For the past three years and some months when the administration of Sen. Hope Uzodima came on board, the name Mac-Donald Ebere PhD has been on a meteoric ladder, climbing and soaring, leaving marks and creating talking points, positives and negatives, depending on ones stand point and maturity of mind.
For these three years like a tree with very good low and high hanging fruits, the cuts of machete of scathing criticisms and pebbles of praises thrown at him have been enamously reverberating, ricocheting and causing mixed ripples within and beyond the state.
I haven’t come to praise him! I haven’t equally come to do some paid job of character laundering! No! He doesn’t need it . I’m only digging from the root, the very unseen and less talked about moments of his life.
We are from the same root!Our tendrils climbed together around same formation sticks of our adolescence. We all climbed that stake together which gave us direction towards the light of destiny.
Our mistakes and delinquencies, we all struggled together to overcome .
Our juvenile moments weren’t hidden, we saw each other’s nature’s cloth, doing funny and tricky things within our enfantile imagination, some mischievous, some childish, while some above the height of our childlike imagination. We did all that! Remembering such moments comes with nostalgia.
I saw him grow. I saw him misbehave too, playing juvenile pranks . I saw him chuckled and smiled at great and well endowed creatures. I saw him get angry and fly off the handle. I saw him throw up rib cracking jokes. I saw him for the first time mount the rostrum and addressed a Post graduate crowd of Imo State University, seeking for the presidency of the association.
We were all there. We clapped, we hailed him. We campaigned and voted for him.
He was amazing with his speech delivery. Did he win? He did, and it was a landslide. We all saw that power to influence and lead people in him. It didn’t start now, long time ago. What people see now were what we saw years and knew he wasn’t just playing or massaging some juvenile fulmunation of fantasy. It was his calling, which is unfolding like the layers of an onion, each layer removed, unveils a better layer, such has been his political journey all these years.
I like his boldness. I admire his strive and thrive. I envy his strength and dexterity. I appreciate his undaunting spirit to make marks where it seems difficult but I don’t like his party. He knows!!
Surprisingly he knows I don’t like his party and he makes no issue about it . For him it is my choice and right, of course, still we are cool , not allowing it to affect our childhood comradery.
This for me is the breaking point of any barrier against my supporting him within the stretched limit of my power to help him achieve his political height. This is politics without bitterness. This maturity, knowing the greatness in unity in diversity. Rare to see in our politicians these days.
If by tomorrow he comes out for any elective post in Imo State or beyond I will support him beyond my elastic limits. Not because of his party which he knows I don’t fancy, but more of his track record of excellence, tigerish approach to challenges, above all his Ubuntu spirit which is unparalleled.
He isn’t selfish! He remembers yesterday. He carrys people along. A team player with the knack of identifying potentials and helping them climb the ladder, bringing forth their real worth and depth. If this is not leadership what else?
That it has taken me three years to do this piece means I wasn’t driven by emotions but more of the need to celebrate excellence in good work.
By the way, I didn’t say he is a Saint. I didn’t say he is without flaws. I have never said he has a magic wand. Did I say he has a midas touch? Certainly I didn’t say that. All I have said is Mac-Donald is my friend, my classmate. I have followed him from the tendril of our life to this point and have seen some special political potential that can be harvested for good. I am not guessing nor massaging. I am being real. Just believe me.
I endorse him with no party affiliation and sentiments. I endorse him because I know his depth. And he has shown capacity to deliver even in a desertous area.
Anytime he chooses to come out, our support will be unquestioned and our campaign for him boundless.
He is the present APC Chairman in Imo state . I wish him well!
I sign off with these words ” If someone is winning at a higher level than you are, either lower your expectations to match your work ethics or increase your work ethics to exceed your expectations. If you do neither, you will be miserable with envy and jealousy”
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
