UNJUSTIFIABLE CIVIC RECEPTION OF HON. NNENNA ELENDU UKEJE, A CASE STUDY OF BENDE DRUMS NOT WORTH ROLLING OUT

UNJUSTIFIABLE  CIVIC RECEPTION OF HON. NNENNA ELENDU UKEJE, A CASE STUDY OF BENDE DRUMS NOT WORTH ROLLING OUT.

BY OKORIE SUNDAY ONUOHA
ANALYSTS ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

Christ Jesus while teaching his disciples said “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32)

Just like coming of Messiah where there was jubilations in the land of Jerusalem so was Aunty Nnenna Elendu Ukeje in 2006 as she declared her intention to run for House of Representatives under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bende.

Although Aunty Nnenna Ukeje has no political clout nor stand famous in Bende but was generally accepted by all including her predecessor Hon. Mba Ajah

To many, she is an orator and academia, while others see her as the most pretty and beautiful Lady whose beauty alone is enough to move down Nigeria seat of power Abuja to Bende thereby stand tall as a blessing to Ndi-Bende.

One would ask whether Hon. Nnenna Ukeje (Ada Bende) justifies the confidence reposed on her by Bende people within her 12yrs or 3tenures Representatives of Ndi-Bende in the National Assembly that got this arguments and counter arguments of “ Whether Bende People is going to celebrate failure” when Hon. Promise Uzoma Okoro the Deputy Chairman Bende LGA announced her 'civic reception'.

According to* Alvan Egeonu*, part of achievements of Hon. Nnenna:

1.Attraction of solar powered street lights and boreholes in Bende which have stopped working because of poor maintenance attitude.

2. Donation of 500 units of computers to one secondary school in Bende Town.

3. Donation of 300KVA transformer to a community in Bende Town.

4. In addition, she attracted building of the following through MDG’s:
Okai Item Hall, Umuechima Okoko Item Autonomous Community Hall, Opened shades in Amaekpu Item and Akanu Item Market, 10 lockup shops in Amaeke/Apanu Item Market, Amaokwe Item solar power street lights.
These and many other little projects where said to be achieved by Hon. Nnenna Ukeje for her solid 12yrs of her stay in National Assembly.

A good Leader will not rest till she fulfilled her obligations or allegiance to the people, reverse was the case of Aunty Nnenna Ukeje. Her 12yrs stay in the National Assembly turned to be a curse to Ndi-Bende. She couldn’t use her position to attract monumental projects in Bende that will stand the test of time. Her representatives witnessed detoration of Bende Roads, dilapidated Hospitals, unemployment among our graduates, dilapidated school buildings. Amongst all, she couldn’t look into possible ways of fixing or upgrading one of the oldest Hospital in Abia State Umunnato General Hospital into University Teaching Hospital.
It’s assumed that her predecessor Hon. Mba Ajah that served for 4yrs is far much better than her haven’t attracted 9.7KM NDDC construction of Amaokwe-Akanu-Okai Item Road, Construction of first Itubuzo Erosion control, built motorized borehole across Bende etc.

What can one say about her 2011 promise of Kia Rio car to each of her sixteen wisemen (kitchen cabinet) that are instrumental  to her election victory for 12yrs, did she fulfill that promise to them?
1) Mr Uche Mba.  
(Item Ward B)
2) Mr Elesie Ojukwu
( Item C)
3) Mr Francis
( Item C)
4) Mr Gabriel Ochu Chukwu
(Item A)
5) Chief Uche Kalu ( Akpurukwu) Alayi Ward
6) Arthur
Ugwueke/Eziukwu Ward
7) Mr Kenneth Obike
Igbere B
8) Late Mr Okechukwu
Igbere A
9) Orji Iboko
Igbere A
10) Mr Ikemefulam
Ozuitem Ward
11) Late Mr Njimkeonye
Nkpa/Umuimenyi Ward
12) Mr Nkem (Ogolo)
Umuhuezechi Ward
13) Ikye Uchela
Ozuakoli Ward
14) Mr Eugen Inienwe
Itumbuzo Ward
15) Later James Okorie
Alayi Ward.
16) Madam Orie

To further buttress the unwillingness of Ada Bende to empower her sixteen wisemen. In 2014 during the state Youth Empowerment Programme of former Governor Chief T.A Orji that gave him the name ( Oji motor eme ogo), Hon. Nnenna failed to utilize the opportunity to empower Bende people either by donation of car to Governor or submission of names for the said empowerment hence great expectations from her. Unlike her colleague Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha of Isukwuato/Umunneochi Constituency that donated 5 vehicles for the said empowerment and got 20 vehicles for her Constituency from Governor in return. What a wisdom from Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha. All thanks to two great sons of Bende Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwo and Prince Ogbonnaya Okpara (OGB) their covering of field see’s Bende sons and daughters true in that magnificent State Youth empowerment.

From her office at the National Assembly, Abuja down to her Constituency Office in Luhum Imenyi Bende, you will not meet people of Bende working there. Her constituency office are maned by ‘ Aliens’ who stands to be the real beneficiaries of Bende wealth.

How many Bende people that has served Hon. Nnenna will boast of being made by her including that of her sixteen wisemen, can any of them boldly say he got state appointment through Hon. Nnenna recommendation, if she don’t want to empower others what of her own kingsman e.g. hardworking Akpurukwu Bende who ordinarily his C.V supposed to be boasting former Transition Committee Chairman Bende.

Remember, you can’t be a success without successors. Hon. Nnenna Ukeje has an opportunity to build empire in Bende that will be too difficult to pull down, all to no avail.
Comparing her to her colleague, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha has singlehandedly sponsored and secured a House of Assembly seat for one of her boy, produced so many Transition Committee Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen, Special Assistant and Senior Special Assistant, Special Advisers, State Board Members etc in her constituent Isukwuato/Umunneochi

Furthermore, will it be right for one to say Hon. Nnenna Ukeje has no regards for anyone; Except when she want to use you to achieve her selfish ambitions and desires, haven’t been opportune to serve as a House Committee Chairman on Foreign Affairs for 8yrs, yet very difficult to say she secured a good number of VISA for Bende indigenes to travel abroad.

Tell me one Bende Youth that can say if not for Hon. Nnenna Ukeje?  Bende Youth were begging and crying to Hon. Nnenna Ukeje to secure employment opportunity for them even entails giving them a Federal minimum wage opportunity to no avail.

Before the fighter Dr Chima Anyaso unseat her, there has been so many moves by Bende Leaders to recall and unseat her base on her inability to give Bende dividends of democracy and sense of belonging. The famous was that of Chief P.C Onyegbu in 2015 that was stopped by that Abuja early morning Golden call the day of PDP primary Election.

Her relationship with Bende Leaders and Abia State Government is zero. Also, she distance herself from her constituents, hardly one can see Hon. Nnenna Ukeje attend a Community programme in Bende i.e during festivities, fundraising programme for Community Development and Chieftaincy installation.

Another example of her constituents being tired of her failure was the drama that played in 2018 during Bende LGA primaries where her fellow woman that involved in that election came out from the venue after voting shouting “Our Mumu don’t do” signifying they purposely voted her out.

I am not fighting Hon. Nnenna Ukeje neither do I have wherewithal to contend with her but I want her to change now in case another opportunity comes.

Finally, Ndi-Bende are we too daft that our eyes will not be opened to reality. If there’s a time for men of good conscience in Bende to come out and condemn evil the time is now. Bende Drums cannot be roll in vain