On this Rock I build my Church

“On this Rock I build my Church”: Matthew 16:18.
This verse in the Bible is well known to we Christians and to Catholics in particular it embodies the creation of the Papacy.

God used Peter greatly in the foundation of the church. It was Peter who first proclaimed the Gospel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-47).

Peter was also the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:1-48). In a sense, Peter was the rock “foundation” of the church. Well over 2000 years the “Church” has flourished and spread all over the world.

Fast forward to our times, it was pomp and pageantry on March 15 2014, (just two days to handing over to Chief Willie Obiano) another Peter was conferred with a chieftaincy title “Okwute Ndi Igbo” translated means “The Rock of the Igbos”.

The title “Okwute” was a unanimous gesture from the 177 Traditional Rulers in Anambra State in appreciation of the then Governors matchless service to the people of the State.

Also present was at the elaborate ceremony was Governor Elect, Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano.

The seemingly goodwill engendered by his 8 year tenure as the Governor of Anambra state under the auspicious of the political party All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is instructive for this narrative.

It is a well-known fact that APGA was lead by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu, a major actor in the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, which ended in 1970.

The reason for the war was attributed to the marginalization of Ndi Igbo in national issues. So with Dim as its leader, to Ndi Anambra and largely Ndi Igbo APGA symbolizes a way of life, a movement of the people of like heritage and a springboard to advance the political aspirations of the people.

With its symbol as a “Cock’ and slogan “Onye Aghala Nwanne” which literally means, “be thy brothers keeper”, Igbos are encouraged to wake up, smell the coffee and rally around each other for the economic and political advancement of the region.

Simply put, “Nke bu Nkayi” (this is ours). APGA is the party that will advance the economic and political development of the Igbo race.

A Philosophical comparative of both Peters, Unlike Peter in Matthew 16:18 who was charged with the building of the Church has kept the legacy alive.

Chief Peter Obi “Okwute Ndi Igbo” was charged with leading the Igbos to the promise land. During the ceremony the Traditional Ruler of Agulu, Chief Peter Obi’s hometown, Igwe Innocent Obodoakor eulogized Okwute as the Moses of Anambra State.

Has Peter Obi lived up to expectations? The answer is NO! he has failed to foster unity between Igbos. This writer had expected Okwute to lead like Moses in a crusade to ensure all the South East States is ruled by APGA.

Barely 8 months later on October 8, 2014 Chief Peter Obi “the Rock” who was charged with leading the Igbos to the promise land, dumped APGA and defected to the People Democratic Party (PDP) that was the major political party at the time holding the federal might in Nigeria.

It is instructive to know that it is on record the Chief Peter Obi swore privately and publicly that he would never leave the party (APGA) that supported during his 8-year reign as governor.

In his own words Okwute said, “He will sink or swim” with APGA.
To make matter worse Chief Peter Obi witnessed the burning of APGA apparel with Ojukwu image on it, sacrilege some might say!
As expected reactions trailed the defection by many APGA faithful’s, Bianca Ojukwu, wife to Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu had this to say

“Everything he is, today, he owes to Ojukwu and APGA. APGA catapulted him literally from obscurity to national prominence. He served two consecutive terms, as governor of Anambra State, a first in the history of the state.

This, he achieved under APGA. His decampment is shocking to our party members. He never gave them any indication that he was about to jump ship.

Close as I was to him, he did not even have the simple courtesy to inform me of this decision but continued to deceive me up until his defection.”

Explaining to newsmen then in Lagos, the only reason Chief Peter Obi gave for his defection was due to his involvement in the re-election campaign of then President Goodluck Jonathan.

However rumors where strife that the “real” reason for his defection was due to “issues” with his successor Gov. Willie Obiano, “issues” we will not want go into.

Fast forward to 2017. The run up to the governorship elections saw Peter Obi in a battle royal of accusations with the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano.

Under the auspices of PDP, Chief Peter Obi who was seen as the political “Godfather” of Oseloka Obaze ran a vile campaign of bitterness, which came across to most as a vindictive.

The vitriolic manner the campaign went especially from the Okwute himself somewhat laid credence to “issues” gone sour between both men.

With his full weight behind OHO, Okwute toured the state vigorously campaigning against his successor, this many saw as Peter Obi’s attempt to take his pound of flesh and the search of a third term in office.

Judging from the PDP’s campaign on the social and Print medium, which was saturated with Peter did this, peter did that; one would have thought it was Peter Obi on the ballot.

Having fought “godfatherism”, Peter Obi sought to become a “godfather” but he forgot a very important adage. “Maduaburochukwu’
The PDP cajoled Alex Ekueme to endorse the ticket of OHO and his daughter as deputy governor.

However it is on record that IDE had already endorsed governor Obinao for a second term and was solidly behind the rotation agreement, which will see south senatorial zone produce the governor come 2022.

On November 19, 2017 Chief Willie Obinao was declared the winner in a landslide victory in the just concluded 2017 Governorship elections having in a historic manner won in all 21 local government areas of the state, a feat no other governor in Nigeria had ever achieved.

The same day our beloved Ex-Vice President Alex Ekueme was declared dead by his family. May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Rubbing salt to injury, Monday 20, 2017, the appeal court delivered its judgment on the beleaguered senatorial elections, which was widely seen as Peter Obi’s vindictiveness against the former chairman of APGA Sir Victor Umeh.

In its summation the appellant court ordered INEC to conduct the election within 90 days without the PDP Kama is a bitch you say!

With congratulations coming from all the contestants and even by major stakeholders across the political divide, Peter Obi has refused to speak on the resounding victory by gov Obiano.

The question now is what will Chief Peter Obi do in this chess like game of politics? From all indications PDP in Anambra State is not happy with Okwute.

Chief Chris Uba, a founding member of PDP and one of its major financiers in interview we conducted in Aguleri had this to say
“… Obi had no capacity to make anyone governor of Anambra without people like me supporting the candidate’.

Uba went further demanding the former governor apologize in five newspapers, he gave Peter Obi one week to do so or he (Uba) will do the needful. Tick tock, tick tock says the clock!

Will Peter Obi “apologize”? I doubt. Going by the many political battles Obi fought, it obvious he is unrepentant, unforgiving and must always win. Is this the end of Okwute’s political carrier, his next move will tell?

Governor-Elect Chief Willie Obiano magnanimous in victory extended the hand of fellowship to all, he said “… I reach out a hand of brotherhood to my fellow contestants…Oseloka, Tony, Osita, Godwin and others whose names I cannot easily recall here.

And I say to you; my brothers, we have all fought a good fight. But Anambra State is the WINNER! The interest of Anambra State is bigger than the private ambitions of anyone of us.

Therefore, I pray you to join hands with me and build a better place for Ndi Anambra! Our beloved state needs our talent and our time. The time to build a better place is NOW!”…

Judging from the events its obvious APGA made Peter, Peter did not make APGA. There is no shame in coming back to the fold. Gov Obinao has provided an avenue for Chief Peter Obi to retrace his steps and like the proverbial prodigal son come back to APGA.

Is Okwute going to obey Chief Chris Uba by apologizing in 5 newspapers, is he going to retrace his steps and return to APGA or do the unthinkable join the APC. Okwute is between a rock and a hard place, whatever option he takes it’s going to be “the devils Alternative”

Randie Chima, Media Consultant/Audiovisual Producer writes from Awka.