OPINION: Aniocha-Oshimili Stakeholders’ Meeting: Why Elumelu Should Worry About the Two Aniochas

By Admin 

I was there.

I was present at the Aniocha-Oshimili stakeholders’ meeting, and I watched closely as the two local government chairmen from Oshimili addressed the gathering. What I saw was more than speeches. I saw the echoes, the cheers, the smiles, and, most importantly, the grassroots connection between the leaders and their people.

When Obi Kelvin took the microphone, the atmosphere changed.

There were smiles. There was excitement. There was a sense of familiarity between him and the people. He greeted the crowd, and the response that followed was loud and unmistakable. At that moment, one thing became clear: this is a man who has built a relationship with his people.

He spoke passionately about one issue he continues to emphasise: the empowerment of his people.

He explained that his administration has consistently pursued empowerment programmes in line with the MORE Agenda of the state government. And, if you were there, it would have been difficult to dismiss the point he was making.

The people could see the results.

Recently, the state government, represented by the Deputy Governor, commissioned a 110-office modern administrative complex. Beyond that, there have been several empowerment programmes and development initiatives that are visible across the area.

These are the kinds of projects and programmes that create political ownership at the grassroots.

Then came his counterpart from Oshimili North.

Again, the difference was noticeable.

Oshimili North has also witnessed visible development, including a state-of-the-art hospital and improvements in security and other areas. But what caught my attention was not only what had been done. It was the confidence and apparent trust that the people expressed toward their chairman.

When grassroots leaders speak and their people respond with confidence, cheers and genuine enthusiasm, you begin to understand the real meaning of grassroots politics.

Politics is not only about big rallies. It is about relationships.

It is about structure. It is about followership.It is about trust.

It is about having men and women who live among the people, understand their concerns, share their experiences and remain accessible long after the elections are over.

At a point during the meeting, I turned to a friend standing beside me and asked, “What is the name of the chairman addressing the meeting?”

He told me he was one of the four local government chairmen representing the Aniocha-Oshimili axis.

I watched the hall.There was no significant echo. No noise. No spontaneous cheering. No sustained hailing from the crowd.

I turned to my friend again and jokingly asked, “The chairman no get followers?”

He smiled, laughed and replied: “Maybe dem no follow am come.”

That exchange, though humorous, raises a serious political question.

Where is the grassroots structure?

For Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, this should be a matter of concern.

If the objective is to build a formidable political structure across Aniocha-Oshimili, then the northern part of the constituency deserves greater attention. From what I observed at the meeting, there appears to be more political work to be done there.

Elections are not won simply because a candidate is popular at the top.

They are won when that popularity is translated into grassroots organisation.

The people must have individuals they trust. They must have leaders they can reach. They must have political actors who are present in their communities—not only during election season, but throughout the political cycle.

This is where Elumelu needs to do more.

He needs to invest in indigenous grassroots leaders who command genuine respect in their communities. Men and women who are known by the voters, who live among them, understand their realities and can mobilise them because of relationships built over time.

Politics cannot be sustained by people whose primary political activity begins when elections are approaching and ends when the votes are counted.

The two Oshimili chairmen demonstrated something important at that meeting: grassroots acceptance cannot be manufactured overnight.

It is built through presence. It is built through empowerment. It is built through accessibility. It is built through trust. And above all, it is built by consistently being there for the people.

If Elumelu is serious about maintaining and strengthening his political relevance across Aniocha-Oshimili, then he should not ignore the signals coming from the grassroots.

The meeting may have been just another political gathering to some.

But for those who were paying attention, it revealed something deeper.

The Two Aniochas are speaking—and Elumelu should be listening.