Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is coming across as a good student of the history of power. He has deliberately avoided cabals or the influential third force who manipulate the man of power to their own selfish advantage. Many, by sheer twists and turns of life, found themselves in power without being honed and schooled in the chequered path of power and in the etiquette of royalty. Outstanding men of power are usually ready and prepared. Otti is the number one brand ambassador of Abia, the number one chief promoter of the government, the leader of the party and the leader of the government. He takes full responsibility.
Good students of the history of power learn from history. They learn from the mistakes and failures of the men who had trodden the corridors of power. They are also inspired by the exploits of such men. Otti, unarguably, is guided by history. He has avoided the stranglehold of rapacious cabals. He has resisted the manipulative and scheming craft of the courtyard men. There might be kitchen cabinet who join him to vet the final decisions. This is important as policies have far reaching implications. But I have not heard of powerful names or about a select group holding him to ransom. I have not heard about the men of the nocturnal hangouts who are in-charge and form themselves into a ring around the governor to manipulate his moods and force him to toe their selfish direction. This was the Achilles hill of successive governments in Nigeria.
In recent Nigerian history, cabals have wrecked devastating blow on governance, often seizing the man of power and holding him on hostage. The governor must have known from history that cabalism is a dangerous phenomenon of power. Cabals in power are the offshoot of a jungle mentality, a form of buccaneering. They transform into an invisible hand gripping on the throne. They operate with a mindset that says that power is to the cabal first before the people. Lamentably, this cancer became the albatross that sounded the death kneel of many governments.
Otti has changed the narrative. He is the face of the government. He delegates responsibilities and follows it through to the end. Outstanding men of power understand their place in history and for the purposes in time. For Easther in the bible said: “Perhaps, it is for such a time as this”.
History teaches such rare men that they must personally write their own story and imprint their own name on the sands of time. He is personally constructing the frames for his government. Students of social constructionism accept that social frames stick in the mind and become adaptable to society. Otti has consistently framed the government as the government of the people of Abia. He has framed his government as having zero tolerance to corruption and embezzlement of public fund.
He has remained on the tag of the New Abia and has been thorough and meticulous in ensuring that things are done differently from the past. He has continued to frame the government as the government that will always do things in the right way. “I want to assure you that we will do the right thing. The rumours you heard are just rumours,” declared the Governor, while reacting to the enquiry about automatic ticket or candidacy for current caretaker committee chairmen/mayors.
Otti has demonstrated that even with the huge pressure on the office and the vast competing interest, it is possible for a Governor to be on top of his game and be in charge. He has demonstrated that a governor can immune himself against the manipulative spell of the third force, the desperate cabal. His mind is alert on all duties, knowing fully well that, at the end of the day, it is his name that is at stake. He is fighting a good fight. May the end justify the means!
Adindu writes from Umuahia, Abia State capital
