* Ugwumba Ishionwu Is The Face of Ikwuano APC  -  Mbakwe 



By Chidi Omar


From Abia State, specifically from Ikwuano LGA,  a youngman named Ugwumba Chika Ishionwu is projecting and modelling a political leadership of the future that would weed out adventurers from the corridors of power. Indeed the youngman is charting a path that would  render redundant a format used by deceptive desperados to hijack power for selfish reasons. 


Ishionwu is redefining and modelling political leadership as an end in itself, as a duty, an act of courage and respect for leadership 


What is he doing differently? Beginning 1999 when democracy returned to Nigeria, all kinds of adventurers have  manipulated themselves into the corridors of power riding on the vehicle of politics as a means to an end. For adventurers, you can use carpetbagger or speculators, and  you won't be far from the truth.


The adventurers path to power is to emerge as 'public spirited champion' of the people near the the election year. First, he floats a nebulous foundation; Second he becomes an emergency Father Christmas and  begins to give and give as if giving is going out of fashion. The whole aim of this format is to falsely market himself/herself to the party hierarchy as the people's favourite in order to be awarded the party ticket.


But  Ugwumba Ishionwu has not only re-defined the path for future leaders, but has become a model an aspiring leadership must follow if indeed he really wants to render service to the people, not to self. 


In Abia, the foundational failure of past leaders could be traced to the fact that most politician's survival depends on politics. Nothing in the CV shows they have ever rendered leadership in any form or being involved in any creative enterprises, therefore for them, politics becomes the means to an end.


So many things separate Ugwumba Ishionwu from the boys. First, Ishionwu's life does not revolve around politics. Like the Biblical Paul the tent-maker who worked at his trade for wages to support self and others Ishionwu's life revolves around his business, but he also works hard at politics because he sees it as a platform to reach the greater number of people 


Second, Ishionwu approaches his terrain with an incredible courage, he often chooses to fight against the odds rather than follow a beaten path. Thus like David, the teenage shepherd boy who brought down Goliath the warrior, Ishionwu fights from an inner strength that defies understanding, but with a clearly defined goal of service to the people 


Like Joseph's early embrace of his life's vision which attracted  the wrath of his brothers,  Ishionwu has become too preoccupied pursuing his vision of putting smiles on the faces of people to bother about sceptics. Without a public office or title Ishionwu has  consistently placed the needs of others as his priority, sharing love with a rare kind of humility.


In education, sports, healthcare, outreach to windows and the less privileged, Ugwumba Ishionwu has touched the lives more people than other elected politicians in Ikwuano LG 


According to a former APC Ikwuano LG chairman, Hon Ogbonna Chidi Mbakwe, "Ugwumba Ishionwu is the face of Ikwuano LG APC. He has challenged youths to aim for the sky.


"Even as we look forward to 2027 elections, his actions and politics has pushed so many questions to the front burner: Do you have a second address outside politics? Do you really care for the people and community? Can you survive outside politics? 


"Those are the tough questions future aspirants to elective offices must answer before jumping into the ring as leaders and politicians. For that, I say Thank Ugwumba Ishionwu"