By: Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.

Change is a challenge to adventurous and a threat to the obscure insecure
-Anonymous

At the inauguration of the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo in Awka on Thursday the 17th day of March 2022, there was a slap that took the shine off the beautiful inaugural speech rendered by the new Governor.

The first news that came out from the occasion was that it was Mrs. Obiano that slapped Lolo Bianca Ojukwu. The news spread like wildfire and there was widespread condemnation of the effrontery of a wife of an outgoing Governor, slapping the jewel of the Lion of Igbo Land even in death – Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu. The video clip of the event however proved otherwise. It is obvious that Mrs. Obiano has no relationship with the media and that even her media handlers (if any), are not in tune with her. The Wife of the outgone Governor appears not to have a Public Relations office/officer. On the other hand, different groups, Traditional Rulers, etc issued statements in support of Lady Bianca and condemnation of Mrs. Obiano. Lady Bianca is a mistress of public relations, carrying herself with posh, poise, and elegant in personality and speech.

Lesson:

Develop a relationship with people naturally, irrespective of your position. Carry yourself with grace and poise. Events are not always reported the way they happened in this world. Always be the one, that controls the narrative. A person of importance must have media managers, who must be news people, who have extensive to top echelon understanding of the media world, else, you will be a victim of the danger in a single narrative, just as Mrs. Obiano has become.

Governor Willie Obiano woke up from Government House Awka on Thursday the 17th day of March 2022, with the full retinue of the pecks of office of Governor, including his Police Orderlies saluting him, he might not even pay attention, after all, he is the Governor. He had so much power, including the power of giving a prison inmate sentenced to death full pardon. He handed over power the same day and the ephemeral nature of power set in. As Governor he had immunity, but power is nothing without control.

In a very curious move, hours after handing over Power, Mr. Willie Obiano was accosted by some security agents. Now, he has to pay attention as he is no longer the Governor. He was arrested at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport by the EFCC. Did you notice the title change? *NO ONE WILL BE A GOVERNOR FOREVER* If President Buhari used his powers the way the Governors are using theirs wrongly, there would have been no elected Governors in Nigeria.

Mr. Willie Obiano woke up as Governor in Government House Awka but slept in the EFCC Cell in Lagos as an alleged criminal the same day, all these in less than 6 hours.

Lesson:

Power is transient. Right (8) years is not forever. Be careful how you use power, as the same power is available to be used against you when you leave power. Show mercy to people, while in power, as part of that mercy will be available to you. The swiftness with which they moved against Mr. Obiano shows that they were just waiting for him to leave to move against him. Looks like he has stepped on too many toes. While you step on toes, know you have toes too. If the weight of the system moved against you, can you survive it?

You can not be bigger than the system that made you.

About the Author:

Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., @douglasogbankwa@gmail.com, a Benin Based Lawyer, Policy Analyst, and Writer is the President of the Benin Writers’ Society.