Power is not given. Power is taken.
In this game called politics, you have to put out your best foot always to stay a winner or have a say, especially when you know your opponents are sparing no chance in ensuring that they put out their best foot.
When the war is ongoing, you have to be at the battlefront where the heat of the battle is felt. You have to SHOW yourself able and capable. That is the only way you can in all good conscience, morally justify your demand for some of the lion shares when the spoils of the war are being shared. Anything less than that will amount to self-ridicule.
Two quick examples.
The young man called Hon. Chief. Edison Ehie who is the Deputy Speaker of the RVSHA is about the youngest member of the House of Assembly and youngest high ranking politician in Rivers State. It did not happen by chance. That guy worked for it. He is young but his wisdom, intuition, carriage, ability to network and bridge gaps across the state has given him a seat among elders. In fact, if he were elected the Speaker of the House of Assembly, it still would be a merited position. The respect he commands among his mates and seniors did not just happen. He worked for it.
Coming home, there is another young man called Marshall Israel. Marshall is about the youngest Federal Civil Service Commissioner in Nigeria today. It did not happen by chance. That guy worked for it. He has been at the forefront of the social media political battles of Chibuike Amaechi. He has been fiercely loyal. He has made risky personal sacrifices by cutting ties with those who openly rebuke or chastise his boss. So when his appointment was pronounced, it did not come as a surprise. He merited it.
What am I saying?
I am saying that we need to start doing enough to justify our demand for the choicest spoils of political battles won, irrespective of the political divide to which our people belong to.
It is really ridiculous and embarrassing to make certain demands and be confronted each time, with questions like “What did you guys do to deserve it?” and then not being able to give a factual response. We have to do better.
The political rancour in both major political divides should NEVER be at the expense of our collective progress as Etche people. We need to learn how to manage ourselves in such a way that whatever in-house fighting we have (which is normal) will not be allowed to hinder the purpose of political representation which is to bring home what is due us as a people and establish Etche as a political force to reckon with.
Therefore, this is a sincere call on our leaders on both sides of the political divide to get the Etche House in their camps in order and not see those on the other side as enemies, while working to ensure that in future elections and political battles, Etche people are on top of their game with the goal being quality representation and establishing Etche as an evident and undeniable force to reckon with in Rivers and Nigeria’s politics at large.
