By: Sam Onwuemeodo.
With the letter, dated 14th January, 2022, and signed by Chief Cosmas Iwu, Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma appointed Chief Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu , aka, Cubana Chief Priest, his “Special Adviser on Social Media Influence”.
The appointment, according to the letter, began to run on Monday, January 10, 2022.
That is to say , Cubana Chief Priest had begun to work as the governor’s Special Adviser, four days , before his appointment, proper.
With this particular appointment or recruitment, Governor Uzodinma seems or appears not have known that, one does not build something, on nothing.
And l make hay to say this. The problem with Governor Uzodinma’s government, especially in the area of media or image making , can not be solved by one million Cubana Chief Priests . lt can only be solved by the governor himself, and only when he realises that, “It is neither by Power, nor by might”.
If before now, the governor had taken delivery of almost all the media guys who had held brief for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo and from other quarters , and the problem with the image of his government is still persisting, it then means that, the palaver is beyond the question of who has been hired or recruited and who has not been hired or recruited.
Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, Cubana Chief Priest, before this appointment, was a known Businessman, Show Promoter, and Entertainer. His net worth is 17.08 million Dollars. One of the big guys who believe that money talks.
Born on March 26, 1982. An indigene of Orsu Local Government, Imo State. And the Second Child of his Parents.
Before Governor Uzodinma’s appointment, the man had 3.5 million visitors on his official instagram page. Five Hundred thousand followers on facebook. And Seventy Thousand followers on a Chinese invented Social App, mainly for sharing videos.
All these must have made the Imo governor to appoint him, his Special Adviser on “Social Media Influence”.
But do you also know that, these millions or thousands of people that have been following him on facebook, Instagram, and so on, in his status as a businessman, Show Promoter, and Entertainer, could vamoose or disappear or exit overnight, because of his new found career or portfolio as Adviser to Governor Uzodinma?. This is not my prayer. But the possibility is there. We are only putting heads together for good.
And the problem, for which he was appointed to solve , would persist. Or, remain or continue. The aim of appointing him would be defeated or dashed.
And when that becomes the scenario, one could be forced to think that, the problem with Governor Uzodinma’s government, is beyond what anybody can do. Or, is capable of doing in the circumstance.
The refined utterances and people- oriented actions of Governor Uzodinma could be more productive or helpful, than ten thousand Cubana Chief Priests .
The governor’s right actions and guarded utterances, could do great things for his administration , than anything else. When he acts well his part and talks like a leader of men and women, things would begin to fall in line.
The great Cubana Chief Priest is our brother, from Orsu. He has been called or brought to serve his people. That’s a good one. But he has not been there with Uzodinma. He was not there when the “Corpse” was buried.
If you ask for my candid opinion, I would say that , the Chief Priest might not do much, because he didn’t know where the Corpse was buried or when and where the journey started. The problem. The philosophy or the policy. The framework or mission. Or, where the nail pinches Uzodinma and his government most.
The activities and utterances of Governor Uzodinma , are the problems of his government. This is my view. You may have your own.
So, the ball is in the governor’s Court. And not in the Court of any of his appointees , including the latest recruit, Cubana Chief Priest.
Governor Uzodinma must stoop low to overcome. To win. He must begin to act and talk like a lover or friend of his people. As the number one citizen of the State. And not like the Commander of army of occupation.
His body language must let his close aides know how he wants his government to function.
Before now, he had given the disturbing impression of a man at war with everybody. And his aides have been acting as such. Acting on that premise. Functioning in that manner.
The Imo governor should watch all his available videos or sit down to x-ray his speeches and actions, to see whether he had acted and spoken like a governor in a democracy or under a democratic setting.
Or, whether he had spoken and acted like someone who had conquered and dominated. And conquering and dominating are not democratic vocabularies. Not in the Dictionary of Democracy.
The solution to the government’s image problem is obviously not in recruiting more “able bodied men” or ” signing new players” . Taking the right actions, is the panacea. The antidote. And the governor should set the pace.
Half of his Commissioners were “donated” or “given” to him by some powerful guys up there. Those the governor thinks, can make things happen for him, now or in future. Things do not work that way.
A bad coach can make key professional players like, Ronaldo, Messi, Ronny, Henry, Etoo, and Iheanacho, lose to “Mbutu” United FC. Mbutu is my town .
Read my lips Correctly. Barcelona or Man U, with Oyupaa or Okirika wake-up Coach , can lose to one Local team.
Governor Uzodinma is the Chief Coach or Technical Adviser to lmo team . He should help his players or team.
He should give his government a direction. He should make things easy for his appointees and his government. With a good Coach, a left footer, can score with the right leg.
I wish you appreciate where I am coming from and where I am going from here.
If you had “bought” some key Imo PDP “Players” and some Okorocha’s “players”, yet , you could not score, you would have first found out why you could not score , before hiring or signing more new players.
Entertainment is different from Politics. They are two different photographs or pictures. The language of Entertainment media, is not akin with that of Politics. But they can be harmonized with the right approach and actions.
Even, accepting to be the Special Adviser to Governor Uzodinma on Social Media, could also cause media pains to Cubana Chief Priest. lt becomes a burden to him. And he would begin to lose the fans he had gotten over the years.
It took the Imo Governor eight months to appoint new Commissioners , after he had sacked the first set, in May 2021.
And nine months after Sacking the Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants, he is yet to appoint new ones or reappoint the old ones. Making the “huhuhu or ntamo” to gain momentum. All these have their effects , in the negative.
And you expect magic in terms of media management. I do not think so. And the money for the salaries and allowances of such appointees won’t come from the governor’s private purse or pocket. Then, why holding the appointments unto yourself?
Look at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church , Eziama – Obaire, invasion and abduction of Uche Nwosu. Was that necessary? What has the government gained from that, if not Condemnation?
Heaven only helps those who help themselves. That’s what we have been hearing, right from Childhood. And I have not got any reason to doubt that.
In other word, Cubana Chief Priest must help those who help themselves. I am talking about the Imo governor.
They would also say that, the name you give to your dog is what it answers. Would l have used “he or she” for dog? l do not think so. Hence, “it”. We are making progress. You know that Bekee wu agbara.
The name governor Uzodinma gave to his “dog” since January 2020 , is what it has been answering. To change the ugly name or narrative, would require new ways of doing things. The church would talk about fresh oil. New anointing.
David wrote “Some boast in Chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD our GOD” (Psalm 20:7).
“This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubabel saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
Let him that has ears, hear what the spirit of God is telling the Church of Christ, while we Continue to Clap for JESUS.
