![[OPINION] From Sideline Analyst to Campaign Frontliner (I) - Jude Eze](/media/k2/items/cache/997e2b7a05f59095a922dc85fe01e95e_XL.jpg)
Never in my life did I envisage getting into the forefront of partisan politics. Not in the current Nigerian political reality. Little did I contemplate the untoward verbal irony whereby someone does the direct opposite of what he swore not to do (impulsively for the greater good).
A typical example of this is seen in the gospel of St. John 7:8–10, where the Lord told his disciples that He will not go up to Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of the tabernacle, but afterwards, he found himself attending the same event albeit secretly.
I have been one of the fierce critics of sociopolitical actors who manifestly kept Nigeria in a perpetual underdeveloped status, but I dreaded getting involved in the "game" for fear that a tiny drop of water into an ocean makes no difference. But as discomforting as public affairs analysis is, I had elected to persist in it. Who then will bell the cat if people don't join the game to change it from within?
2023 and the irresistible need to salvage the seemingly irredeemable Nigeria saw me pushing for good governance through my keypad. I made heavy literary investment in the Obidient movement, that one of my extended elder brothers — veteran Journalist and Columnist, Ike Abonyi had to connect me with Peter Obi via his phone number for a closer relationship. The blue app of Mark Zuckerberg — Facebook censored me multiple times for this cause. I accepted it as a validation emblem that I am on a good cause. We could not attain the major aim of the Obidient movement because of the double tragedy of a biased electoral umpire and broad daylight miscarriage of justice; but we were satisfied with the good work we put in. Moral theology rightly teaches that "the end doesn't always justify the end."
To His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I: "The reward for the job well done is not in the recognition of others, nor in public praise. Neither is it measured solely by the monetary return earned by the workman. It comes rather, in the inner satisfaction that accompanies the knowledge that the work accomplished represents the best of which we are capable."
The shock of "Obi is coming..." that didn't materialize weakened the very sinews of many objective writers and critics. Congenital writers like Ezugwu Okike Esq almost lost appetite for the use of pen. All of us went into inadvertent sabbatical. However, with attenuated zeal, I managed to continue authoring my weekly column. "Nigeria doesn't deserve the enthusiasm we expend on daily basis churning out exhortations in tabloids" I said in my mind.
It was in this valley of despair that I was, refusing to sing the Lord's song in a "strange" land (Ps. 137:1-4), when my State Governor, His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah made one of the landmark appointments of his administration. He went to the exalted altar of innovation where competency is the chief priest, to appoint a veteran Broadcaster and my friend of over 23 years — Aka Eze Aka as Honourable Commissioner for Information and Communication. My spirit got enlivened. Immediately, I enlisted as part of his backroom technical team. The job description was simple: elucidate on State Government policies, especially the ones misconstrued or misinterpreted by the public, such as the ongoing reclamation of displaced motor parks across the State.
Aka knew that I could go to any length to support his office to achieve set objectives. The easiest job on earth is to serve an honest gentleman.
While I work remotely for him, I was primed for a grassroot project for another good guy, my friend and ally — Hon. Onyekachi C. Ugwu (Ahmed), whose time was long overdue to bring his ambition to lead my Local Government Area to the path of integral development as her Executive Chairman to bear. Together with Aka, we formed a three-sided polygon to engender good governance for our Community. While we were on it, the dice fell on Aka, to fly the flag of the ruling party for the Chairmanship position. Immediately this news was confirmed, Aka naturally called to inform me. Ahmed handed me a list of names selected to work with me in the Media office, with a specific instruction: "we are emptying the lofty plans we had for the office into Aka's manifesto. He will deliver on the mandate of our people"
This Media Team which is now arguably the most popular arm of the Aka Eze Aka Campaign Council was inaugurated a month ago to function independently, (but synergically) with the Campaign Council which came alive two weeks later.
Since I assumed office as the Director General of Aka Eze Aka Media Team, my life never remained the same. Aka (like my Boss — High Chief Anterus C. Eze) doesn't take "No" for an answer, therefore I was stretched at both extremes to deliver on the terms of reference along with my other team members. All his public statements, media engagements, as well as his interaction with the everyday people of Udenu were pruned and analyzed prospectively and retrospectively on our desk.
I, "who," in the apt words of Dr. Osmond Agbo was merely "moonlighting in journalism," found myself advising a media Giant, a professional broadcaster like Aka on the art of sociopolitical media engagement. The same I, who, dreaded being in the foray of political corporeality have inevitably been throwing myself in front of cameras, promoting Aka's candidature, answering questions from Journalists and assuaging his good governance agenda further down the tiniest strata of Udenu citizenry.
But then, who wouldn't like to work for Aka Eze Aka? Remember my earlier submission above: "the noblest job is to work for an honest gentleman" — a man loved by his people. You don't break sweat selling his personality. You can never run out of content writing promotional materials about him.
As the Campaign climaxes on ceases today, 24 hours to the September 21 polls, I am reflecting on how far I have ran down the lane of political image-making, and I felt like everything is possible, once common interests are sought after, and the right man is projected.
In summary, the release of timetable for the 2024 Local Council elections by Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) set the stage for political dancehall artists. The month-long amphitheatre performance by different dramatis personae saw Aka Eze Aka got the highest ovation. Even the opposition has resigned to fate, as a chunk of their supporters collapsed their structures in favour of Aka, seeing him as a unity (consensus) candidate.
I will stop here till after the election.
May daylight spare us.
Jude Eze.(To be continued...)