HIGH CHIEF IKECHI EMENIKE: AN OUTSIDER'S VIEWPOINT
HIGH CHIEF IKECHI EMENIKE: AN OUTSIDER'S VIEWPOINT
By
Prof. Victor Ukaogo
Yesterday, Saturday 23rd April 2022, the Abia state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) organised a fund raising meeting in Umuahia, the state capital. Attendance was largely by invitation but the occasion was an opportunity for many to see High Chief Ikechi Emenike and the new state chairman of APC Dr K.O Ononogbu for the first time.
Opinions are varied on who High Chief Ikechi Emenike really is. At the University of Nigeria where he is the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of Council, many people are still unable to place him. A few that volunteer opinions about him appear too far off the mark to make any convincing submission.
Similarly, in Abia state where High Chief Ikechi Emenike is a political trojan, poorly constructed and unconvincing narratives dominate. And so the fund raising meeting organised by the party last Saturday was more than an opportunity to probe and burrow into the intellect of the man many have paid and are still paying for underestimating.
I personally met High Chief Ikechi Emenike for the first time in his country home, Umukabia-Ohuhu when as the president and convener of the FORUM OF SOUTHEAST PROFESSORS AND PROFESSIONALS (FOSEPP), I went to felicitate and congratulate him on behalf of FOSEPP on his esteemed appointment at the University of Nigeria. His country home is a massive home befitting of the name many call him - His Excellency, yet the securityman at the gate asked me to park outside. At that very instance, one of his aides appeared at the gate and took my complimentary card and disappeared inside. Moments later, he was back, waved the security to open the gate for me to drive in and park. The big compound was filled with different groups of people waiting to have audience with the Ohuhu High Chief. The aide respectfully and courteously led me to a ready sit-out lounge and served me drinks with a promise from his boss to see me immediately after attending to the group with him at that moment.
My first impression was that an aide is as good as the boss wants him to be. I was not wrong after all for shortly after, I was invited to have audience with this calm, composed, calculating and deeply reflective man who stretched and I took his warm handshake. In his company were men of wisdom and high intellect namely a retired director, a retired professor and community opinion influencers. I was received warmly by all. After the initial pleasantries, I delivered my message from the Forum of Professors and Professionals of the Southeast. The smile dancing around the corner of his mouth and his very bright eyes signaled his deep appreciation of the visit and deserved recognition. He spoke with sincerity as we discussed passionately and he asked me a few questions, some of which were very penetrating and deep. I was immediately convinced that Abia will be safe in his hands.
My takeaway from this encounter was totally different from the motor park narratives from even supposedly educated folks. And in my Report to FOSEPP, I wrote 'I met a sincere, firm and courageous Nigerian of high intellect oozing with the fragrance of integrity' to salvage a repeatedly abused state. As I was leaving his country home, I elected myself to be a political evangelist on his behalf and in recent months, I have had opportunity of evangelising to highly placed individuals and Abians about him. One told me pointedly that 'this man is not who they say he is, he is a sincere and firm man'. Yet political testimonies are unceasing on him for how can one explain where speaker after speaker said exactly what is not in the public domain about this manner of a simple man?
The fund raising event was thus a day for not just beholding a man largely misunderstood but a day of testimonies on the rarity of an enigmatic soul called High Chief Ikechi Emenike. At the last count, not less than ten donors saw him for the first time on this day. All of them were disarmed by Ikechi's humility, simplicity, passion and forthrightness. And among these folks, two increased their donation because of the man's sincerity and humility while the man of God who accompanied me to the event - Bishop Ugoo Nwosu of the Unique Grace Ministries, Umuahia became an instant convert of High Chief's selfless philosophy. Not listed as a donor and not being a politician nor a member of any political party, the Bishop requested to be so listed and made an instant donation of seven figures.
Truth be told, it does seem that High Chief Ikechi Emenike is a political introvert yet he is not a pushover in the political chess game in Nigeria since 1999 for it does appear that he is either media-shy or does not deliberately court publicity as a politician that he is or one may be tempted to affirm that there is a yawning gap in the imperative to make Abia indigenes understand the real man that he is. For many with the conviction that Abia state will be safe in his hands post 2023, these misconceptions must give way fast for the real journey to commence.
Igbo Patriots Magazine is a News and entertainment blog
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