, existing only on papers. According to stakeholders in the state, especially Nwahiri, the state was ‘walking from the drudgery of the post-Mbakwe era where bad governments took turns to wreck rather than add to the enviable record of Mbakwe’.

“Good enough, Rochas has pledged to better the Mbakwe record, which I believe is a tall order but still achievable. If he sustains the volume of work he is presently doing in Imo, he will certainly record parity with the glorious record of Dee Sam”. He stated.

In the last three and half years of being in power, many model school buildings have sprung up in all parts of the state. The governor is building 305 of such modern schools in the 305 electoral wards in the state. As if that was not enough, public schools are roaring back to life, with free education for secondary and primary school pupils.

Free tuition for state owned tertiary schools being fully implemented and distribution of free school uniforms, sandals, textbooks, and desks to pupils of state schools. The revolution carried out by the governor made teachers to sit up, dress neat and maintain a statutory attendance at state schools. It has also taken a huge toll on private schools, as parents and guardians are withdrawing their kids and enrolling them at the rejuvenated public schools.

Rochas’ love for education and the down trodden coupled with the heavy investment he has made to restore public schools system remains an indelible tribute which qualifies him as a role model leader whose actions had effectively reflected on the led.

Urban roads that have never experienced any form of work since creation are being constructed with vigour. Roads in Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe are receiving attention at the same time. In all the 27 local councils, rural roads are being tarred with certain passion. For the first time in the State, there are dualization of major roads; Owerri-Orlu, Owerri-Imo Airport, Anara-Okigwe roads. There are plans going on to extend the dualization of the Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia Road up to the boundary with Abia State. After his tenure, Chinedu Onyeanuforo, an entrepreneur in Lagos State stated that Rochas Okorocha could be ranked among great leaders like Lateef Jakande, Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, Solomon Lar, Aminu Kano, and Ape Aku, whose leadership roles during the second republic are yet to be equalled.

The governor also declared emergency in the health sector of the state by building model specialist hospitals in each local government. The projects are at various levels of completion.

The moribund state investments such as Concorde Hotel, Adapalms, Imo Hotels, and ITC have been rehabilitated and made to generate profit for the state. 

“What Chief Obafemi Awolowo was to South-West today is what Okorocha is for the entire South-East. And we are going to leverage on this to bounce back as the most educated state and educationally advantaged state”, Anike Charles,  National President, Eastern Union (EU), a social cultural organization in Lagos State explained.

Born on 22 September 1962 in Ogboko, Ideato South, Imo State. He attended Juladaco High School, Jos (1976-1981). He studied at the University of Jos (1990-1991), obtaining a diploma in Public Administration. He returned to the University of Jos (1993-1994) to obtain an advanced diploma in Public Administration.
His Career positions include President, Nigeria Red Cross Society, President/Founder, Rochas Foundation Inc, President, Rochas Group of Companies Limited, Pro Chancellor, African Business School and Former Chairman, Board of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
Okorocha was a Commissioner on the Federal Character Commission and a Member of the National Constitutional Conference. When democracy was restored in 1999, Rochas Okorocha competed in the primaries to be People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor of Imo State, but lost to Achike Udenwa.^[3] He moved to the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP), and was an unsuccessful candidate for President on the ANPP platform in 2003. He returned to the PDP, and President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Special Adviser on Inter-Party affairs.
Rochas Okorocha formed the Action Alliance (AA) party in 2005, planning to become a Presidential candidate for the AA in the 2007 elections.
He again returned to the PDP, and in September 2007 indicated that he was interested in becoming PDP National Chairman. After Governor Ikedi Ohakim decamped from the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) to the PDP in July 2009, Okorocha denied that Ohakim had taken over the PDP in the state, saying he was named as leader since he was governor, but a proper PDP congress should be held to decide on policy. Okorocha decamped from the PDP to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to run as APGA candidate for Imo State Governor in the April 2011 national elections. A few weeks later, in December 2010 the APGA suspended Okorocha from the party over what it described as anti-party activities pending an investigation of his conduct.
 It was reported that he had stormed the Imo State Secretariat of APGA with dozens of thugs, who beat up several top officers of the Party. Okorocha and his companions had also threatened the Imo State Chairman and Secretary of APGA. However, Okorocha went on to campaign as APGA candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that the Imo State gubernatorial elections held on 26 April 2011 were inconclusive since the collation of results was marred by irregularities. The INEC ordered reruns in four local government areas and one ward, to be held on 6 May 2011. In the event, elections were not held in Oguta local government area due to a security threat. The final results had Okorocha of the APGA declared winner with 336,859 votes. He was followed by the incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP with 290,490 votes. Former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was third with 107,068 votes.