Mbaise nation is a densely populated area located in the southern tip of Imo state.
It boasts of three local councils of Aboh, Ezinihitte and Ahiazu. It shares boundaries with Ngwa community of Abia State; Emekuku, Okpala and Ihitte Uboma, among other communities of Imo State.
Although landlocked without any major river to boast of, Mbaise sits arrogantly on an arable land with an inviting environment and idyllic surrounding. Its traditional and cultural heritage makes the area a tourist delight.
For instance, ‘Iri Ji Mbaise’ is one traditional fiesta observed yearly in August by the Mbaise people, which emphasises the cultural thickness of the area.
Its people are known to be resourceful and skillful, accounting for the many trades that Mbaise people are instantly identified for.
Perhaps, because of the population of the area and the tendency of the people to succeed in the face of prevailing challenges, Mbaise people, particularly the young ones, find themselves in different parts of the world.
On the political scope, Mbaise is easily the most remarkable in Imo State.
Its sons and daughters have at various times occupied top political offices in the state and the federal level.
Currently, reputed Mbaise daughters occupy ministerial and senatorial slots. These are inclusive of Prof Viola Onwuliri, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Senator Chris Anyanwu, representing Owerri Senatorial District in the Senate.
Far more significant is that the eminent Mbaise son, Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha , occupies the sixth most important position in the country, being the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Last Wednesday, select Mbaise leaders, numbering about 40, paid him a solidarity visit in his House of Representatives’ office, principally to express their profound appreciation over the many infrastructural projects and other aids he has been able to bequeath to them.
Leader of the delegation, Chief Paddy Njoku, who is chairman of National Examination Commission Board, captured the essence of the visit.
According to him, they were in the National Assembly to “give honour to whom honour is due.”
Noting that the Deputy Speaker has done the Mbaise nation and the entire Imo State proud, given the many projects he has attracted and the good works he has been doing, it became imperative to come to his office to express deep appreciation.
He stressed that the visit was also important to let the Deputy Speaker know the extent to which Mbaise people recognise his remarkable contributions to the development of the area, to enable him enhance his excellent works.
“We have had many political leaders but Hon Ihedioha stands out in providing and attracting development projects to our people,” he emphasised.
Chief Njoku is right.
In fact, the record of Hon Ihedioha’s road infrastructure, electricity projects, education facilities, water projects, hospital facilities is significant and verifiable.
For instance, Ihedioha got NDDC to award the contract for OKpala-Igwuruta Road, linking Imo to Rivers, with the first phase costing N4.2b. He then facilitated the award of contract for the dualisation of the Owerri-Elele (Omayelu) 35-kilometre road at N23b.
He also attracted the contract for the design of the famous 63-kilometre Mbaise Ring Road cutting across three local councils, at the initial cost of N1bn.
Besides, Ihedioha facilitated the award of N5bn contract for the award of construction of the roundabout at Ahiara Junction along Owerri-Umuahia Road with two spurs, and got the Federal Government to take over the construction of Airport Junction, Umuohiagu-Uvuru Road.
He also initiated the process of constructing a N1b jetty at Imo River and the construction of a giant size 133×333 KVA sub-station at Mbaise, located between Nguru and Ibeku, with the initial contract cost of N2.2b among others, which necessitated the ‘thank you’ visit by his kinsmen recently.
During the solidarity visit by select Mbaise leaders, Hon Ihedioha reassured his people of his determination towards attracting more development projects.
He stated that empowering the people of Aboh Mbaise / Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency and the entire Imo State would continue to be his cardinal focus. He advised the people to ensure the protection of projects sited in their communities.
Since his election into the House of Representatives in 2003 to represent Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, Hon Ihedioha has evidently made empowerment programmes and infrastructural projects the centre of his legislative governance.
This is on account of his legislative open-mindedness, liberal political ideology and instructive political forthrightness.
These attributes indeed find relevance in his guiding legislative principles which, among others, include building basic human capital and infrastructural base to drive socio-economic development.
This guiding principle has informed by Hon Ihedioha’s deep concern over the growing climate of unemployment in the state and Nigeria at large. He is also disturbed about the increasing level of poverty, decadent nature of the social amenities, insecurity and other social challenges that are evident in the state and the country.
Driven by liberal political disposition and passion for democracy dividends trickling down the masses, Hon Ihedioha’s commitment has remained one targeted at ensuring capacity building through entrepreneurial training programs aimed at scaling down the rate of unemployment and to create wealth especially among the rural poor. All of these are geared towards setting off socio-economic development and more importantly battling social challenges, particularly insecurity which has currently enveloped Imo State.
Pragmatic and focused, Hon Ihedioha has put this vision into reality by serially organising skills acquisition programs involving people in the 27 local councils of the state and 305 wards targeting the grassroots and vulnerable groups – women and youths. So far, no fewer than 2, 000 youths and women have benefited from the programs.
Many more would benefit this year as such similar initiatives have been designed to take place.
Austin Uganwa wrote from Abuja