AS BUHARI HONOURS OSITA IZUNASO…

‘’There are men who lift the age they inhabit, till all men walk on higher ground in that life time,’’ Maxwell Anderson. The preceding quote best describes Senator Osita Izunaso who was recently conferred with the prestigious national honour of Officer of Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President and Commander in Chief, Muhammadu Buhari.

The recognition did not come to Nigerians as a surprise for despite the fact that Senator Izunaso played a leading role to bring the All Progressives Congress to power as the first elected National Organising Secretary, he has since 2006 registered in the consciousness of Nigerians with the establishment of the Kpakpando Foundation. This foundation has since its inception embarked on the arduous task of catering for the needs of persons with disability in Nigeria.
With about 5000 members, the foundation as of today has enrolled 500 of its members in its scholarship scheme in various secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. Similarly about 300 of the members have also been empowered to start their own businesses.

They have even gone a step further to equip the members with requisite skills to enable them compete with others in our technologically-driven world. Towards this end the Kpakpando Foundation has provided communication gadgets, sewing machines, grinding machines, clutches and many other tools that can enhance the movement and productivity of the persons with disability.

Apart from Senator Osita Izunaso’s sterling performance in the political arena and which has seen him replacing one of Nigeria’s most iconic and prominent politicians, late Senator Frnacis Arthur Nzeribe as the senator for Imo  West (Orlu Senatorial Zone), he has through the instrumentality of  the Kpakpando Foundation spearheaded the  advocacy for the Disability Rights Bill and it received the blessing of the National Assembly which passed it and was assented into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

As a political strategist he along with other political juggernauts navigated the murky waters of Nigeria’s politics and ensured that the nascent All Progressives birthed to national power in 2015.
Therefore, it is well deserved that the president, Muhammadu Buhari deemed it fit to roll out the drums to celebrate Senator Izunaso among other prominent Nigerians at the 2022 National Honours Awards.

There is no doubt that Senator Izunaso has since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999 played a significant role in the growth of Nigeria’s democracy. As a former member of the House of Representatives representing Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru west federal constituency he helped to advance the country’s legislative process and the foundation he and his National Assembly colleagues laid has continued to solidify and consolidate the democratic gains in the polity.
Between 2013 and 2018 when he held sway as the first elected National Organising Secretary of the ruling APC, he deployed a rare managerial acumen and political stratagem towards ensuring that the party activities were conducted in a seamless manner. This approach no doubt made it possible for the APC to easily penetrate all the nooks and crannies of the country within a very short time. This political ingenuity by Senator Izunaso helped to endear the new party to the hearts of Nigerians.

All over the world national honours are conferred on personalities who have used their God-given talents and other endowments to promote humanitarian causes, national growth and development. In this regard such honours will help to inspire other citizens to offer their selfless service to the country, and the conferment of OFR on Senator Izunaso by President Buhari is an appreciation of his long years of dedicated service to the country and humanity generally.
In politics Izunaso was able to extend his tentacles beyond his immediate South East region, and reached out to all parts of the country building friendship and establishing linkages, hence at his national honours award, there was an outpouring of goodwill messages from Nigerians of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

In a society like ours bedevilled by ethno-religious dichotomies, it is gratifying that Senator Izunaso, a lawyer, journalist and parliamentarian has chosen to serve as a bridge builder and nationalist.

For a man who became a federal legislator at the age of 34 years, it is important to point out that his rise to prominence was not a happenstance, rather he had undergone long years of political tutelage under personages like the former governor of Enugu State, and later minister of sports under the Abacha regime, Chief Jim Nwobodo, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Agunwa Anakwe and former Imo State governor, Chief Achike Udenwa.

There is no gainsaying that these cumulative experiences adequately prepared Izunaso for the leadership roles he was to later play in his political career. To put it succinctly, in our local parlance or lexicon, “he has paid his dues’’.
There is a huge lesson inherent in Senator Izunaso’s meteoric rise to power and influence- loyalty and consistency to constituted authorities, and the ability to discern where and when opportunities exist.
 Chukwudi Enekwechi, JP
Kwechis19@yahoo.com