By Uba Onyekachi Peter Esq
“….power is a shield for the one who wields it and for the people it serves. ….provides a shade from the blistering heat of the sun. When it is raining, you can use it as an umbrella to protect yourself and the people you are meant to serve. When you come to a river, you can convert it to a vessel that will help you and those you lead cross.” – Goodluck E. Jonathan
Power is given, not to make a show or boast or oppress perceived enemies, subjugate dissenters, or decimate the opposition. The only reason for which power is given is to serve the people and lead them aright.
In today’s excruciating economic and socio-political hardships in Nigeria, where the masses have become despondent about the recurring promises of a better tomorrow by the government; where bad and heart rendering news of intentional crimes are gathered from all corners of the country on daily basis, and where the leaders out of greed and inordinate ambitions, have betrayed the confidence reposed in them to speak and stand for the common man.
However, there are still leaders stationed by divine providence to shade the people from the blistering heat of the sun and lead the people over to the better side of life. One of such leaders is unarguably Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha Ph.D, Adaejiagamba Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency.
A lot of opposition figures have attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to ascertain the energy propelling her ground-breaking political accomplishments. However, the key factor that obviated the efforts of these marginal elements has been their inability to decipher from which angle to conduct their research into the awe-inspiring life and person of Dame Hon. Barr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Ph.D.
From that first bold step forward in politics, this great woman from the East has continued to climb her political ladder of divinely arranged leadership without any misstep, aligning and re-aligning correctly at any given political season.
To understand Hon. Barr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha Ph.D better, she is one whose mental acuity is immeasurably perplexing, though not given to arrogant display of intellectualism, but gifted with unlimited native sense, which she diligently nurtures and encodes into her life as her navigating compass
With her motion on the floor of the House of Representatives titled: “Need to Address Problems of Gully Erosion in Isuikwuato and Umunneochi LGA, Abia State,” she included all erosion sites in the Constituency as endangering the lives of her people and got all of them attended to by the federal government.
As a fearless advocate against crime and criminality, the Amazon, Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha showed the lioness in her when she decried the incidence of attempted rape and brutal attack on the Students of Ovim Girls Secondary School, Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State, and by extension for all the women in the federation through the motion titled: “Attempted Rape and Brutal Attacks on Students of Methodist Secondary School, Ovim, Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State, And the Need to Guarantee the Safety of Schools,” in June 2018. This motion, no doubt, brought security attention closer to our Secondary Schools.
The towering voice of the countless award-winning legislator par excellence does not stop at speaking for the female gender only. In May 2018, following the unlawful killings of Mr. Francis Ochuba from Umudim Ngodo Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA, and Mr. Chidi Ibebuike from Uturu in Isuikwuato LGA, Abia State, whose murders happened on the 15th May, 2018 in faraway South Africa, the outspoken legislator moved the motion titled: “Urgent Need for Concerted And Sterner Diplomatic Action To Stop The Recurring Killings Of Nigerians in South Africa.”
The motion, no doubt, revived and restored the confidence of our people living in South Africa and also assured the people at home that the government, through the able representation of our Amazon, is fully following up with the ugly situation against Nigerians in South Africa. Such is the type of representation Nigerians are calling for at a time like this.
To further showcase the application of native sense and intellectual acuity of the Amazon, HB 1321, a bill for an Act to Establish the Council for the Regulation of Travel Agents and Related Matters, was sponsored by Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Ph.D. No one who is a true Igbo person needs to ask what importance the bill has, because fraudulent travel agents, the majority of whom are not of Igbo origin, rip off many of our people who desire to travel overseas.
Regulating the conduct and activities of the travel agents will save the Igbos from loss of money and loss of freedom, and ensure accountability on the part of the travel agents.
In times like this, when Nigeria and her government are at crossroads, when experienced people, resilient characters, detribalized Nigerians, and committed realists are needed to save a nation facing precipice and; whereas many zones and federal constituencies are volunteering their eggheads, history is calling out on Hon. Barr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Ph.D, Adaejiagamba Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency to come and serve her people come 2027.
To be continued.
**Uba Onyekachi Peter Esq, writes from Lomara Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA, Abia State
