Onitsha: See What Happened Yesterday That The Cameras Didnt Show You 

MAZI EJIMOFOR OPARA 

I often look out for underlying meanings behind actions especially as I work for a Boss, who is not dramatic yet conveys far reaching lessons with every action he takes.

Just as we arrived the venue for the commissioning of Niger Street and Port Harcourt Road, the State Protocol team approached the State box to brief Governor Soludo on the event flow having drawn up a list of “eminent” persons who would speak to the people, remember it was a live event airing real-time on major National television stations. Instantly Governor Soludo without prior notice changed the programme, in his words, “I appreciate that these Stakeholders you have listed here have to speak. But, I think today should be strictly for and about the people. We are not here to praise or score ourselves, I think I want to listen to the people’s reaction and I am not commissioning any of these roads. Get the leader of the Keke and Shuttle union in the area or their representatives and the leader of the Market union to speak and commission the roads. Ours is to get the job done to their satisfaction. We are here to listen to them. It is their project”.

At this point, I got confused because I understand the risk in allowing such unpredictable redirection especially on a live National television, knowing how daring and audacious Onitsha locals and residents can be. The event kicked off in line with the Governor’s directives, and to the enlightenment of all that were present it became an event of revelations and historic symbolisms.

First, was the Chairman of the Onitsha Market Union, who openly confessed that relative to prevailing rates across neighboring states, that they, as tax paying traders, are “cheating the Anambra State Government”, according to him, they pay the lowest taxes comparatively across other Southeast States. He further notified that the Traders, having seen visible developments in just two years, have elected to on their own review upward what they pay to the State Government in taxes. Unprecedented? I think so, but I would rather say, enlightening.

As the actual commissioning and cutting of ribbon began, as the leaders of the Keke and Shuttle Drivers Union held the tape and scissors, one emotive Bus driver who could not hide his excitement fiercely broke through the Governor’s security hedge, knelt before the Governor stretching forth his hand filled with not so clean wads of Naira notes, requesting in very loud voice that Governor Soludo accepts his token of appreciation for recognizing the downtrodden and placing the interest of the people over every other consideration. I saw Governor Soludo’s eyes swell and almost dropping a tear, he held the Driver’s hand to tell him that his gift was well appreciated and received. However, he urged him to plunge same back into his business and said a short heartfelt prayer of blessing upon the young man. I am certain that young man’s mindset would never remain the same again. Neither would the perspective of the Keke and Shuttle drivers be the same again.

Did I also tell you that the Niger Street road was commissioned by a market woman? Yes, that all important road artery leading to the biggest market in West Africa was commissioned by a market woman.

Yesterday was a lesson in peoplecentric leadership devoid of the usual elitist fanfare, where the actual owners of public infrastructure were often relegated to the back sit. At just one event Soludo has done both the symbolic and the historic.