An orphan has no father, no mother and, at times, no siblings. Governor Alex Otti, unarguably, passes as the metarphor of an orphan in power. He is the only surviving Labour Party Governor and Abia State the only state flagging the flag of the Labour Party (LP).
An orphan, by the circumstances of his life, is the only continuation of the bloodline of his ancestry. Today, Governor Alex Otti is the only orphan transmitting the gene of the movement for the rebirth of a nation; for LP was more a spiritual revival than a political party. Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer, transformed into a godling of power and transmitted a hurricane that shook the foundations of Nigeria. The ideological hurricane broke all barriers, conquered both ethnic and religious divide and caused a re-awakening that was unprecedented in recent times.
Otti, as an orphan in power, is the only residue of the gene and personality of the LP. He is the only Governor-carrier of the blood of the heritage of the LP. He embodies the sperm and the procreative elements for the survival of the LP specimen. Abia State, therefore, stands as the brand display of the composition, attributes and characteristics of the great product of ideas of the possibility of a new Nigeria. Otti is the fossil dinosaur of that great product of ideas. He is the only orphan transmitting the ideology, flaunting the values and running the experiential activation of that construct of change and rebirth.
Is Otti walking the talk? Is he impressively representing the family values of the LP? Is he a responsible orphan that we can trust for the transmutation of the gene of the family line? The loud ovation on the streets is an answer in the affirmative. The applause speaks of approval. As the Governor inspects the work of the giant construction company, Julius Berger, on Port Harcourt Road, Aba and inspects further the reconstruction work at Omuma Road, Ndoki Road, Old Court Road and the rest, the mass jubiliation on his trail is a vindication of good stewardship. The jubiliation also reinforces the feedback of acceptance and satisfaction.
Otti with his mantra of a NEW ABIA is a loud statement that the LP cannot go into extinction. The emergency intervention declared on Abia and which is being decisively driven by the orphan is a trait of the bloodline of LP. The tales from the civil servants of receiving their salaries regularly without any discrimination is an outstanding record for the orphan .The rebranding of the Mayors and the new orientation of service are the exact resemblance of the family. The big picture for Abia which necessitated the constitution of the Advisory Council is the footprint of that great product of ideas that is LP. The mobilization of the security network that has ensured freedom of movement is a strategy from the product of ideas.
The overhauling of the procedures and processess in the public service architecture of Abia is a measure in driving a new Abia. One lesson Abians have leanrt in the strides of the Orphan-Governor is the merit of change, the benefit of trying the alternative.
An orphan must know his history and the very peculiar circumstances of his life. Otti, undoubtedly, is intentoonal in his strides and recognises the very circumstances of his political birth.
The spotlight is on Otti as the world wants to see what an orphan can do with power. He should, therefore, surprise the spectators. He should raise the bar so very high that even the heavens shall join to say: Yes, an orphan was here!
Adindu is a media/PR consultant
