I have observed with keen interest and surprise the way politics is managed within our political sphere as a people.

Today, I would like to dwell on the attitude of the average Ohafia politician who has continued to see elective position in Abia State as his birthright or a package that should be handed to him on a platter of gold, but the reality is, no matter which prism you view it from, elective position is to be contested, not given.

My point here is not to say that Ohafia people do not deserve the lofty positions as governors, senators, representatives, etc, No! They have able and deserving men and women of substance to represent them, rather the question is whether or not they are ready to do the needful or sacrifice what is takes to be given the necessary support to mount the important positions in the state.

Having said this, I wish to point out some of possible clogs in the wheels of our journey to 2027 so that we can make heys while the sun shines.

Inability to put their acts together:

By reality, an average Mben politician believes he is most qualified, better qualified, or absolutely qualified to represent our people. As a result, they scatter their seeds in the field at the time they should sow in reality.
A good example is in the last 2023 general election where Ohafia produced more governorship candidates than any other area of Abia state when other areas rallied around candidates like OVI, Alex Otti, Greg Ibe, etc, at the end of the day, none of our numerous candidates contested at the level with other strongest candidates. However, the only candidate that exhibited such traits like Barr Etigwe Uwa didn’t clinch his party’s ticket, unfortunately.

Be that as it may, I am convinced that even if he clinched the ticket, his most challenging task would’ve been to win the home opponents who will align will foreigners to win him from within even before the election proper. We are very good at that.

Lack of structure

The game of politics is a networking affair, a good politician focus on building bridges across, so a good politician build his bridges to leverage on at times of electioneering business. Unfortunately, the Mben clan are lagging in this area. As descendants of warrior tribe, they have this inner trait that they can do it alone anytime they’re are out for it. At the end, it doesn’t work because politics works differently at every clime, therefore there is the need to harness by extending hands of fellowship ahead of time. You may conquer your ideologies but you must defeat the ideologies of your opponents to penetrate their defences to your advantage.

Owan Owan Awayitagi Ji

Every people has their identity and origin that adds to the values and cultures that sets them apart from many. Inarguably, Ohafia people can boast of these identities that has endeared them to the world, but the concept of “Owan Owan Awayitagi Ji” has proved to be one of her greatest ongoing. I will not bore you will episodes of conspicuous proof of disadvantage of this mindset, but I will highlight the effect of this on hour political retrogression in Abia State.

While other people are ready to pull their resources together to achieve a political goal, the Mben man will rather use his resources to pull the brother down or scatter it abroad to enthrone others. Same things goes to them in other fields, except for those that now view life from wider prism of realities, an average Ohafia man finds it difficult to invest in his brothers to grow. That’s why her best brains are loyal to men from other areas who value their qualities.

Entitlement Mentality

Brotherhood and love for culture is a core value of Ohafia man that sets him apart among others. Somehow, in as much as “Owan Owan Awayitagi Ji”, they have the belief that even when efforts needs to be put on the side of a politician to prove his preparedness to contest any post, it is his right that you must support him for only virtue of being fellow Ohafia man, even if he has sacrificed nothing, or invested anything to the growth of his struggling brother.

Unfortunately, when other politicians from other parts of the climes discovers the potentials of their struggling brothers and invest in their growth over time, the Ohafia man quickly term his brother a betrayer and non supporter of Ohafia cause for not dumping them others people that helped their brothers grow from zero to 1, 2, or 3.

Example, how many of the Ohafia politicians understand that the boys they used to fight hard in 2023 needs support to grow stronger before 2027 so that they can acquire more experiences and form a formidable force to fight for them at the right time? Rather, they dump every PAs, Aides, Supporters, etc till one year before the next election when they can hand them what they call ‘Data Allowance” to stay online for them. The reality is that politics at this age has evolved, we must evolve with it.
Every politicians vying for positions in 2027 are strategizing now, they’re investing in human development and building a basket of assets to pick from when the time is right.

We must start now..

Presented by
Hon. Udoeze Kalu (Convener of Abia North Youth Agender – ANYA)