Ugwuanyi: An Encounter with Simplicity
Louis Onyebuchi
Just recently, the Amube Ohum Orba polling centre of the governorelect of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, played host to various media houses, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, as well as local and international observers, who monitored the March 28 and April 11 general election in the area. The exercise created an ample opportunity for most of the journalists to interact with the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, now governor-elect, and have a deeper understanding of his person. It also provided a platform for them to understand what he stands for in the eyes of nature and why he is loved by the masses, including the high and the low in the society. To the pressmen and other observers, the visit was a natural experience and an encounter with a good man whose integrity, simplicity, humility and kindness resonate with enduring testimonials.
He has held many exalted positions in his 12 years sojourn in the House of Representatives, including chairmanship of the House Committee on Marine Transport, yet his humble spirit and down-to- earth instinct in dealing with issues tell the story more.
At 11.35am on the day of the governorship election, here came a cheerful looking man in a plain light brown kaftan with a cap to match, waving at his admirers, mostly voters. He was in company of a cream of journalists and few aides, as he walked towards his Amube Ohum Orba polling centre located adjacent to the popular Orba main market in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. On getting to the venue, the calm looking Ugwuanyi, unlike most political bigwigs in the country who would want to be attended to immediately, turned down all the efforts made by those on duty to extend some preferential treatment to him for the accreditation. He decided to identify with his people who had been standing in the queue in the sun waiting for their turn to be accredited.
When approached by one of his worriedlooking supporters, who asked him to come to the front for his accreditation, Ugwuanyi smiled and replied, “Don’t worry, I am ok here. There are people who have been here before me since 8am. I will just sit down and allow them to be attended to first and wait for my turn. They are the reason why we are here and I appreciate your concern, thanks.”
He remained seated, exchanging pleasantries with his people, old and the young, rich and the poor, including the disabled. Efforts by his aides to allow him some distance from the people consistently met brick walls, as he would calmly ask them to allow the enthusiastic admirers come to him. His accreditation later took place smoothly and he returned to his residence, and came back by 2.45pm to cast his vote.
Few seconds, after casting his votes about 3.05pm, Ugwuanyi had a brief chat with journalists, where he stated his satisfaction with the electoral process on the ground and expressed optimism that his party will emerge victorious at the polls.
For the journalists to feel at home and have an experience intrinsically laced up with his character, he requested the pressmen to accompany him back to his house, which was about half kilometre from the polling centre. But to the surprise of many, he made this humble appeal, “Sorry, you people will have to walk back home with me, because as you can see, I had to walk from my house to this place to vote. The Electoral Act forbids people coming into the polling centres with vehicles, so I had to comply and that’s why I’ m here to exercise my franchise without any vehicle conveying me to this polling centre. Please, bear with me.”
As he tried to move through the crowd of mostly voters, Ugwuanyi did not relent in his natural instinct of exchanging pleasantries with his people of all classes as they cheered him up, shouting “Gburugburu! Gburugburu!! Gburugburu!!! Carry Go!” The atmosphere was further charged with a nostalgic experience which ensued when he stopped on the way to appreciate a handful of excited neighbouring children who were around to chant victory songs for him, in anticipation of the outcome of the election. Ugwuanyi did not stop at that, he took group photographs with the village children in appreciation of their support and solidarity and assured them of brighter future under his administration. On approaching his residence, it was another gale of celebration, as more children, and other villagers who had returned from their respective polling units after casting their votes quickly gathered in large numbers at his entrance gate waiting for his return. Right from his entrance gate stood a warm atmosphere that represented an overwhelming victory for the incoming governor. Ugwuanyi’s residence was adorned with beautiful flowers and trees on its right corner to the entrance, which provided shade and convivial serenity for all his supporters, heralding a sign of peace, love, victory and celebration.
All came and left happily with the conclusion that the election had been won in his favour.
As the wishes of men are the wishes of God, INEC about 2.30pm on the 12th day of April, 2015 (the day after the election) declared Ugwuanyi as the winner of the governorship election in Enugu State. The wild jubilation that greeted the result of the election across the 17 local government areas of the state were unprecedented and overwhelming as his supporters, mostly the commoners, took to the streets of Enugu, chanting victory songs and thanking God for giving them a new leader that would wipe their tears away, identify with them, sustain the pathway of vision, discipline and integrity, drop the overzealous influence of the paraphernalia of office, bring governance closer to the people, and usher in a new dawn for the continued development of the state.