The marvelous blessings of God and the glittering radiance of His glaring eyes are today, set also on the entire Ihiala Federal Constituency, as God in His infinite mercy, wisdom and choice has elected and elevated two prominent sons of ours from Mbosi, the Rt Hon Dr Paschal Arinze Agbodike and Hon Barr Okey-Joe Onuakalusi and kept them ready for the onerous tasks of representing Ihiala and Ochodi – Isolo Federal Constituencies in the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja and for the job of legislation where they will be fully involved in the enactment of the body of laws that will be used in governing the Nigerian nation. What a big surprise and a great gift from Above!
Oftentimes, man utilizes his time and efforts struggling over things he presumes should be good for him or are even his entitlements, while forgetting that it’s only Providence that blesses and decides who gets what in life! This pursuit which keeps him always busy, often, becomes mere efforts in futility and in other circumstances, great blessings.
This statement could be used to very clearly explain the outcome of the heated electoral competition for who occupies the exalted office and chair of the Ihiala Federal Constituency this 2023 at the Green Chambers, Abuja; a competition that saw most Ebonesie sons whose turn it was this time around as outlined by the zoning principle of Ndi Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State to produce the Honourable-Member for the house of reps, competing to occupy the position. It was a wonderful experience and sight to behold, as the contest was creatively and keenly made. Ab initio, Hon Herz Okonkwo of Lilu, Engr Emeka James Okoye of Orsumoghu, Barr Akachukwu Mmaduakolam of Azia, Sir Chuka Nnabuife of Ubuluisiuzo and Rt Hon Dr Paschal Arinze Agbodike from Mbosi all engaged in this race, where eventually the likes of Herz, Akachukwu and Paschal – contesting through different political party platforms – made it to the national election that was held on the 25th of March, 2023 that gave Paschal, the Mbosi man and the current Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, a resounding victory.
While Ndi Mbosi were thankful to God for this huge blessing and victory, Providence came again a second time and showered same blessing to the same Mbosi town again, and this time from far away Ochodi – Isolo Federal Constituency in Lagos State where another Mbosi man, Hon Barr Okey-Joe Onuakalusi was elected same day as Paschal was, to represent the good people of that federal constituency.Â
A double blessing indeed, which has gone deep to remind man, that our struggles can only fetch us something good when God is leading, directing, approving, granting and blessing our quest or thirst! That is to say, that we can engage more in positive competitions where we do our best to win without envy, rancour, dirty deals and unhealthy claims and in all these allow God’s Will to prevail. That Mbosi alone could get two federal rep members at a time is really surprising and no one foresaw it, even as my own town Orsumoghu and one of our other sister communities, Ubuluisiuzo are yet to go to any of the legislative houses or also occupy other elective political positions to represent Ndi Ihiala LGA in the state or federal constituencies. This being the fundamental reason these two communities vigorously came to the contest with every good intention to get the APGA ticket and to be eventually elected; a dream which too, didn’t get the blessings of Providence this time around; though we are greatly hopeful that it will surely come someday.
And to make it happen, we have to accept and appreciate the Mbosi blessings in good fate, share in her joy and work sincerely with her people as brothers that we really are so as to allow the Mbosi blessings to bear abundant fruits in our midst and in our land – Mbosi and her other sister communities in Ebonesie, Okija, Ihiala and Uli – Amorka – in fact, in all the communities of Ihiala Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Nigeria at large and possibly our larger world.Â
The 2023 Mbosi blessings vividly portray the fact that God gifts His blessings to the people and places and exactly as He is pleased to do and no one can dare query Him for the choices He makes. For an Orsumoghu or Ubuluisiuzo man, Providence might have been fair to us if He had shared the two constituencies now between Ubuluisiuzo and Orsumoghu, but remember, His ways are different from our ways; He remembers a people at His own time; lo, God’s own time is simply the best, it must surely come to us one day.
That it’s now Mbosi o’clock with this double blessing is an established fact today and we are hopeful that Mbosi will use this golden opportunity to arise and shine and also extend love to her sister communities in Ebonesie and most importantly too, to Ndi Okija, Ihiala and Uli – Amorka zones of Ihiala Federal Constituency whose votes alone elected Paschal to the Federal House of Representatives as the six towns of Ebonesie zone, comprising Orsumoghu, Mbosi (Paschal’s own town), Ubuluisiuzo, Azia, Isseke and Lilu, just as the situation also was during the 2021 Anambra guber-election, never voted at the election due to the serious security challenges at those places. Daalu hinne, Ndi Okija for standing on the Ihiala LGA zoning arrangement to vote in Rt Hon Dr Paschal Arinze Agbodike against Hon Ifeanyi Chudy Momah your own brother who contested against Ihiala LGA zoning arrangement; daalunu Ndi Ihiala for electing Dr Agbodike against Barr Edith Ejezie, your own wife for contesting against the same zoning; daalukwanu Ndi Uli – Amorka zone for keeping to the same zoning agreement! You have all again demonstrated and made a statement to the entire world and all political parties in the Nigerian nation that Ihiala LGA zoning arrangement is sacrosanct and therefore above everybody, community and political party; hence you have absolutely declared that winning an election in Ihiala LGA begins first, by picking a worthy (qualified) candidate from the exact zone that is required by the zoning arrangement to contest for the particular position in question.
It is our prayer that this wind of fresh air that is now emenating today from Mbosi will mightily transform that land and her people and from there transcend to all the whole communities of Ihiala Federal Constituency, as such that sharing in the joy of Ndi Mbosi and Mbosi town, infrastructural development and numerous other dividends of democracy will be attracted by Dr Pascal Arinze Agbodike who now is to be our eyes and ears in the entire National Assembly and the Nigerian nation and off course from Hon Barr Okey-Joe Onuakalusi as we will also begin to enjoy some positive political relationship and friendship with the constituents of Ochodi – Isolo Federal Constituency; an association which should be cordial relationship per participationem; laudable cum symbiotic in character!
This is where Dr Agbodike will once more showcase his political as well as legislative ability cum expertise and his God’s given gift of being a worthy leader and a ranking legislator to comfortably carry all the constituents of Ihiala Federal Constituency and their entire communities along as he goes to the Green Chambers to seek and attract support from the federal government of Nigeria, the international communities, NGOs and his personal friends to get the 21st century transformational and developmental projects to his constituency and to make life more meaningful, comfortable and enjoyable for his constituents.
I have no doubt, that our Doctor of Philosophy will together with his brother, Barr Onuakalusi, excel in these areas. I am very confident that Ihiala Federal Constituency will begin to develop and wax stronger and stronger in the coming dispensation and under the 10th national assembly, as far as Dr Agbodike is there for us.
