Ifeanyi IbeSocio-welfarism refers to what scholars describe as the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth and public responsibility for citizens who are unable to help themselves to achieve the minimum of provisions which a good life entails.
The system is a hallmark of distributive welfare and entitlement policy which is targeted at giving governance benefits in fairly equal proportion to the majority of the citizenry. Unfortunately, in Abia State, since its creation in 1991 and return of democracy in 1999, various dispensations of government have literally abandoned the people. State resources have not served the interest of the citizenry. Even to a scandalous level as an Oil-producing State.
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However, nature in its wisdom does not completely abandon a people. Out of the ruling class nature also has a way of throwing up one of its own in a seeming revolutionary distinction which is targeted at evolving some orderliness. And this is what nature has done with Engr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji, the outgoing Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly.
Engr Chinedum, fondly known as IKUKUOMA Abia, a two-term Abia legislator, had planned to go to the Federal Parliament to seek to serve the state much better and afford Nigerians at large the advantage of his legislative dexterity. Even though it seems that plan didn’t workout as expected in the just concluded elections, Mr Speaker can carry his head high, having done exemplarily well. Across the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency where he hails, his footprint is unmistakable.
Looking through Engr Chinedum’s scorecard, one comes to the realisation that he is indeed a Sociowelfarist. This underlines the enigmatic tag “Ikukuoma”, a glaring attestation to his welfarist persona. It simply means a blessed or refreshing air.
His signature, legacy projects that dot the Constituency situate him in the class of welfarist politicians you can find in any clime. What he has sought to do with these projects is to deploy welfare programmes to intervene in the life of the people through the rare, privileged position he has found himself.
IKUKU’s litany of legacy projects is a deliberate effort which targets the populace by providing social safeguards to wipe away the risks that face their wellbeing. These are risks resulting from bad governance, corruption and inhumanity of man to his fellow. To achieve his goal, Ikuku has been able to deploy resources to specific areas that span healthcare, education, empowerment and diverse programmes that meet the needs of marginalised people and communities in the Constituency.
IKUKUOMA Abia has indeed shown that it is possible to serve well in government when you avoid greed and selfishness. The enigmatic Engr cum politician has displayed a rare sense of kindness, empathy, generousity and sacrifice through his effort to deploy meagre resources to ensure equitable distribution of wealth, targeting those individuals and communities that lack the capacity to help themselves to the minutest good things of life. His Sociowelfarism has fully served, under limited resources, to provide social safety nets to those individuals and communities across the Constituency bedeviled and alienated by geographical location, poverty and a history of deliberate governmental abandonment from one dispensation to another.
Mr Speaker’s image of humanness stare in my face each day I recall his tour of the Ugwuegbu(Obugwu) erosion site in Ariam-Usaka. It fills my heart with extreme joy as I imagine the circumstance of my uncle, Bishop Dr Mark Oturu’s compound and others directly around the erosion site. He stepped into the hurting shoes of Obugwu people and availed himself firsthand knowledge of the complexity and profundity of the erosion challenge. He also used that occasion to reassess the situation of the Ariam-Usaka Ring Road and sounded himself clear on what should be done. Only about three weeks earlier around December 14, 2022 he had risked and endured everything on that road to attend the opening ceremony and dedication of a town hall built and donated by Dr. Nzeribe Okegbue to his people of Ndiokoro. As Christmas approached he deployed graders to level the Ring Road for Ndi Ariam-Usaka to enjoy the season as other places he rehabilitated their roads too. Before this time, Engr Chinedum had started off a mini stadium in Ariam-Usaka just as he gave to other communities across the Constituency. He doubled down with provision of transformers to improve electricity in Ariam-Usaka.
Indeed, Mr Speaker proved himself true on his promise of intervention over the Obugwu erosion challenge. By February 23, 2023 he had got the state government to approve an intervention fund of ₦30m. By the ending of the month the sum of ₦20m was released immediately for work to commence. It was an empathetic response to the dire situation for which he never would want the rains to meet the situation the same way. In another instance in Ibere he toured the community’s erosion sites too.
In an apparent effort to cover the yawning gap the Executive creates across the state, Engr Chinedum’s social welfare packages across the Constituency seek to wipe the people’s tears. As the government failed through inactions and corruption he stood tall by ensuring that he provided projects that directly enhance the quality of life of the masses of the Constituency. It has been a case of a litany of landmark projects everywhere, including scholarships and startup capitals for young entrepreneurs. Indeed a multisectoral, multi pronged poverty attack through Sociowelfarism. These are verifiable.
Multitude of Ikukuoma’s admirers have come to identify him as Mr Project. His humility and grassroots qualities which are second to none keep him in the people’s consciousness everyday. His resilience is highly admired, a quality that is inherent in his Engineering profession. He has pledged to continue with and to complete all his projects across the Constituency whether in office or out of office. The hearts and prayers of his admirers remain with him at all times.
Ifeanyi Ibe wrote in from Lagos
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