The return of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha from a three-week vacation in the United States of America drew a mammoth crowd. He got a hero’s welcome from the people of the state who turned out in their large numbers. The crowd was unprecedented as the people, both young and old turned out in great numbers to catch a glimpse of their governor.
The governor, who travelled to the USA to felicitate with his daughter who was delivered of a set of twins, could not restrain his emotion when he saw the mammoth crowd that came to welcome him home and to rejoice with him for joining the league of grand fathers.
As early as 7:00 a.m. on that fateful Friday, vehicular and human movements along the road leading to the Sam Mbakwe International Airport were already grounded as large number of people, including gaily-dressed women, businessmen, religious and pressure groups, traditional rulers, student bodies, clergymen, artisans and politicians headed for the Airport to await the arrival of the governor.
At the Airport, several dance troupes took turns to entertain the crowd that defied the scorching heat of the sun, dancing to the rhythms of music that were mainly songs of praise for the governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The atmosphere was also charged in the VIP Lounge of the Airport where senior officials of the state government and other dignitaries waited anxiously for the flight scheduled for 12 noon. They chatted away time over political developments in the state and the country.
At about 1:30 p.m., the jet marked LearJet45X conveying the governor touched the tarmac. The impatient crowd broke loose and officials of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and efforts of security agents to prevent the crowd from rushing into the tarmac were somewhat taxing.
On hand to receive the governor were his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Eze Agunwa Ohiri, members of the state Executive Council and chieftains of the APC, among others.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after his arrival, the visibly elated governor restated his administration’s determination to continue to provide the dividends of democracy for the people.
He assured his teeming supporters who were eagerly waiting to know his next political line of action that he would run for an election, even though he said his position would be communicated to them at the appropriate time.
Away from the Airport, the various groups who were distinguished by their colourful attires, walked the over 16km distance to the venue of the grand reception, disrupting the governor’s convoy as he had to stop at several points to acknowledge cheers from the surging crowd who waved at him relentlessly.
Travellers along the Owerri/Aba Road were stranded as a result of the heavy gridlock resulting from cars that struggled to keep pace with the convoy. At various villages along the route, cannons were fired by ecstatic villagers in salute to the governor.
The event, which was meant to be a mild reception for the governor who was away during the Yuletide, turned out to be a massive political rally where the ideals and prospects of the APC were exhaustively discussed to the admiration of party supporters.
Arriving at Emmanuel College Roundabout, venue of the grand reception, Okorocha, who was obviously stunned by the large crowd of party supporters started singing and dancing to songs of praise to God for leading the state thus far.
He told the crowd that he has been re-energised to do more.
“I want to tell you that we are ready to do more. When we came on board, I assured Imo people that we are no longer under bondage. Imo today is free and better. The Egyptians we see today we shall see no more.
“Let me assure you that the free education will continue. This year will be better for our people; we are going to chase away poverty from the land. The 27 brand new government hospitals will be completed this year and no Imo man will die as a result of treatable diseases,” he said.
Half way into his speech, the governor, apparently moved by the women’s show of solidarity, announced thus: “henceforth in all the government-owned hospitals, pregnant women will be given free maternal care.”
The announcement sent the crowd into frenzy as the women temporarily took over. They danced and sang the governor’s praise.
Continuing, Governor Okorocha urged the women to continue to support his administration’s effort to rebuild the state.
“We will continue to emphasise on the free education as the biggest investment in our state. Our children will have access to quality education irrespective of their background. No Imo child will ever be allowed to waste away because of poverty,” he said.
However the import of the historic gathering was not lost to political analysts who described it as a test of the Governor’s control of the political machinery of the state.
The overwhelming turn out of people who were neither coerced nor induced to attend, proved beyond doubts that the APC-led administration in the state, had come to stay.
Chants of ‘up APC, up Okorocha, down PDP, down corrupt leaders, rented the air as the governor, who inaugurated two strategic roads close to the venue of the event, reeled off the endless list of what his administration had achieved in the last two-and-a-half years.
An octogenarian, Nze Chibuike Onyeukwu who leaned heavily on his walking stick, apparently out of exhaustion, said: “I came out to see the man that has followed the footsteps of one of our great sons, Dee Sam Mbakwe. Okorocha has truly rescued the state from a clique of misguided young men who looted the state.”
The retired civil servant further added: “What I have seen and heard is a testimony of the fact that our governor is sent by God to wipe away our tears. The projects, completed and ongoing, are there for all to see unlike before where projects only existed on the pages of newspapers and internet.”
Before the curtain was drawn for the day, the governor dispelled the rumoured rift between him and his deputy, urging the people to ignore the falsehood.
He described Madumere as his ”political son in whom he is well pleased”.
