The functions of the Local Governments as prescribed under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria fall under two broad groups:
1. Those within the purview of the Local Governments
2. Those the Local Governments perform concurrently with the state governments.
These functions above produce tangible and intangible achievements respectively.
It’s important to state without fear of contradictions that Rt Hon. Acho Ihim (Onwa Okigwe) as the Executive Chairman of Okigwe LGA between 2004 to 2007 performed these functions as constitutionally prescribed with tangible and intangible achievements to his credit.
Among the tangible achievements are 70% of the functional Health Centers in the local government courtesy of Hon. Acho Ihim’s administration (some were constructed afresh while others enjoyed commendable reconstructions).
Health Centers led by Ugwaku, Umualumoke, Ezinachi, Agbobu and Ihube.
Primary, Adult and Vocational education was maintained through the construction and renovation of schools, ensuring funding assistance and employment of workers in them as approved.
These schools exist in the communities and wards of Okigwe LGA while the jobs for their maintenance were awarded to Okigwe people, some of whom, are still alive today.
School buildings led by Ihube, Urban ward I, Urban Ward 2, Amuro, Ezinachi and Umualumoke.
Markets were built and rebuilt in many communities and wards using a well established and robustly funded market committee which leadership and membership were Okigwe people, many of them are still alive.
Markets led by Ekeoha Amuro and Agbobu.
Rt Hon Acho Ihim’s local government administration did not keep blind eyes in the development and maintenance of agriculture and natural resources through the establishment and maintenance of the pilot farms in the council and beyond, which remain attestable by council workers.
The regular grading of urban and rural roads was common but this can pass as intangible because they go with the seasons.
There were awards and constructions of rural electrification projects, some were completed with others at different stages of completion and these jobs were given to prominent Okigwe Leaders who are very much around.
Electrification projects were led by Amuro–Umualumoke (8 kilometers) fully executed and Agbobu (which was paid for but painfully could not be realized before the end of his tenure)
Bridges and culverts in different communities were also carried out by indigenous contractors with the supervision of the works department, the records are their in council for confirmation.
The area that Rt. Hon Acho Ihim’s administration was remarkably exceptional and which gained him the title of Onwa Okigwe, was in human capital development and empowerment:
Apart from the usual employment of Okigwe people into the local government system and official appointments,there were massive creation of empowerment oriented committees of different categorizations, which were purely for regular monthly extension of monetary largesse under his “Tripod Committee Vision”.
Not less than 500 persons were variously captured from the then 15 ISIEC wards which even the Honourable Councillors made their inputs into them.
It was more of a bazaar and bonanza government in the spirit of deliberate stomach infrastructure, which made the people happy, to the extent that they coined a joyous slang of “allocalization time with the question–nwanne ilokerekwene?”.
The most interesting aspect of this response is that the beneficiaries, Okigwe people are still verifiably alive and around.
It must be acknowledged that the administration had for the records, a most vibrant council legislature that came first in Imo State, if not Nigeria,in the making of Bye laws(about 16 of such) which the local government is using till date.
The popular maxim that when the righteous is on the throne, the people rejoice, best describes Onwa Okigwe’s local government era.
For his House Of Assembly/Speakers hip, it’s another period of positive landmarks,which will be appreciated from the standpoint of the lawmakers basic functions of appropriation, lawmaking,oversights and the invisible lobbying characterizing the attraction of amenities and capacity for state,national and international engagements.
Onwa Okigwe was manifestly visible in moving of motions, sponsoring of bills,participation in appropriation processes,oversight and ensured that Okigwe LGA was not shortchanged in the common deliverables in terms of school buildings, hospital and road projects, admission of Okigwe people into tertiary institutions, employment into various agencies of government among others.
Standing for reckoning is the attraction of the construction of the hitherto elusive Okigwe Township Stadium where the state’s football team, Imo Heartland, plays their nation league matches, thereby attracting national attention to Okigwe LGA.
In his usual stomach infrastructure and human empowerment consciousness, Onwa Okigwe ensured the setting aside of between 4 to 5 Million naira every month and raised it above 5 Million naira towards the end of his tenure, as largesse for regular distribution to Okigwe people( this took place from the first year of his speakership in 2015 to the end of his tenure in 2019).
This is not inclusive of those he gave motor vehicles and motorcycles for commercial and private purposes.
As if that was not enough, the jinx breaking lawmaker,led a delegation of Imo Lawmakers to Kenya, for the annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA),where he emerged the Vice President,in a fiercely contested election of the body,with over 4000 lawmakers in participation.
This feat was climaxed a year after in Mauritius, where he was crowned the President of this body and this made him the first Speaker of the Southeast of Nigeria to preside the affairs of this international parliamentary body and finally elevated Imo state in the global tourism map through the hosting of the annual conference of this body of lawmakers of the Nations of the Commonwealth, with the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Special Guest.
Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim (Okigwe Onwa), used his position as Speaker to mobilize into Imo state his fellow Speakers in Nigeria to champion the stoppage of the then monster that was the herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria, particularly the southeast geopolitical zone.
These were among the landmarks standing as a thing of Pride for Okigwe, one can now imagine what will happen when Onwa Okigwe radiates its way into the Senate of Nigeria.
Only people of exceptional grace and equipment stand out in the crowd, Onwa Okigwe stands out.
