Home FEATURED FEATURES: Loyalty and Hilary; Okowa’s man Friday, by Norbert Chiazor

FEATURES: Loyalty and Hilary; Okowa’s man Friday, by Norbert Chiazor

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Hillary Obi Igbulem

Power and authority come with so much awe. When it pertains the seat of the governor, the office can rave magnetic charm. The attraction is so entrancing. Like most prestigious political positions in Nigeria, gubernatorial privilege draws spontaneous respect and unsolicited acclaim. Everyone is a friend of the governor. Even enemies pose as allies.

That is the danger. The dilemma of the protagonist called His Excellency. Also read: Supreme Court Verdict: Let us be united in building Delta- Okowa This explains why high placed political leaders in Nigeria face a syndrome- deception of applause. Fake mob. Few friends.

Personages in politics lack the luxury of followers, genuine followers. Everybody loves to party with the hand who holds the honey. Just a little is sure-footed to follow when war comes. Actors and pretenders.

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But every leader has a “ Man Friday”. The term “Man Friday” refers to an exceptionally loyal and competent character in Daniel Dafoe’s 17th-century fictional travelogue, Robinson Crusoe. Man Friday was the best servant and bosom attendant of Crusoe, the Scottish sailor who rowed for four years on the Pacific island.

There is a Man Friday in government house, Asaba. Hilary Obi Ibegbulem . Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s principal secretary. Hilary, as a right-hand man, has followed Okowa’s political journey since yore.

A protege since memory can remember, running far beyond Okowa’s days as commissioner for water resources in 2001, secretary to the Delta state government in 2007, a senator in 2011 and now governor.

Hilary the hearty confidante of Okowa is seen in political circles in Delta as powerful and centrally relevant because he played true to fidelity.

Hilary is influential in pulling instantaneous esteem from numerous aides of the governor and attention seekers outside. He has a solemn reserved make up that can be mistaken for snobbery by a casual bystander, but on closer encounter, Hilary emits gentle inner energy that can melt a heart and wipe a tear. In the service of the governor, Hilary has a Siamese twin – Raymond Mgbakor. Both men are reticent and self-effacing. Both devoted with silent gusto in aiding the gubernatorial duties of Okowa.

As a populist leader, Okowa commands widespread public goodwill. Nonetheless, this would pale into fewer crowd someday after his tour of duty. Like a chameleon, that is the mutable nature of the political folk. Call it “Amala” politics of survival or search for stomach infrastructure. There is no enduring loyalty in Nigerian politics. Fidelity is a facade. Follower-ship has a huge price. Leaders need more loyalists to thrive in good and bad times.

Stewardship is reciprocal. No one can be a mentor without serving as a mentee. In Delta State, Governor Okowa is grooming men and women in government, through lawful political patronage and empowerment.

The honest expectation is that this policy of decent engagement should motivate loyalty to the giver and engender goodwill to the larger society. Those given positions have a moral duty to use their offices to improve not just their immediate families but for communities. Poverty, underdevelopment and crime are pervasive in Nigeria today because most people in authority are self-centred.

There is a mantra “ Prosperity for all Deltans” initiated by the Okowa dispensation. From road infrastructure, schools, skill acquisition programme, micro-credit scheme, agriculture, housing, financial prudence and other dividends, the government had shown capacity. Such a progressive tendency can only succeed with political goodwill matched with genuine friendship and uncommon love among the government and the people.

Fair is fair. If Okowa has made appreciable efforts not to alienate the majority of Deltans in governance, his administration deserves a measure of loyalty and cooperation devoid of lip service and hypocrisy. Friends and foes can suspend disbelief. Here and there, Okowa had proved a dutiful governor. Clearly he deserves more than a Man Friday in government house.

Chiazor is Special Assistant to Governor Okowa on Media

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