Yes, there was no way the informed, exposed and forward thinking Enugu people were going to ignore the track records of those aspiring to lead Enugu State in the 21st century, more so when there was a tacit outcry against what has been dubbed as "Ojebegocracy" that has defined out leadership recruitment paradigm. Over the years, no consideration was ever made about the leadership records, emotional balance, and development focus of those elected to lead us, thus, condemning us to leadership by trial and error.
A simplified definition of "Ojebegocracy" is "the election of people into high offices of Leadership without consideration for what they are bringing on the table or record of their past achievements, but simply because it satisfied the sentiments and choices of some political gladiators".
"Ojebegocracy" therefore is contemplated from the prism of poor leadership recruitment which models the past and present failures of our democratic experience. Back in year 2014, I had canvassed in one of my many radio programmes that the Trouble with Nigeria is not Leadership as our Icon late Chinua Achebe captured it in his book, The Trouble With Nigeria. In the said programme, I insisted that arguing that the Trouble with Nigeria is Leadership is like putting the cart before the horse, being that "those who are elected to exercise leadership are first recruited before being elected". One cannot therefore reasonably select a vulture and expect it to behave like a kite.
Viewed against this backdrop, the Trouble with Nigeria is Leadership recruitment. How are those who exercise leadership recruited? Are there any parameter employed to determine who is to be recruited to man our affairs? Of course no. It all boils down to "Ojebegocracy" which today is acknowledged as the bane of our national leadership.
To therefore remodel our leadership recruitment drive, we must look at the track records of those aspiring to lead and by so doing cancel out the barest consideration any act of Ojebegocracy in our body polity.
It was with joy that many of us welcomed the beautiful turn around in our quest for good leadership. The outcry was for the election of one with capacity, track records of achievement and burning passion for the development of the State to become the next governor. This wind began blowing with the unconfirmed report that senator Ike Ekweremadu was interested in the Governorship of the State. His supporters and many others began to crow how competence, track record and antecedents were the essential decider on who becomes the Governor. It dominated the discourses across media spaces; mainstream and New media.
Soon it gathered traction and fed fat from our bottled desires for a quick turnaround in our polity. Across the state, the anthem was track record and competence. We were therefore excited with the entrance of Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, Captain Evarest Odengene, Chijoke Edeoga, Uche Nnaji, Chinyeaka Ọha and entered the race. It promised to be a contest among the best.
However, things were to assume another shape when after the PDP primary election, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the most competent and evidently having the best track record of exemplary achievements in both public and private sectors won. Recall that every other PDP governorship aspirant except Chijoke Edeoga, in recognition of this stepped down. The sing song suddenly changed from the vociferous demand for quality leadership to clannish, sentimental and irredentist clamour. It was alarming how one could contemplate sacrificing competence on the altars of some clannish and unfounded sentiment. Ojebegocracy needed a form of extreme unction.
We reasonably became concerned that some people who only yesterday sang songs, eulogised track records and glorified achievements; private and public as important plank upon which to anchor the search for quality leadership turned around to become the virulent campaigners against what they once believed. Their duplicity was alarming. Thank God, we went out to the poll to reject clannishness, irredentism and emotion in our determined pursuit of quality leadership in Enugu State".
Shall we not be justified to hold that "if past records; antecedents do not matter, then nothing matters"? I trust that no one can fault this tacit conclusion, except perhaps, naysayers who see nothing good even with the breath they inhale.
Antecedent is an instructive history and history remains an important backdrop upon which past records and exemplar achievements of men and women who aspire to high offices are beamed for the enquiring mind to see and make lucid judgments. .
The Almighty God perhaps was guiding us with the example of David and his ascension to the Kingly throne of Israel.. David was not chosen King without record of bravado. Prior to being made king, story had it that he chased a wolf that had made away with one of his flocks, caught it, rescued the lamb and smote the wolf. God knew of the bravado of that scraggy looking shepherd boy before chosing him over and above the Giant Eliab with six packs. David went on to kill Goliath, the troubler of Israel ahead all the men of valour in Israel. He was just a tender, scraggy young man that could not even bear the armour of great warriors. But his sterling feat stood him out and he went on to run a government that left many firsts in the annals of history today.
For purpose of record, may we revisit why we stood for Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah against the lure of emotion and sentiment. The man Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is a man of great intellectual depth, whose education culminated from Nigeria and passed through the prestigious institutions of learning in Europe and the United States. As a student, Peter did not fail to stand out as the rays of a million stars. With such rarity, he didn't fail to attract the attention of his lecturers. Extolling the academic and overall ingenuity of Peter Mbah, one of his lecturers, Mr Ken McGuire had this to say, "Peter is personable and well mannered. He is liked and respected by his fellow students and members of the academic at University of East London. He is a diligent, well organized, and hardworking student and his academic abilities are excellent...one of the best students I have taught at UEL. He is confident of his abilities and works extremely hard".
This coming from one of the leading teaching staff at the university of East London resonates as a fitting passmark and tribute to a man who was later to grow into an economic czar years afterward through exemplary industry and focus, application of knowledge and courage to dare.
As an entrepreneur, he founded the Peter Mbah Investments Limited in 1992, a service provider in the oil and gas sector. He is the founder of GILPEL Industries Ltd., an importer of general goods between 1993 to 1997, and also founded the FOCUS International Schools in Lagos State. Mbah was the sole agent of International Oil Corporation, a United States oil and gas company based in Fresno, California. He is the Founder/CEO of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd. This establishment completed the development of a Single Point Monitoring (SPM), Conventional Buoy Mooring (CBM) and storage facilities in Lekki Free Trade Zone in 2021.
Many Nigerians have commended and appreciated the initiative, resilience, vision, concerted efforts and diligence of the owner of the Pinnacle Oil and Gas limited and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and his workaholic team in making the employment-generation project a reality especially in the present economic challenges. The conception, expansion and actualisation of the capital-intensive project by Mbah and his team from a studio room in Lagos Island in 2004 to a major global oil player within a short time is a testament and manifestation of the sterling qualities Mbah is made of and what he has always stood for which is wealth-creation, visionary leadership, disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship.
With this great breakthrough in the competitive downstream oil sector which is no mean feat, Mbah has once again proven that he is prepared and has what it takes to build on the achievements of the present government in Enugu and lead the state to the Promised Land of wealth creation and entrepreneurship.
His unbeatable, people-oriented and rich manifesto which he unveiled to Ndi Enugu spoke volume of his depth and readiness to govern Enugu State well to the wellbeing, admiration and happiness of all.
As we count down to 365 days after he "Solemnly Swore On oath to govern Enugu State with fear of God and in fidelity to the constitution of the federal republic, we can confidently beat our Chest and chorus "EUREKA". Yes, with sterling and stellar imprints in the area of education, health, human capacity development, critical infrastructures such as roads, Smart City project, potable water supply, investment in areas of tourism, revamping of redundant industries, we are filled with excitement that what we bargained for is what we are getting.
Indeed it is safe to conclude that with Dr Peter Mbah, our #TomorrowIsHere.
By Onyekachi C Ugwu Jp
