I once watched A Discovery Channel Documentary titled the “Presidential Gate-Keepers”. The documentary is a series that chronicles the tough job of the various Chiefs of Staff to the past presidents of the United States.
The success of every president depends on the calibre of those he surrounds himself and in no position is this saying more significant than that of the Chief of Staff or Deputy Chief of Staff.
The Chief of Staff is the unseen hands that arranges and tidies the daily itinerary of the government and thus has a huge role in calling his attention to pressing state matters and ensuring proper government attention is allocated to all matters.
Coming home, the situation is not different. In Lagos State, the trail blazing Raji Babatunde Fashola SAN was the Chief of Staff to All Progressives Congress National Leader and master strategist, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he served as Governor of Lagos State. Fashola would succeed Tinubu and build on the Jagaban’s legacies.
Fashola was of Chief of Staff to the Jagaban after the tenure of the irrepressible Alhaji Lai Mohammed who held the position before. Mohammed that later achieved the unimaginable feat of successfully keeping the opposition alive for years on the media until the formation of the APC.
The job of the Chief of Staff is neither for the weak nor the faint hearted and could be more challenging when you have an Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the boss!
Hon. Uche Nwosu, (his conjugal relationship to the first family not withstanding) cut the figure of a very hardworking aide who understood the peoples governor’s rescue mission. Thus was later appointed a commissioner and given the very sensitive Lands portfolio. Hon. Nwosu made giant strides in his task and thus it was no surprise when he was appointed the Chief of Staff following Okorocha’s re-election in the garden of change.
Hon. Uche Nwosu, a native of Eziama Obaire, in Nkwerre LGA, Imo state, is ever calm as the sea after a tempest as he goes about his duties despite the pressures attached to his job, described by friends, associates, aides, civil servants and all who have come in contact with him as a worthy son, very calm, accessible and hard working man who gives in to peoples’ request, whole and entire. He is also a wonderful husband and father to his biological children and others who look up to him.
Hon. Uche Nwosu first served in the early days of Okorocha’s first term as a Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations). He would not disappoint the peoples governor’s hunch and eye for the best as he contributed enormously to the peoples governor’s early days forceful push to get Imo State out of the quagmire. Okorocha’s plans were just unrealistic to many cynics and critics who wondered how he will pull all his plans off. “With which money will he achieve all these”? They mocked! The peoples governor would prove them wrong and had the last laugh when Ndimo voted for continuity. Gov. Rochas Okorocha is a testimony to the saying that “hard work pays!”
Notwithstanding, when your boss’ despite near zero revenue does the miracle of keeping students at all levels in school for free and even makes staunchest critics wonder how he manages to do it, being a Chief of Staff is a not an easy task.
The Imo electorates are the most sophisticated in Igbo land, if not in the whole Nigeria and won’t hesitate to give a non-performer the red card. Their demands must be met and their needs attended to.
Are they satisfied with Owelle? They answered an overwhelming yes to that question not once but twice. The first time during the main governorship election, followed by the supplementary election despite the array of opposition from the People’s Democratic Party wielding the federal might and hell bent on putting Ndimo back in the chains.
Saturday 8th August, 2015 marks the birthday of Hon. Uche Nwosu and as usual the amiable Uche Nwosu I know will have his birthday as the least of his worries. Imo people are demanding more from his boss, Okorocha. The non-payment of salaries across the length and breadth of Nigeria due to huge revenue shortages is biting hard and as one Imo resident told me “if Rochas could do all the things he did in the State which all past government put could not do, then he is a magician and should use his magical powers to pay salaries”.
I agree with that submission of the Imo resident as the reward for hard work has always been more work. Besides, why begrudge Ndimo who before Okorocha’s coming had the awful lot of being misgoverned if they decide that having climbed the iroko today, they must get all the firewood before they descend?
Therefore, as the peoples governor and his team continue with the battle to clear the unpaid salaries imbroglio and continue to make Imo better.
I use this medium to congratulate the amiable and humble personified Chief of Staff as he adds another year to his age and hoping you have a long, fulfilling career with all the success you can handle.
With such energized and vibrant youth as the gate keeper of Imo state, there is indeed hope for Imo state youths!
Honorable Uche Nwosu, as you join Gov. Rochas Okorocha in planting trees that will provide shade for generations of Ndimo yet to be born, am wishing you a life of consummate happiness and may the years ahead of you continue to be greater than that of the past!