From Maurice Okafor, Enugu.
The proprietor of Maduka University, Ekwegbe in Enugu State, Evangelist Maduka Onyishi, says his unsuccessful political career was basically an act of God, who destined him to serve Him and humanity through other endeavours.
He asserted that those who felt they constituted stumbling blocks to his political career were merely the instruments God Almighty used to abstain him from advancing politically.
Dr Maduka dropped this hints at the weekend when he spoke at the interactive session between the stakeholders of Nsukka local government area and the Enugu state government on the best ways to enhance efficiency of local government administration in the state for grass root development and good governance in the communities.
Dr Maduka who is a concerned citizen of Nsukka local government area stated: “When some people claimed that they marred my political ambition to become Governor of Enugu state,they failed to understand that it was an act of God.That God merely used them as instruments to redirect my vision and steps in embarking in some other endeavours to serve him and be of immesureable value to humanity”.
It could be recalled that Onyishi was among prominent politicians with private sector background who aspired to govern Enugu state, at the onset of the fourth Republic politics. He has since retired from active partisan politics.
His words: “I am satisfied doing what I am doing currently and by the special grace of God,we have continued to improve on the lots of humanity”.
The establishment of Maduka University is the latest among his business conglomerates.
The institution which bent on raising the standard of education obtained among private universities in Nigeria, has being fully certified by National University Commission(NUC).
The location of the university and it’s college in the virgin land of Ekwegbe community, between Enugu township and Nsukka township,has also opened a gateway for socio economic development and comnercial activities to advance in the area,optimizing the economy of scale of Maduka University.
The Peace Group of companies which includes the Peace Mass Transit is known to be the highest private sector driven employer of labour in Enugu state and beyond.
While commending the interactive session between the state government and Nsukka stateholders as very timely, Dr Maduka advocated that the present council chairman,Barr.Walter Ozioko,should be allowed to continue for a second term,based on his achievements so far under two years in office and the pertinent need to complete and consolidate on several projects that are going which includes the ashphalting of some roads within and outside Nsukka township.
Speaking earlier,the Enugu state commissioner for local government,rural development and Chieftaincy affairs, Hon Deacon Okey Ogbodo, stressed that the essence of the tour of the 17 local government areas authorised by Governor Peter Mbah is to ascertain the performance of the various council chairmen in developing the rural communities, note the contribution of the various stakeholders which includes the traditional rulers,Town Union Presidents,Councillors,Women and Youth groups etc, on how best to make improvements.
Moreso,to resolve areas of conflict between the council chairman and stakeholders where it exists,since peace is panacea for effective development.
Deacon Ogbodo stated: “Politics and good governance is about people. That is why we introduced the idea of interaction for people to speak their minds”.
“Governor Mbah has core values for all inclusiveness,transparency,hardwork and accountability.The essence of the tour is operation show your score card.Our local government chairmen collect allocations from the federation account at Abuja monthly.That is why we want to know their achievements”.
The Nsukka Local government chairman Barr.Walter Ozioko,mentioned his achievements with less than two years in office to include the building of skill equisition center,where unemployed youths will be guided by experts to learn one trade or more,so as to become self employed,the appointnent of over 350 youths as personal assistants,special advisers and senior special assistants,into his cabinet on monthly stipends,the completion of legislative building to serve as office of the 20 ward councillors.According to him,the project was initially started by a past chairman of the council,late Petrick Omeje,but he deemed it necessary to complete it,since government is a continuum.
The catalogue of his achievements tendered during the interactive session includes the land reclamation from gully erosion threatened Adada house compound,asphalting of link roads to and from Nsukka township,improving on the local security network in council area by donating his personal security vehicle to the local vigilante, with the result of drastic reduction on the rate of kidnapping along Opi-Nsukka-Enugu road, etc.
Answering questions from newsmen, Barr.Ozioko said the secret of his achievements lies on the fact that he resides the grass roots in Nsukka,interacts and notes where it pains them most.
