2023: Ihiala In Dire Need Of Competent Legislators

RAYMOND OZOJI 

As Ihiala Local Government area prepares to shop for legislative representatives come 2023, it is quite apposite to call to mind that the council area from all indications is yet to witness as well as experience the legislative backing it truly deserves judging from the stagnant nature of the entire  council area.

Further research into the creation of the council area  revealed that Ihiala Local Government area was created as a Division in 1966 by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu. Many years after Ihiala was created, it is still contending with itself as a single local government area, when effective legislative instruments have made the likes of Onitsha, Nnewi, Aguata, Idemili, and some others two or more local government areas in Anambra state. The question therefore is, how were these aforementioned local government areas split into two or more ? The answer is not far-fetched. It is competent and effective legislations that performed the magic through the instrumentality of individuals who had posterity as their primary responsibility while in the legislature. 

Today, Ihiala even as one of the oldest and largest Local Government areas in Nigeria, still has a sorry and melancholic headquarters when compared to its contemporaries like Onitsha, Nnewi and some others. It is heartbreaking therefore that Ihiala is faced with the harsh realities of legislators who rather than seek or project legislations that will transform the entire local government area, they are busy brandishing ICT centres, medical outreach programmes, payment of hospital bills and other humanitarian services as constituency projects. Ihiala indeed is in dire need of competent legislators. 

Today, everybody talks about the main markets in Onitsha, Nnewi, Ogbaru, Ogidi, Awka, Ekwulobia and so on because of the vigorous and persistent legislative supports that brought these markets to limelight. Ihiala has its famous Nkwogbe market but the market has remained the way it started many years ago. Afor-Igwe, Nkwo-Okija and other community markets have remained the same due to lack of legislative instruments to bestow befitting status on these markets. How many times do our representatives in the legislature conduct routine oversights in both primary and secondary schools in Ihiala to ascertain the felt-needs of these infrastructures where our children prepare themselves for the future ? 

Will Ihiala continue to be likened to a stagnant water when its contemporaries have undergone series of rigorous metamorphosis ? Ihiala is the home of Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju the former governor of Anambra state. It is also the home of Chief Allen Onyema the owner of Air Peace. It is equally the home of Mr. C. Don Adinuba Anambra state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment . ABC Orjiakor the CEO of Seplat, Engr. Kevin Onuchukwu, Engr. Donatus Onuchukwu, Obi-Jackson CEO Next Oil, Edwin Enwegbara and a host of other people who have made Ihiala proud in their respective capacities and capabilities. Should Ihiala be grappling with dearths of legislators ? This question should be uppermost in our hearts as we shop for representatives come 2023. 

RAYMOND OZOJI is a native of Ubahuekwem Ihiala.