Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku’s autobiography, EYE OF FIRE is one of the best of such books that I ever read.
The foreword to that book was written by the Late President Nelson Mandela who took time to recollect the high wired diplomatic moves that led to his release from prison, the dismantling of the apartheid regime and his eventual election as the first black President of a democratic South Africa. Those moves were championed by Chief Anyaoku whom he described as MASTER OF QUIET BUT EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY. It took the style of Anyaoku, working with then President Fredrick De Klerk, as Mandela noted, to put an end to centuries of apartheid and the entrenchment of democratic ideals in South Africa without firing one shot and without spilling of blood.
One area where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has confounded even his most virulent critics is in his ability to manage contending issues with calm and relative ease.
Before the Ikpeazu era in Abia State, the political firmament here was permanently defined by strife. This strife cut across all levels of the entire political environment. No Governor in Abia State completed one tenure with one Deputy Governor, let alone the two tenures. Before Ikpeazu, we had 2 Governors and about 5 or is 6 different Deputies. The relationship between the Governors then and their Deputies were defined by suspicion and strife. The House of Assembly then spent more time dealing with impeachment of Deputy Governors than actual developmental legislation.
The relationship between sitting Governor and his predecessor was a study in warfare with each trying to outdo the other?
At the Party level, there was trouble. We had factions in the PDP with one based in Abuja and the one at home with each of them firing from all cylinders, fuelling political instability in the State.
Party congresses used to be war here with different factions producing different State Executives?
This instability even permeated our local communities over traditional rulership. A time was in Abia State when the Ezeship institution became an instrument of merchandise and this tore our communities apart. In several communities then, two different persons were given certificates of recognition as Eze by the State Government, leading to confusion and strife.
A time was in Abia State when the relationship between the State and the Federal Government broke down completely. I recall that President Obasanjo and the PDP were denied the use of the Umuahia stadium for their rally.
A time was in Abia when politically motivated killings were the order of the day.
Enter Ikpeazu and the era of quiet but effective diplomacy.
How has this Governor managed to keep all of these in check?
How has he worked harmoniously with one Deputy Governor for the past 7 years?
How has the State House of Assembly remained one united and result oriented legislative body?
How come the Governor and his predecessors are in the best of terms?
How come the party, PDP has remained stable with no single sign of strife and factionalization?
How come Abia had remained stable and peaceful?
Our markets, town unions, even trade unions are calm and peaceful. There are no daggers drawn?
When the APC applied for the use of the refurbished Enyimba International Stadium foe their rally for the 2019 Presidential Election Campaign, Ikpeazu shocked everyone by giving approval. By then, even the PDP hadn’t enjoyed that privilege.
What is the magic? What is the secret?
The answer lies in the personality of the man, Okezie Ikpeazu. He has this uncanny way of getting of making it impossible for you to want to fight, even if you are the devil himself. His calm disposition will simply disarm you.
Despite the massive cornucopia of executive powers available to him as Governor, Ikpeazu prefers to use consultations and dialouge to push issues. Even where he has clear interests, he doesn’t lord it over anyone.
Ikpeazu is a man with an infinite capacity to forgive and move on. I speak from a point of personal experience. No matter the situation and the nature of what may have happened, Ikpeazu has no qualms about burying the hatchet and making progress.
Some people get shocked when they still see some people around the Governor. His open mindedness is almost unbelievable. His readiness to make compromises is amazing.
As the build up to the 2023 elections commences and the search for his successor gets frantic, Ikpeazu’s quiet diplomatic prowess will be on the center stage again. I have no doubts in my mind that he will seamlessly navigate through the maze and labyrinth of all political issues and lead the PDP to victory, yet again.
Take it or leave it, Ikpeazu is endowed with natural gifts in crisis management.
© Ururuaja.