Hon. John Nwokoye : Mobilizing Stakeholders for the needs of Awka North

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu

High Chief Hon. John Nwokoye is today the member representing Awka North Local government area in the 7th Anambra state House of Assembly. He is also the traditional Prime Minister of Achalla (Onowu Achalla Kingdom). His sobriquet is ‘More Money’. Nwokoye who has an Igbo name Ifechikwulu (Whatever God says) is the Chairman House Committee on Agriculture in the state House.
Awka North is the most deprived local government area in Anambra state. Most of those who had the opportunity to represent the constituency in political office were either clannish or short-sighted. Some others were egotist, and we have those who were malfeasance in office even as we have those were out rightly incapable.  In worst case scenario, they drag themselves and every other person down to the mud. At the end, we remained neglected and abandoned. What a council area?

These bunch of representatives never opened up for ideas and solidarity. That stand panned off benefits from the state government due the council area. They rather short-change themselves by scrambling for crumbs. The wise and selfless ones are never given a chance and when they do have a chance they would be under a selfish leader. What can they do?

But today, someone is acting differently by engaging all stakeholders to harmonize ideas to push for the advancement and development of Awka-North.

Last December 2019, stakeholders from the ten communities in Awka North comprising of Achalla, Amanuke, Urum, Mngakwu, and Isu-Aniocha and Amansea, Awba-Ofemmili, Ebenebe, Ugbene, and Ugbenu gathered at the council Headquarters at Achalla to take stock on the achievements of Hon Nwokoye and way forward. The event was a town hall meeting.

The town hall meeting tagged ” Democracy In Action: The Path to Effective Representation was part of the event marking the House member’s 6 months in office as the representative of Awka North in the State House of Assembly.  The session also provided an opportunity for the House Member to discuss with the people of Awka North on their areas of concern and as well to present his contributions and performances for the short period he has stayed in office.

For me, I hail him for initiating that moves, but some who know better politically wished away that outing as a sham. They even accused him of not doing anything in the interest of Awka North, but dancing skelewu which they described as noise making rather though, they speak in muffled tones. They promised to speak openly on that soonest. I have equally reached Hon. Nwokoye to equally react to issues raised like diversion of constituency project funds, asking for money from members of council for re- appointment and fraudulent palliatives. He is ready to speak anytime soon too. For now, let’s focus on his last outing.     

Declaring the Town hall meeting open, former Chairman of the Local Government, Chief Denis Ngene said that the gathering is for people of Awka North to discuss the issues affecting them as well as chart a new strategy for the progress of the local government.

Chief Ngene charged the people of Awka North to change their character and attitudes toward the progress of the local government, even as he regretted that politicians in Awka North live on the stir of her counterparts in other local governments. This he attributed to the underdevelopment in Awka North and urged that everyone must wake up and realize that they are not an appendage of Awka south local.

While decrying the marginalization by government in the last 16 years and the poor state of roads in Awka North Chief Ngene added that the presence of Governor Willie Obiano led state government has not been felt in Awka North, hence Awka North remained the worst local government area in Anambra state even when it is looked as part of Igboadagbe, where the Governor comes from.

An appointee of United Nations, and a former federal lawmaker from Anambra State who championed the Freedom of Information Bill, Ambassador Jerry Sunny Ugokwe, while speaking on ‘Servant – Leader relationship: A motivation for effective development’, said that humility is the paramount step to a quality leadership and not moving on a convoy blowing siren from pillar to post. He urged those in the corridors of power to remember that they are only called to serve their master which is the public.

The APGA National Chairman, High Chief Victor Oye in his comments at the occasion, said that Awka North is a priority for the Willie Obiano led government, assuring that the failed roads in Ebenebe – Awba Ofemmili will be fixed soon even as the present government have a deliberate plan to develop Awka North and not only to build roads. Six months after Oye made this promissory comments, Awka North roads are today impassable and the Obiano led administration looks the other way.

While speaking on the topic, Town Hall Meeting: The Imperative for Participatory Democracy, The Awka North Experience, former Deputy Director, NOA, Dr Dennis Ekemezie said that participatory democracy is the key to implementation of desires of the people. He added that town hall meeting avails the people the opportunity to rob minds together and bring up useful ideas that will help the representative perform better at the state assembly.

Dr Ekemezie urged the people of Awka North to look inwards to discover their area of strength, weaknesses and opportunities whether in Agriculture, education or otherwise and leverage on the areas they have comparative cost advantage and key into the sector properly, noting that people must obtain value reorientation so that it will be crucial to the development of the local government as the present values in Awka North local government has failed to attract development in the area hence the need for change so as to draw development to the communities.

In her brief lecture, Dr. Ifeoma Chukwuma , a staff of the United Nations said that the only way forward for the local government was to consider seriously community development which has always been the way for the Igbo tribe. She said that Igbo people did not learn democracy from anyone but have always maintained a Republican society where people come together to decide what they want and pool resources together to take any project of their choice forward.

Dr. Ifeoma who spoke on Steering the Wheel of Development in Awka North advised that Awka North must be more proactive in a participatory democracy in the state and local government affairs so that the youths of the area can be employed in government establishments, stressing that there must be smooth collaboration with the Honourable member in the state House to articulate issues, look at some facilities that are not working and present it to him.
Stating their stand during the forum, the Awka North stakeholders as a group said that the meeting is a right step to addressing the teething problems that has in the past deprived the region its place in the scheme of things in the state, while it will also enable the people of Awka North to brainstorm and re- strategize her priorities in order to chart a common road map capable of withstanding the exigencies of the moment.

The stakeholders defined the meeting as a right step to addressing the teething cankerworms that has in the past deprived the region its place in the scheme of things in the state while it will also enable the people of Awka North to brainstorm and re- strategize her priorities in order to chart a common road map capable of withstanding the exigencies of the moment.

Barr. Ekemezie Obidigwe while reading the address on behalf of the stakeholders did not hide the fact that in spite of the region’s unique and strategic position in the state particularly agriculture wise , it has been continually marginalized and discriminated against in terms of governmental patronage, presence and appointments of persons from Awka North.

The Stakeholders further lamented the spate of underdevelopment that has continued to torment the people of Awka North with successive governments paying deaf ears to their cries. It was noted that the local government is bereft of a single tarred road linking the various communities in Awka North Local Government Area while the only road leading from Isuaniocha to Achalla Local Government Headquarters had been under construction for close to ten years without notable improvement as of late.

They stated that the Mgbakwu Polytechnic road, leading to Ebenebe Community, has been abandoned and the contractor handling it do not seem to know what to do on the road. “The Urum – Amanuke road, Amansea – Ebenebe and Awba – Ofemmili roads are all in a terrible stages of decay.”

Earlier in his address, the convener of the Town Hall meeting, Hon. John Nwokoye  said that town hall meeting is a place where the members of a town gather to deliberate on the matters affecting the community and ascertain where the leaders or representatives are taking the communities to, adding that the essence of the forum is to seek ideas and knowledge on the areas of particular interest to the communities that make up Awka North local government.

Hon Nwokoye stated further that the impact of the town hall meeting lies on the fact that it breeds an opportunity where the people unite and present their request to government with one voice, adding that the forum will not only help to maintain peace in communities but will attract positive development both from governments and private individuals.
His words: “Today, we have decided to have one voice through myself at the representative of Awka North. Whatever they agree is their opinion is what I will present before the hallow chamber of the state House of Assembly and I believe that the good governor of Anambra state government will implement whatever I present to the state government. “

The lawmaker was said to have carried out several laudable projects in health, education and social circle called on the people of Awka North to articulate opinions that would metamorphose into motions to be tabled before the Honourable State House of Assembly reiterating his promise to package more motions and bills that will impact meaningfully to the lives of the people of Awka.

The Town hall meeting drew the presence of dignitaries including the Speaker, Anambra state House of Assembly, traditional heads, church heads, APGA state legislators, former Member House of Representatives representing Awka North and South and former speaker Anambra State House of Assembly,  Right Hon. Anayo Nnebe,  and other government appointees and representatives as well as well-meaning people of Awka North  local government area.

Hon Nwokoye insisted that only education and love for one another can make Awka North people to be emancipated and enjoined all to join hands and make Awka North local Government area, the best in the state. He has empowered ten citizens on skills, given scholarships, sensitized the people on health issues during his free medical mission and registered and paid for 100 indigenes into the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA).

According to the Director General, More Money Campaign Organisation, and National Chairman of Ugbene Great Ambassadors Club, Chief Aaron N. Chukwukadibia Onwelukwue, JP, Hon. John Nwokoye utilizes every opportunity to seek for redress for the challenges of his people as he did during ‘The Convergence 2.0’, gathering of Young Elected Representatives in Nigeria organised by YIAGA with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogora, and with Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Governor of Anambra, Chief Willie Obiano; his Kebbi State counterpart, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu and the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri during the unveiling of Coscharis Farms’ N12 billion ultra-modern rice processing mill at Igbariam.

Owelle Ugbene as he is fondly called, who is also a United Nations Peace Ambassador, said further that the people of Awka North are waiting to enjoy the bigger fruits of his outreach and contacts since he became a Legislator , as they have seen it so good in Awka North before the representation of Hon Nwokoye.

Since the 7th Anambra state House of Assembly was inaugurated June 12, 2019, High Chief Hon. John Ifechikwulu Nwokoye, Onowu Achalla, aka More Money has not relented in proving his critics wrong. Hon More Money needs support to actualize his dreams in the House for the people of Awka North, while the Member representing Awka North and South in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Engr Chinedu Onwuaso, aka Mkponana consolidates on his efforts. 

Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, PhD is a culture and tradition aficionado and a foodie. He is a known Journalist, Editor, Media Consultant and famous Blogger, as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, publisher and Conversationalist @ www.odogwublog.com among others.

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