I laughed out loud when I read Mazi Odera, aka APGA Alaigbo’s rant on Saturday
morning over the $11.4m ultra-modern abattoir flagged off yesterday by
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State. Odera (Stanley Chira actually)
who earns a living from attacking the governor of his state and
spitting on the exalted office that other responsible citizens revere,
seems to have run out of the staple for his comical trade. How else
would one analyse his decision to create ridiculous illusions and
mislead the people on the Abattoir project that governor Obiano flagged
off on Friday?
If
Odera were still in self-possession, would he be criticising and
creating confusion about such a huge investment in-flow into the state
at a time when other governors are frantically looking for investors
that would set up businesses in their states and bolster their
Internally Generated Revenue base, create massive employment and cut
down on the handouts from Abuja?
Odera’s
piece is a jumble of meaningless babble that communicates only
contradiction and betrays pitiable ignorance. In one breath he tells his
reader that Obiano’s Media Team choose to hide the actual value of the
Abattoir by stating the figures in dollars. Picture that! Can’t Ndi
Anambra discern the naira value of figures quoted in dollars? In
another, he shamelessly quotes passages of the Press Release issued by
the same Media Team and screams comically, “it’s a blatant lie from Pit
of Hell (sic).” Where is the lie here? That the investment is not worth
$11.4m or that it was not attracted by Governor Obiano?
Again
Odera quotes the Press Release lavishly but turns around like a
cross-eyed critic to ask “who are the hidden owners of the company that
is coming to enslave my people?” Are you kidding me? Did he not see the
name of Engr. Dozie Abajue in the same Press Release? Did he not see
Hyperfarm Limited in the same release? By the way, Dozie is full blooded
onye Anambra. Odogwu nwoke ji ife ya!
In
reality, what is at work here is something akin to a culture shock;
Odera cannot come to terms with the new ideas that have come to town
since Obiano was sworn in. He still can’t believe that there has not
been one violent armed robbery or a high profile kidnap case in over one
year in Anambra State. He cannot understand how Anambra has suddenly
become famous for rice production, raising it’s rice production output
from 80, 000 metric tonnes to 190,000 metric tonnes in one year. Nor
does he understand the sudden rise in IGR and the increase in workers
salaries when other states are roaming Abuja with begging bowls. Worse
still, Odera is embarrassed that construction hasn’t stopped on the
three flyovers in Awka and paralysed with shock at the very thought that
aerial mapping of the Awka Capital Territory has been completed and
very soon, we shall begin to see the beggings of a true 21st Century
city. So, let’s indulge him a bit. He’s our poorly informed brother
after all. Shall we disown him when all he needs is some enlightenment?
Truth
be told, if opposition wants to bring out the best in Governor Willie
Obiano, some of these people screaming his name on Facebook and hawking
stories alleging that his wife is dead come poorly prepared for that
job. Every great democracy thrives on seasoned and constructive
criticism driven by a knowledgeable opposition. Anambra is too far
advanced to be informed by people who are in acute need of
enlightenment.
Mazi
Odera’s unreadable, zoological bleating gives only migraine. It cannot
shape any policy direction or awaken any form of consciousness from the
government or the people. So, next time you see his long epistles, save
yourself the headache…press delete!
James Eze