Secretary and national publicity secretary of the Supreme Council of youth leaders of the oil producing communities of Ohaji Egbema and Oguta LGAs in Imo State, Comrade Chidex Orum has revealed why he had to forgive Governor Rochas Okorocha of the state irrespective of the ill treatment meted to him and his members by the governor.
Fielding questions from journalists in Owerri, the state capital on the recent develoments in the oil producing communities of Ohaji Egbema and Oguita, Comrade Orum said he and his group had taken it upon themselves to celebrate Engr. Kingsley Uju, who he described as “our dear brother” for being a bridge builder.
He said, “I must confess that this Uju made me forgive Governor Okorocha because I can remember in 2010 when I was the state chairman of 2011 Ohakim Youth Vanguard. Owelle invited me to his house near Concorde Hotel through Late Chief Cyril Nwokorobia (aka Cykate) from Umuaka in Njaba LGA. It was there that Owelle marshalled out his plans for the state if he was elected to be governor in 2011 and appealed to me to dump my platform to work for his Rescue Mission.
“Chief Nwokorobia equally appealled to me to get my youths to work for Rochas then and I agreed and worked for him because Chief Nwokorobia knew me very well and what we are capable of doing”.
Orum, who is one of the repented ex-agitators that received amnesty from the state government two years ago, said however that since Okorocha won the election in 2011 “the governor never cared about us and the promises he made to us.
“Because of that neglect, all my coordinators across the state felt that I made a mistake by taking them to support Rochas. Because of this singular action of abandoning us, that made us to go underground until Engr. Uju initiated the Amnesty Programme which we refer to as a child of circumstance.
“So, because of this singular action by Hon. Uju, I had to forgive the governor and let peace reign in spite of the fact that my men are still not being carried along. If not Engr. Kingsley Uju, we could have been hiding up to this moment doing gorrila fight and the state would be losing in terms of resources. But all thanks to Uju”, he said.
The youth leader noted that the deputy cheif of staff, who is also the chairman Bureau for Land, survey and urban planning, has proven to be a leader that has the welfare of the people at heart.
“Late last year when he dedicated his twins, if you were at that dedication ceremony, you could hear the governor describing him as a greater philanthropist that gives out even the little he has to make the less privileged happy. So we are happy with such a person who has diffused much tensions and converted people to believe in Rescue Mission”.
Orum described Engr.Uju as empowerment-oriented, saying apart from the N500 million youth empowerment Governor Okorocha gave to the youths of Ohaji Egbema and Oguta, Hon. Uju has empowered hundreds of youths from the area on his own.
Comrade Orum who said though he and the Supreme Council of youth leaders of the oil producing communities appreciate the government’s genuine effort at ensuring peace, called on Governor Okorocha to “remember the promises he made to us who are former Ohakim Youth Vanguard coordinators who abandoned Ohakim even with his money so that peace will be seen to have been made”.
He used the opportunity to commend the governor on the appointment of Barr. GTO Mgborokwu as the TC chairman of Oguta LGA, describing it as well deserved appointment.
According to him, Barr. Mgborokwu is already showing by his action that he is an Uju desciple.
