By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Most a times, things are not always as they seem to be on the surface.
Its important to dig deeper and understand the complexities and challenges that come with running of every or any particular offices including the local government chairman’s office.
There are various factors at play that are not known to those outside such as the demographics of the area, allocations of funds, expenditures, demands and needs of citizens . it is so easy to stand afar and criticize, but not until you have all the information you need, the data, thorough details and how the place is run, you may not fully grasp the reality of the situation.
It is therefore good to always have a balanced and informed perspective before we pass judgment or criticize those at the helms of affairs.
Little wonder, Jesus says in John 8:7-11;
[7]So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
[8]And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
[9]Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
[10]When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
[11]She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Many a times, we are quick to criticized others. We judge others forgetting ourselves. At one time or the other, but we often forgot that at one time or the other, we too have been saddled with leadership positions, but many of failed woefully, but we didn’t get the kind of lashes we give to others.
Penciling this down, I am aware that many will castigates me. They will say he has been bribed, but, that is far from reality, but base on my findings, I have decided to bring this to the fore.
With the many criticism coming from right, left, center and back attacking the immediate past Ughelli North Local Government Chairman, Hon. Godwin Adode, including myself attacking him of not performing, I was forced to go deep as a journalist to get some vital information as regard two local government areas.
In the course of doing this, I was privy to the resources coming to all the 25 local government areas, their salary wage bill/expenses and balances.
These documents I got through painstaking efforts however opened my eyes to so many things the public may not have known.
Through these confidential documents, I found out that the allocations coming to Ughelli North and by extension Ughelli South, almost in every month, had deficits. What was available was not enough to take care of the wage bills viz salaries of council staff and primary school teachers, safe to even steal as we often insinuated.
In some months, they had shortfalls amounting to the tune of 20 or 30 million naira plus. One wonders how the local government chairman was able to maneuvers his ways through the stormy weather.
To most of us, he is corrupt, he is selfish, he is wicked, he has stolen much, he did not perform and all that, but let’s not forget, that some of us his critics were also given such opportunity’s, but our impacts were not felt nor noticed.
Glancing through some of the projects Adode initiated and completed having gone through the many documents that I was privy to, as a human, I said to myself, that one cannot give what he does not have, but can only do within his or her reach.
Yes, allocations comes to the local government monthly, but I will not forget what a local government chairman of blessed memory, Barr. Dennis Djomah, told us. He said; “My brothers, these seat you see, there are so many interest, both from the national to the local government level, there are interests you cannot ignore.
“Once the allocations comes, most of those shouting and criticizing are first to call”.
So he said then, but it is now it done on me of what he was telling me. May his soul rest on, Amen.
Therefore, from my findings so far, Hon. Chief Godwin Adode, has played his part. He would have loved to do more, but for the dwindling resources at his disposals, he did the little he could.
From road intervention and rehabilitation to construction and rehabilitation of schools, building and construction of new ones. From provision of transformers to empowerments of to the peoples, Persons With Disabilities PWD, and others.0
It was out of his desire to impact on all that he renovated and constructed a block of six classrooms at the Oharisi Secondary School Special Education Centre. Building of Secondary School at Ododegho, donations of desks and books to schools across Ughelli North, renovation and furnishing of the local government legislative house, donation of vehicles to both the NULGE and the NUT, rehabilitation of roads and streets and evacuation of sands from the Ughelli main township roads.
A lot of projects were undertaken by his administration, but not really announced. In the nutshell, many of us who are throwing the stones, are not exempted if we are to critically investigate offices we have once occupied.
Therefore, he who have not sinned, should be the first to throw a stone at him, as we have had councilors who considers borehole in the 21st century as achievements. We have had commissioners, SSA’s, SA’s, PA’s and other political appointees that cannot point their fingers on one projects done that could benefit the public.
Let us erased that perception and insinuations that all the council money was stolen by one man. Only the truth can set one free therefore find the truth.
Godwin Adode, truly was passionate about the development of Ughelli North, but for the lack of enough resources. But thank God for the subsidy removal, the local government is again taking shape and we could testify to this towards the end of his administration.
With subsidy removal, the allocation to the local government improved, and the few months left for the administration to wind up, we all saw the changes. It was not because he was doing it to win another local government elections but because the resources improve, hence inaugurating of different projects.
In my little understanding and findings, I implore us to change our erroneous views and commend that man that deserves commendations.