55 years ago, you cried your first cry, perhaps in the scotching cold of the morning, it marked the beginning of 55 successful years.
Congratulations, but as you celebrate, it’s also a good time to take a deep breath and reflect on some very important issues which I have highlighted below.
1) You and HE Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi were born in May, same year, and only three days apart
2) Both of you formed an inseparable bond and benefited immensely from your shared valued friendship. As Governor, he was your boss, but he sought your opinion regularly and believed in your counsel. This I know.
3) Both of you have obviously risen above poverty, and perhaps still aspire to push beyond whatever limits you can see, which is very good.
4) Both of you convinced people to follow you to APC, that in that party lay the ultimate fulfillment so desperately needed in the former union, the union that was responsible for the previous advancements.
5) Both of you led your followers into believing that the other was worst than you thought, all that was ever built was brought down, Hope’s dashed, aspirations crumbled and expectations cut short. Young men were armed with data to rant on social media as a way of showing loyalty-the greatest poison of our current political reality.
6) Factions were formed in pursuit of various political aspirations, and while you returned after your service in the senate, Amaechi was reappointed minister, but that was far from his goal of delivering an APC Governor in Rivers State, not even the AAC option made it happen.
7) Each of you took your party to court and while Amaechi succeeded and became Governor, yours didn’t turn out the same, but again the times are quite different.
By every measure you are a very successful man, eloquent and articulate, I am sure you should have lots of regrets as well which is normal, so does your friend Amaechi, if both of you can be sincere to yourselves.
There are certain coincidences in life that are far from ordinary. These facts I have enumerated, not forgetting that your both parents were not siper wealthy in their time and this is what make your stories quite interesting, but thank God you both have broken that shakle.
Since the quarrel, both of you haven’t fared any better, even if ego won’t let you admit it. You also have become less respected even if those around you would make you feel otherwise.
If the quarrel continue, your followers, weary and fearful of their political furire would desert you people one after another and after 2023 only a handful will remain. I don’t mean you alone, please note.
So as you celebrate please remember that it’s time for a turnaround, it’s time to reach out to the people you once hurt as well as forgive those that hurt you. It’s time to show quality, its time to reach out to your friend Amaechi, the comparisons about the two of you cannot be ignored. Congratulations Masi Prince Ernest
