SENATOR BARR. OKEY EZEA IN THE EYE OF THE STORM FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF NSUKKA CULTURAL ZONE: SO FAR SO GOOD

A Commentary
By Nkem Ossai

“Never give in. Never, never, never: in nothing greater or small, large or pretty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
… Winston Churchill

Barr. Okey Ezea, is the distinguished Senator representing Enugu North in the red chambers of Nigeria’s National Assembly. He won election under Labour Party with astounding margin. He is from Igbo-Eze South.

Before now, Senator Okey Ezea has been a household name in the struggle for the liberation of Enugu North and indeed, Enugu State from the forces of those who seek to destroy it. In fact, he, with other great sons and daughters of the zone pioneered the emancipation of Nsukka Cultural Zone from the hands of a band of marauders whose stock-in-trade have always been to diminish the zone in political influence, in its boundaries and in its natural endowments.

We recall with sadness the removal of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital to Ituku Ozala, the ESUT Multi Campuses in Nsukka and the decapitation of Isiuzo LGA from Enugu North to carve Enugu East Senatorial District and many more. To date, I can’t recall any university in Nigeria (at that time), with it’s teaching hospital remotely located. Although, history shows that this was done in connivance and collaboration with the weaklings from the zone after serious gratification, it is the handiwork of these men from the East and West of the state that pioneered it using their vantage positions as chief executives of the state at various times. Moreover, in collusion with the billionaires from Anambra State, they made sure that Nsukka, after 64 years since the establishment of the University of Nigeria, could not produce a single Vice Chancellor.

The above moral and natural injustices and deprivations are what Okey Nzeogwu Ezea and others like him from the zone have been up against. It has been an excruciating life and death kind of struggle. As we go before God on 6th April 2024, we wish to appreciate his doggedness resilience and incredible determination. That he is still alive today remains a miracle and a special grace of which we must immensely thank God for.

Barr. Ezea is an endless fighter for what he believes in and what is right. His emergence as the candidate of the Labour Party and the eventual success at the polls became a defining moment for Nsukka people who must have been disappointed by the action or inaction of the regime in power then. Infact, his victory rekindled in the zone, a hope for a better tomorrow. This, I think, to a greater degree, brought sanity to the system in Enugu North even as it was courageous of him to have accepted to run against a sitting governor of the state from the opposing party knowing the braggadocio that would be involved. However, armed with a will to carry the banner of the downtrodden and a monumental support of the people, he trashed the opposing party with a margin never seen since 1999 especially when election is conducted because, we know that in the past, election is never conducted only results are announced.

Through and true, his appearance at the red chamber of the National Assembly brought hope and vibrance already lost on those who previously represented us from this zone. There is no doubt that those who were their in the past were selfish and greedy men who lack principle or ideology: Men who concerned themselves with the allure of office and so chose to line there pockets with the largesse that is the National Assembly.

It is therefore, an understatement to say that, as history is being made, those men who have taken the cultural zone for granted will hide their faces in their cloaks while we rejoice and dance for a victory well deserved.

It will be recalled that during one of his electoral battles with Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, it was reported that Chimaroke retorted that if he had two men like Okey Nzeogwu Ezea, he will comfortably rule Nigeria. This stems from his will power and the determination with which he pursued his desired goals and objectives.

True to his nickname Nzeogwu, Barr. Ezea does not have the strength to stop fighting for what he believes in, especially a just cause. No wonder the devastating physical assault by members of the opposing party in one of the elections that he was involved in, failed to dissuade him from his quest to free Nsukka Cultural Zone from political subjugation.

We recall with nostalgia, his several other attempts at development in the cultural zone, employing his personal resources but was rebuffed. It is on record that on many occasions, he was prevented from repairing Enugu Road Nsukka and Ibagwa-Aka/Itchi Road in Igbo-Eze South by the powers that be. At that time, Enugu Road in Nsukka and Ibagwa-Aka/Itchi Road in Igbo-Eze South were most deplorable in the State.

Against this backdrop, We urge Nsukka people to join him on 6th April 2024, to shout alleluia as he makes his way for a grand reception and thanksgiving onto the Lord for a generational triumphant struggle.

Having said the above, may I add that to he that much is given, much is desired. It is important that we remind him of the enormous task ahead. Nsukka is the flagship of Enugu State politics but right now, it is in the wilderness of poverty of which the flash point is the youth unemployment. Although we are not unaware of the challenges ahead especially in this era of information apocalypse, we urge him to be undoubtedly focused and resolute on this issue of youth employment and empowerment. In addition, he must work to strengthen our alliance as a cultural zone by continuously tightening our genetics. This can be achieved by making effort to improve our economic safety perceptions. This is very important if his age old struggle will see the day light. Nevertheless, we cannot be aloof of the already recorded move in this direction with the apparent appointment of over 45 of our people in various political positions. This is sure, a leeway to empowerment and progress as we continue to ask for more.

Without prejudice to other development plans that may have been in the pipeline, we suggest an effort towards the establishment of skill acquisition centre in each of the six local governments in the zone. This, to a great extent, will reduce youth unemployment and apparent criminal tendencies observed in youth population nowadays.

We at easternechoesandnews.com rejoice and thank God with you. We know that it is not yet ‘Uhuru’, nevertheless, we can proudly say, “so far so good” and joining millions of your supporters all over the state, we say, “congratulations for the fait accompli.”