Must Read: 30 Minutes Was Enough To Reveal The Secret of Udi Local Government Mayor

30 Minutes Was Enough To Reveal The Secret of  Udi Local Government Mayor

A good objective of leadership, according to Jim Rohn, is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better. 

When Alfred North Whitehead said that the deepest definition of youth is life yet untouched by experience, he forgot to mention that certain youths are different, and that it takes many years of work and diligent efforts to be different and full of experience. Perhaps Alfred North Whitehead also forgot to add that among the different experienced youths, some are found in politics where they make countless impacts, and only one is found in the leadership of Udi Local Government Area; a Mayor who doesn't need years to prove himself, but only a few weeks to change the erstwhile system of Local Government Administration. Indeed, one is as old as he thinks and works.

The Story Before Now

My name is Aneke Sochi Cyriacus, popularly known as SANEKE. I often go by the title 'Unn Pen-Power,' a title given to me by students whom I have served and impacted on in different ways through writing. I was born and brought up in Udi town; meaning that I have spent the past 20 years of my life experiencing many phases of leadership under different chairmen in Udi Local Government. 

I have grown amidst different opinions and views about one leader or the other in my small world, Udi. Due to the many notions from different indigenes of Udi many of whom are civil servants, I have come to keep my distance from anything that has to do with politics and leadership. "Politicians in power do not do what they promised during their campaigns"; this was the conclusion my little mind made as young as I was ten years back. This conclusion made me desist from anything that has to do with politics. But time tells tales, as wise men would always say. Sometime in 2018, when I was planning the publication of my first novel (Little Things That Matter), I was forced by the hardship of that period to solicit for financial help from the Local Government, the very place I have grown to run from.

Being so youthful and full of great dreams, I hoped to get more help than I needed from my Local Government, but then, these hopes were shattered when after taking a bottle of wine to the then Local Government Chairman (whose name I will not like to call with reasons) all I could get was a 'come tomorrow' type of replies from the office. I kept coming with my bottle of wine every day without even meeting the Chairman himself. In fact, the day I finally met him, I couldn't even sit down in the office as he collected my letter on his way out and gave it to one of his aides. That was the last time I saw my letter filled with high hopes and great dreams. I didn't hear any word from them, and in fact, it was a futile effort. "A normal thing", I thought, I am already used to those type of attitudes from the Local Government; it was a general problem. But what can I do? An 18-year-old writer boy who wanted to make a difference. Absolutely nothing! Well, I left myself to fate, and continued my life. And even though I didn't later publish the book, I had continued to try my best to bring out my best as a gifted writer, winning awards to awards, even the one from India, Enugu Diocese, Udi Deanary and a plethora of others. 

UDI LGA Mayor during thecthe Meeting 

THE NEW NORMAL

It was around March this year, 2020, that I got the news of a young Mayor who has come into leadership in the Udi Local Government Area. As usual, I took it as Local Government and their " normal stuff'', but then when I surfed the internet for the profile of the young leader in question, the remarkable achievements he has recorded even as an Administrator of Udi South development Center caught me spellbound. Something moved me to look for his contact, and when I eventually got it, I was further moved to send him a congratulatory message in the form of a poem. This was not the first time I have sent high profiled individuals poems, but this time around, something different happened. I sent my poem around 6:20 pm and I got a reply from the Mayor himself around 6:35 pm. Just wow! I have gotten myself a leader who is so responsive as to appreciate the good words of a young lad. I was marveled not just by his promptness but also by his words of appreciation. I was encouraged. "A new normal has come", I thought to myself. I had gotten a leader who can as well be a mentor.

Around the middle of June, 2020, I was given an appointment as the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Youth Development under the member representing Enugu West in the Nigerian Youth Parliament. This I received with great joy. And again, I was moved to text my Mayor (My Youth-friendly Leader as I call him) the news of my newest appointment. Again, the People's Mayor sent me prayers and good wishes in just 5minutes after I had sent to him. I was encouraged to text more. On account of our collaboration, he invited me over to his office at the Udi Local Government Secretariat. 

This was  on June 24th.

I went as invited but, as usual, there was a large crowd waiting to be seen that same day. At a time I lost hope and left, and no sooner had I left when my phone rang and behold it was the chairman himself! The Chairman of Udi Local Government has called me on the phone! Such has never been heard of in history. I felt like a king. Over the phone, the People's Mayor asked me my whereabouts. I told him I had left and instead of this humble leader to feel disappointed and cancel the appointment, he maintained that I come back before he leaves the office in a few minutes. What a new one! I quickly rushed back to the Local Government Secretariat but before I could reach there, he was already gone. I felt I had disappointed him. I felt depressed.

Armed with the fact that Bartimaeus, the blind man in the Bible, couldn't meet Jesus the first time, so was the woman with the issue of blood, I had to muster up the courage and text the Mayor again, this time my apologies for disappointing him on my first appointment. Do you know what this humble leader did? He fixed another appointment with me on the 7th of July, 2020. It was when I got to his office that I discovered it, the secret behind his success!

I have once heard that talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. Much to my surprise, the new Mayor has surrounded himself with his aides, even in the office! The last time I was at the Secretariat, it was only the Chairman and one other man I had seen inside the office, but this time around, I saw no less than seven Special Assistants at their various duty posts in the office, each doing his duty. I was marveled! "Which leader will not do well with this type of teamwork?" I had asked myself.

"Sochi", he called me when it was my turn. I came forward and over to his desk and thought I was going to start discussing with him as is expected, judging with my past experience in this office. But no, the humble Mayor called upon his secretary, and about four other men who I later learnt are in charge of various sections in the Local Government. What I considered an honour to just sit in front of the Chairman and have a chat with him became a round table discussion between myself and the leaders of Udi. Who am I? A mere student leader in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; a common SSA! I couldn't believe my eyes nor my ears when we got talking and for over 30 minutes, the humble Mayor and his team engaged me in a lot of mind-blowing ideas and additions to the proposal I had come with. They were all smiles and full of jokes and wisdom. At that moment, I knew that I have arrived at the right place. At that moment, I knew at once that Udi Local Government is in the hands of God! The secret of this young and humble Mayor's early achievements has struck me at once right there in his office: TEAMWORK! This new Mayor who has done so much in just a few months in office had armed himself with a good team who assists him in discharging his duty to the good people of Udi. Indeed, I have come to understand the words of H.E. Luccock which said that no one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it. The People's Mayor has done it better by surrounding himself with good people who work with him. To cut the long story short, the best 30 minutes of my life ended with a picture with the Mayor and his team. What more could be more gracious? Indeed, a Savior has come to power! The humble and friendly Mayor has run his government by means of his virtue and will only be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. No wonder the massive records of achievement. More so, many families have not gone borrowing this Pandemic hard time as their salaries as civil servants come on the third of every month; a great mark of love to the people!

Indeed, Hon. Ifeanyi Pascal Agu is a new wine that gets better with time. Udi is definitely in the hands of God!