|
Listen to article
|
Ahead of the November gubernatorial election in Imo State, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Tony Ejiogu has opened up on the real reasons he decided to throw his hat into the ring to seek the number one job in the state.
The frontline candidate who has continued to garner support from Imolites ever since he secured the APGA ticket for the race has explained that unlike his competitors he joined the race to be Imo’s next Governor because he has a burning desire to serve humanity.
Speaking in an interview which The Eastern Updates monitored, he explained that going by his observation, many political officeholders in Nigeria see themselves as being more important than the people they lead and this has made sure that leaders do not pay attention to the needs of the people they were elected to govern.
In his words; ‘It is clear that the concept of leadership in this part of our world and our society is completely misunderstood and oftentimes abused. You see when a leader sees himself as more important than the people that he leads, you’ve got a fundamental problem in your hand, and that society that, that community or that establishment will invariably struggle to make any tangible progress.’
Mr. Tony went further to explain that he is convinced that he has the required qualities to steer the ship of the state to greatness.
He highlighted some of the leadership qualities that he has that many people whom he has come across have attested to at several times.
‘I have been saddled with the responsibility of leading several organisations. I have been the team lead on various assignments and projects in the course of my professional career’ he submitted.
‘Even when I was in secondary school at the seminary school, I was the senior prefect, from 1991 to 1992. You will agree with me that is quite a difficult responsibility. To be picked among many to be the senior prefect in a seminary school where there is a high standard of discipline is not an easy fit, for that, I think, there must have been some distinct qualities that the rector saw in me that made him choose me as Senior Prefect. So you see when you look around Owerri Archdiocese, most of the priests you see now were my classmates in the seminary school, and till today, they still call me senior prefect when they see me.’
‘In my university days at the University of Akron, I was the President of the African students union. Again, I was also the Chairman of Emekuku Ofiari sociocultural group which is the sociocultural organisation for Emekuku indigenes living in the United States. I held that position for four years.
‘So yes, I have been saddled with leadership responsibilities all through my life and I am convinced that I have all it takes to manage a very unique state like Imo’.
Read Also: Imo Guber: ‘I Will Build A New Imo’, Ejiogu Vows
He went on to explain that he is poised is change the narrative in governance in Imo State which has for so many years been left for politicians who do not have the required leadership qualities nor the burning desire to serve.
In his words; ‘The fundamental attribute of a good leader is the same across the board. Whether you’re a political leader, or a religious leader, and so on. If you don’t have the fundamentals. you will struggle and this is the exact difference that I intend to bring.
‘If you are a good leader, you must be ready to serve the people devoid of any personal gain or selfish interest which is called servant leadership. If Imolites elect me in November, I will be a servant leader.
‘I know it is easy to say, but the reality is that the practicality of leadership or service is not an easy task. When you are a leader, you have to be ready to come down to the level of the people that you lead. You have to be able to listen to them and understand their problems. You have to be ready to empathise with them. You have to be honest, You have to be transparent. You have to be accountable to the people. You have to be responsive to their needs and you have to show empathy above all. Most especially, and I think this is where competence comes into play, there has to be this genuine desire to serve and a genuine desire to lead people in the right direction.’
He highlighted that he has all the needed qualities and the sincerity of purpose to serve Imo State with a clear intention to lead them in the right direction. He promised to restore the trust and confidence that people have lost in the government if given a chance to serve. He assured Imolites that the state will be assuming a fresh direction under him.
The Eastern Updates reports that Mr. Ejiogu is one of the country’s smartest financial management specialists. He has worked in the Financial Management field for well over two decades and has offered consultation services since 2005. He is quite modest and quiet but is fully committed to concerns of accountability, verifiable processes, and financial probity.
He had been hired as a sharp financial guru by numerous multinational corporations as well as non-profit groups in both the United States and Nigeria. He currently serves as the CEO of E-Horizon Consulting Limited, a privately held, process-driven financial management and business development consultancy firm in Lagos with a focus on initiating and strategizing for fund mobilisation, offering support services for strategic and financial management, business development, and process reengineering consultancy services.
