What I Heard At Teaching Hospital Amaku, Awka Today!

When Governor Soludo drove into the State’s Teaching hospital at Amaku, Awka this morning to see the remains of his late Father, I was trailing behind him in a sombre mood, knowing that my Boss had become a full blown orphan. I was trying to put myself in his shoes at that moment, of course I couldn’t successfully do so as blood would always be thicker than water.

I have seen my Boss breakdown twice, even though at both times he tried to appear unfaced as a leader would. The second of these times (don’t ask me the scenario) I saw Soludo drop a tear.

While I continued to walk behind Governor Soludo alongside his Chief of Staff, as we approached the Ward where Papa was lying lifeless, we passed through human boulevards bunched up in clusters along the corridor, many of whom didn’t know why the Governor had come to the hospital, the conversation between two mid-aged adults oozed into my ears. The part that struck me was when one of them, who was somewhat aware why the Governor came, told the other in Igbo language, “o bia lu ifu Papa ya”. The other retorted in awe, “Papa ya o no ebe a?”

To translate this, the first person simply informed her partner that the Governor had come to see his father, and the other expressed great shock when she asked, “is the Governor’s father here?”. It was at this point I slowed down to listen some more to really understand why it was such a shock to them. Then the Second Lady beamed a smile as she said, “nya na ife adigo mma. O buru na Papa Governor ya no ebea, o bu ga ro ya obodo Oyibo ma obu Lagos or Abuja, nya ife adigo mma”. The lady was simply saying, “if the Governor’s father can be here in this hospital, it means things have become better in Anambra. He didn’t take him abroad or even Lagos or Abuja, this only shows that things have really changed for the better”.

Soludo’s effort at restoring public trust in public service is one major win that pervades every aspect of the public sector under his leadership. It is good the people are taking note.

May the Soul of Papa rest in the bosom of the Lord. Amen 🙏.

— Mazi Ejimofor Opara, KSM.