Essential Ndubuisi
By Linus Chukwuma
“Mother Theresa of Our Time”, a constituent calls Senator Uche Ekwunife a couple of weeks ago following her 8th Empowerment Programme, but I guess he never imagined another round of empowerment in a quick succession.— Ekwunife, to her credit has made representation what it ought to be, public service. Quality public service!
One of the hallmarks of Ekwunife’s sterling sojourn in the 9th Assembly is ceaselessly empowering her constituents, flattening the curve of economic depression occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic. For Ndi Anambra Central, there ought to be a contemplation of what would-have-been the story if the woman the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu described as Amazon of the Senate is not on the floor of the Senate.
On Saturday, February 13, the Senator Uche Ekwunife Event Centre Hall was packed to the capacity as the Igbo-Ukwu born Senator did her 9th empowerment programme in the nature of distribution of numerous tricycles to constituents. No Senator in the history of the district had done ninefold of empowerment in less than two years.
The former governor of Abia state popularly known as OUK remarked that what matters in the society is how many people or families one has lifted up via different ways and the resounding applause following his remarks that Ekwunife is a strong lawmaker who is always lifting the needy said it all.
On his part, Barr. Emma Odum, PDP Chairman of Awka South LGA genuine compliments during the event on the woman better known as Iyom show she cares for those around her. And beyond the business of lawmaking Ekwunife has through her gestures lifted thousands of indigent families both while in the banking sector and her foray into politics.
For the Senator who had before yesterday’s exercise by means of distribution of vehicles, motorcycles, tricycles, sewing machines, generators, fridges Et al, established an institutionalized process to endlessly provide economic and social opportunities for her people, more leadership assignments should be given to her to better the standards of life in the state.
The admission I hold dearly in heart by the quintessential Senator is that all she does to humanity is in appreciation to God who gave her the privilege for representation. Just like Mother Theresa, Ekwunife through her countless humanitarian projects believes that, It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving. That’s leadership and attitude.
With her, Ndi Anambra Central is enjoying classic representation: important bills and motions, empowerment programmes and projects, all possible because of Ekwunife’s presence in the National Assembly. “Ekwunife is the best Senator in Nigeria” says one of the beneficiaries.
Speaking during the event, Ekwunife says that it is pertinent that representatives defend the trust of the people, and quite frankly, through her empowerment programmes and other numerous projects she is defending hers.
This, perhaps, is the main point of contrast between Ekwunife and many politicians who only surface during election periods. The Mother Theresa of our time have in many ways led the new era of representation from merely business as usual to business unusual. Her resilience and hunger to rekindle the flame of quality and purposeful representation as well as suppress all previous set standards have continued to lift her above the pack, and further position her as the most capable aspirant to lead Anambra State into an era of massive infrastructural and human capital development.
