Due to repeated request by the reading public, this article is been reproduced after its publication in the national press. But before l go into the discourse proper, it will be instructive to do a synopsis on Mazi Clement lkechukwu Owunna’s background. Born into the noble family of late Chief Peter Sunday Owunna of Umulolo, Okigwe, passed through Santa Maria Primary School, Aba before gaining admission to the popular Ngwa High School where he finished his West African School Certificate Examination in flying colours.
Thereafter, he proceeded to the College of Pharmacy, Drake University Desmonies, lowa USA and capped it up with further studies at the famous Harvard Business School, Boston Massachusetts and J. L Kellog Graduate School, all ivy-league institutions. He is a catholic, happily married with children. His mother is an Ezinne in the Catholic Church.
On returning home, Mazi Clement l. Owunna MFR, NPOM joined Starline (Nig) Ltd, a company established by his late father, which today he has turned into a big conglomerate with over 1,000 staff on its pay roll. The Okigwe born politician has interest in finance, plastics, manufacturing of drugs, lnsurance, communications and real estate. He is one of the founding shareholders in Diamond Bank and served as an Executive Director for 17years. That offered him the opportunity to broaden and sharpened his skills in corporate governance which he is bringing into politics. This exposure stands him out among his opponents in next week’s Senatorial election.
At this juncture, one will begin to ask, what could a man with this kind of polished background be doing with Nigerian politics? The APGA candidate for Okigwe Senatorial district, Mazi Owunna is in politics for the simple reason of using his educational accomplishments, talents and experience to bear on governance. Politics at the national level is very robust and complex and therefore needs sufficiently educated people. That is why, every zone sends her first eleven. People with lesser academic qualifications no matter how smart they are, cannot hold sway where you have top class technocrats and professionals. And as an industrialist and philanthropist, he will do more for ndi Okigwe as their senator leveraging on the reach of the office.
In short, his foray into partisan politics is an answered call by the various interest groups in the zone for a tested professional with integrity and fear of God to come and rescue the zone from bad and retrogressive leadership.
Owunna’s manifesto which he has relished to all the 64 electoral wards of the zone and pressure groups is not the usual stereotype sloganeering antics that Nigerian politicians normally parade during election time. OKIGWE INTEGRATED AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE his manifesto stands on five flanks namely: Agriculture, Industry, Health Education and Youth development. The successful implementation of this vision will bring about quantum leap in the development strides of our district nay the state.
On Agriculture, a renowned consulting firm has been engaged to do the soil mapping of the zone to know where each council has a comparative advantage. The zone is blessed with arable land, good topography, natural and human resources. As our Senator, he will attract the attention of the government and International Agencies such as UNIDO, World Bank and Bank of Agriculture, to collaborate efforts in making these resources translate in job creation for our youths and women. Modern methods of farming and high yielding seedlings will be introduced to make agriculture profitable. The community based and cooperative approach to agricultural development will be encouraged so that our farmers will benefit from the various loans available to them.
On industry, industrial clusters will be established in Okigwe town, Anara, ‘Aba-Branch’ and Obowo respectively. As an accomplished industrialist will put his experience to test. He will attract a major agricultural processing factory to the Zone. This project will create over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
On education, he sees it as a potent tool that can liberate the people from the shackles of poverty and deprivation. John Dewey, the great American philosopher and educator once said that “…..education is not just a preparation for life; but life itself.” To make our young school leavers and fresh graduates fit into today’s labour market, they will be re-focused. Skill acquisition centers will be built in all the six local government headquarters that make up the district. More indigent but brilliant students will be given scholarships. Emphasis will be laid on entrepreneurship training. Non-formal education will be re-introduced for the benefit of the citizens for whom age is not a barrier for self improvement and actualization.
On the youths, Mazi Owunna’s entry into politics is mainly influenced by his uncommon love for them. Over 80% of his work force is dominated by them. Only recently, he built and donated a One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Owunna recreation park at the Imo State University. He understands that for us to develop leadership qualities in our young people and help them build bridges and establish a sense of community as future leaders of the country, we need to give them sense of belonging and means of sustenance. It is regrettable that our present day politicians only use them as political thugs during elections and abandon them later. Unemployed youths in the zone will be properly documented and archived. While arrangements will be made to connect them to funds from YOUWIN, SURE-P and Bank of Industry. Okigwe professionals will not be left out in the scheme of things. He will lobby to get them strategic board appointments. Okigwe senior citizens will not be left out at all. Functional constituency offices will be opened in all the 6 LGA’s that make up the zone, while, he will interfacing with his constituents bi-monthly.
On effective health care delivery, he knows that to achieve meaningful socio-economic development, the people who drive the process, who are also the beneficiaries must be healthy. He will attract a national eye referral center for the zone. He will also ensure that the Okigwe general hospital is made center of excellence and health care delivery. If you listen to Owunna, you will know that he is prepared for the seat he is vying for. His self esteem, confidence and frankness is refreshing. He will keep you enrapt. He will sponsor bills and motions that will touch the lives of the ordinary people.
Having sat on the board of Diamond Bank for several years, Federal Commissioner, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, former Pro-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Star line group, no doubt, he possess the skills set for the job, as he is used to lobbying and horse trading. Ndi Okigwe zone will not have any regrets if they vote their son Mazi Clement Owunna the APGA candidate as their senator.
By MR. EMEKA OGARAKU
