Oferekpe Agbaja, a newly created autonomous community in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State was agog two days ago as the governor of Ebonyi State, Hon. Francis Nwifuru coronated his biological father, Chief Ezekiel Nwifuru as traditional ruler of the extemporaneously created autonomous community. This coronation sarked reactiMns on some sections of social media as the biological compo tion of the fXmamily surfaced on public space. Some have questioned the rationale behind the spontaneous creation of an autonomous community just for the purpose of crowning a governor’s father traditional ruler.
By this coronation, the governor of Ebonyi State has not only become the Prince of Agbaja of which might be a longtime desire, but has used the opportunity to achieve replication of the gusto for personal interests idiosyncratic of his immediate predecessor.
Umahi during his time as governor collected massive acres of land from his village and built an Aso Rock for himself as home; now, Nwifuru has collected 50 plots of land on which to build his own palatial home that’ll in the future be abandoned. Umahi built a personal hotel in Portharcourt, a hotel with bulletproof and gold fixtures; now, Nwifuru is building his own at Katampe, Abuja on a costly mass of earth. Umahi used his filling stations in Abakaliki as a government power source, making billions of naira for himself; now, Nwifuru is building his own filling station along the Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway. Umahi brought his brothers into government, according them the accoutrements of deputy governor; now, Nwifuru has brought his siblings to play same role with his wife the ringleader. Umahi constructed a flyover in his village for purpose of linking it to Mpu in Enugu State; Nwifuru has also begun construction of a flyover on Iziogo market in his village, a road leading to nowhere. Umahi established a new university in his village as governor; now, Nwifuru is building a new university in his own village, all to the detriment of the state-owned university. Umahi established a factory for himself in his village as governor; now, Nwifuru is putting up a tissue paper & serviette producing factory in his village. Umahi used a vainglorious airport project as cash cow for himself; Nwifuru also claimed sinking in N22 billion to revive an airport that has never been put to use. The only things Nwifuru is not copying from Umahi is maintenance of existing infrastructure and projects delivery. Why is it so? It’s a self-answered question.
Our dear governor is now Prince Francis Nwifuru, crowned Prince of the Oferekpe Agbaja autonomous community! Congratulations to you, sir! I wish you more traditionally ornamented garlands! But then, Your Excellency, sir, how are you able to smile, dance, eat and sleep and snore when teachers in Ebonyi State’s school system have not been paid their salaries from October to this December in the face of the current economic reality in Nigeria? Don’t tell Ebonyians and the world that you can be this virulent and unconcerned about the living conditions of the people you govern. Such a tale is in bad taste. It should not be in your administration that such should happen. You are by this telling the world that giving leadership to young people in Nigeria is a visa card into the worst form of governance in Nigeria as the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello exemplified — the same as Dr Betta Edu that was recently deposed as Minister in the government of Bola Tinubu. When some of you go this direction, it weakens the confidence people have in the young people with governance.
Sir, like I said earlier, congratulations on your becoming the Prince of Oferekpe Agbaja! More traditional festoons upon you, but it’s evil to owe civil servants salaries for three months now in the face of fiscal boom in your government reason of which you bought SUVs for National Assembly members, a conspicuous epitomization of the maxim of washing the outer surface of a cup whereas the inside stinks of acrid stench. What sort of verification are you doing for three months now that you can’t pay these workers the paltry sums that are their salaries since October till date? Why shouldn’t they steal and sell public items in their care when you are owing them this long? With this kind of penurious leadership strides at the midterm of your administration, are you sure you are not going to be the worst governor Ebonyi has produced?