Ezeakukwu Emmanuel Nsoedo
The Demised Senator Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, perhaps, the greatest charismatic and driven politician of this generation, had touched every nook and cranny of Anambra South Senatorial District. Senator Ubah engaged significant projects across all the seven local government areas and communities simultaneously.
The Senator made sure that he provided impactful poverty alleviation tools for the teeming followers. In addition, he was very attentive to his social calenders, attending functions, and his presence always dominating the scene.
With the Senator’s sudden demise, all manner of political pretenders had thrown their hats in the ring without proper introspection. Their efforts were akin to mocking the unfortunate misfortune of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
Even while the Senator’s body was still warm, many of these rapacious opportunists had begun chasing the Ubah’s supporters who were heartbroken for the loss of the Senator.
The question that should have been at the mind of these irrational opportunists should have been to understand the nature of the seat they were lining up to grab. The Senator’s seat and tenure was only abridged, and needed to be completed.
As Igbo people, particularly of Anambra descent, are known for making decent decisions, especially when death was at the center of the issue, these actors did not reflect well. So, the most prudent thing to do should have been for all interested aspirants outside of Senator Ubah’s immediate community to exercise patience for the Senator’s tenure to elapse.
There is no reason to bore anyone whether it had been the norm, but the case of former Senator Chuba Okadigbo should be instructive.
As a mark of honor to the memory of Senator Ifeanyi, the contest to replace him should be left to those from his community forestall the impression of gloating the dead.
Anambra state should eschew the contemporary persception of other ethnic groups that the Igbos are only interested material gains without regard to moral justification. This is one of those instances to show them how deep-rooted and intact Igbo morality remains.