HON. IFEANYI UGWUANYI: DECONSTRUCTING THE GAME CHANGER. By Ken Eluma Asogwa. While this piece is not about image laundering, it nevertheless serves to bring to limelight and strengthen some hitherto hidden truths. While His Excellency, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi may not have come across as a usual boisterous and hilarious Nigerian politician who does more in talking than in walking the talk, Hon. Ugwuanyi, nonetheless, believes more in time-tested results. He believes more in building legacies that will outlive him and enure in perpetuity than the usual wishy washy projects that adorn our political landscape. This is exemplified in the numerous visible constituency projects he has been able to attract and execute for his people since joining the lower chambers of the National Assembly in 2003. His background speaks volume of the panache he has been able to bring to bear since joining the Nigerian politics. Born to a humble family in the commercial town of Orba in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State on the 20th day of March, 1964, Hon. Ugwuanyi has from cradle been a worthy ambassador of his people. In keeping with Shakespearean assertion about greatness, Hon. Ugwuanyi may not have been born a blue blood but he achieved greatness. This greatness did not, however, come by any stroke of luck but through years of resilient hard work, dedication, focus and determination. It was therefore no surprise that he rode roughshod and carved a niche for himself in the business world before delving into politics. Gburugburu, as he is popularly called, realized early in life the indispensability of a sound education in his growing up days and therefore pursued his education with all diligence and sense of purpose. The quest for a sound education took him to the university where he bagged his first degree, with a masters in Business Administration to cap it all. After his studies, Hon. Ugwuanyi had a stint in the business world where he recorded numerous milestones before heeding the clarion call of his people to represent them at the National Assembly. While philanthropy is a quiet virtue not meant to be given a loud celebration, it will be a great disservice to gloss over Gburugburus philanthropic efforts. However flippant the mention could be, it is trite that a mention is made of Hon. Ugwuanyis large heart. Some of his philanthropic initiatives for about a decade includes provision of farmers loan scheme to enable the farmers in Udenu/Igboeze North Federal Constituency have access to soft loans. As an Honourable Member of the House of Representatives, Gburugburu has constructed numerous schools, skills acquisition centers for orphanages and communities, health centers for primary health care, numerous boreholes for his people, etc. His scholarship scheme in his federal constituency is a well thought-out program that transcends lip service. There is no gainsaying the fact that if this whole intervention is devoted to deconstructing Hon. Ugwuanyis philanthropic activities it will not be enough to espouse the list. In recognition of his immense contributions towards the development of his federal constituency, the good people of Igboeze North/ Udenu Federal Constituency rose in unison in 2003 and decided that Gburugburu would represent them in the House of Representatives. And he did not disappoint in carrying out this onerous task as he has been a worthy representative of his people for the past one decade of being in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly. Hon. Ugwuanyi has for close to a decade been heading the House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, in a House where numerous House Members do not have any committee headship to their credit. Beyond Committee on Marine Transport, he has been a member of Committee on Defence, population, Aviation, Privatization and Commercializations, Science and Technology, States and Local Government Affairs, to mention but a few. He has equally been deputy chairman of the committee on Public Service Matters and committee on pensions. His constituents have never ceased to pay tribute to the man who has brought his legislative experience to bear in the development of his entire constituency. Little wonder his entire constituents felt that the only name that could be befitting to a man of his unimpeachable standing is Gburugburu. It is against the above backdrop that I would approach Hon. Ugwuanyis nomination to fly the flag of the PDP in the 2015 gubernatorial elections in Enugu State. Even though his victory is fait accompli, reason being that Enugu State is a one party state, it should not be lost on us that this gentleman earned the ticket bestowed on him. While thanking Governor Chime for his deft political moves in sticking to Gburugburu, I would beg to approach his issue from a different perspective. I have read series of conspiracy theories on how he emerged. While I am not privy to such undercurrents, and so not qualified to comment on them, I must say that Gburugburus humility contributed immensely in getting him his ticket. He is one candidate that even his detractors and opponents agree is humble to a fault. The cult-like following he commands in the entire Nsukka Cultural Zone did not come by coercion, rather it came by sheer belief by the people that the man who is coming belongs to them. Gburugburu is one politician who has managed to remain scandal-free. He comes across with candour and undiluted aura. In listing the reasons why Hon. Ugwuanyi was chosen, His Excellency, Sullivan Chime had this to say about Gburugburus humility: Hon. Ugwuanyi is a humble man who hardly distinguishes between the rich and the poor, the low and the mighty, the haves and the have-nots and above all, a bridge builder who will no doubt unify the entire Enugu indigenes. I must confess I have nothing more to add to the above expression. It succinctly captures Gburugburus persona. While congratulating and wishing him victory in the forthcoming elections, my plea goes to the Nsukka people and the Supporters of Gburugburu to continue to sell him as the bridge builder that he is and not the one who is emerging to fill the Nsukka void. To that extent, Enugu people will get to know that beyond agitation for power shift, Gburugburu has all it takes to lift Enugu State from the dark woods. Mr. Asogwa, a lawyer and a public affairs analyst, wrote this piece from Abuja.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 06:20:33 +0000
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