By Anthony Iwuoma
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Imo North stands at the edge of another defining moment. For decades, the zone has endured the slow violence of godfatherism, a system that substitutes private interests for public will and imposes representatives who answer upward to patrons rather than outward to the people.
Each election cycle that follows this pattern deepens the wounds: poor advocacy, lost opportunities, and a growing sense that the zone is permanently short-changed.
The next dispensation in 2027 is, therefore, not just another political season; it is a decisive moment that could either halt the bleeding or worsen the pain.
If Imo North repeats old habits in 2027, the cost will be severe. Another round of imposed leadership will mean years of muted representation, continued marginalisation, and the painful spectacle of watching other zones secure influence, projects, and relevance while Okigwe zone remains politically anaemic.
Political pain compounds over time. Every wrong choice builds on the last, locking the zone into a cycle of regret that becomes harder to escape with each election.
Yet godfatherism is not the only menace undermining the zone’s future. Equally corrosive is the growing tendency among some constituents to sell their conscience for immediate lucre. Vote-buying has flourished because elections are increasingly treated as market days rather than moments of destiny.
When a voter accepts a few notes or a token gift in exchange for a mandate, he is not merely selling a vote; he is mortgaging his future. It is the tragedy of selling tomorrow for today’s miserly porridge, momentary relief followed by years of collective suffering.
This unholy alliance between godfathers and conscience-compromised voters creates a hostile environment for sincere leadership. Capable, independent-minded individuals who possess the intellect, courage, and vision to speak for Imo North are often discouraged by the sheer toxicity of the system. Many have watched honest efforts crushed by underhand dealings, delegate manipulation, inducement, betrayal, and the cynical rewriting of outcomes by political merchants who thrive on chaos and compromise. In such a climate, reluctance to step forward is not cowardice; it is the exhaustion of having once been bruised by a rigged process.
It is, therefore, no surprise that a capable voice currently being encouraged to run remains hesitant, having previously suffered the cruelty of these shadowy arrangements. The zone must understand that when it tolerates godfatherism and vote-trading, it does not just enthrone mediocrity, it actively drives away its best options. Each time integrity is punished and opportunism rewarded, the message is sent that sincerity has no place in politics. That message must change.
The 2027 dispensation offers Imo North a chance to confront both evils at once: the tyranny of godfathers and the self-inflicted wound of compromised conscience. By deliberately creating a fair, transparent, and people-driven process, the zone can reassure credible leaders that courage will no longer be punished and honesty will no longer be a liability. Only then will those with genuine capacity and commitment find the moral confidence to step forward.
Choosing credible, pro-people leadership in 2027 would immediately alter the zone’s trajectory. A representative who owes his mandate to the people rather than to political merchants will speak boldly, negotiate firmly, and pursue the collective interest without fear or debt. Beyond policies and projects, such leadership restores dignity and faith in the democratic process.
The alternative is bleak. Persisting in godfather imposition and conscience-selling will further alienate the youth, deepen apathy, and normalise failure. What could be corrected by one courageous election will demand years of painful recovery. History is unforgiving to communities that repeatedly trade their future for temporary comfort.
The choice before Imo North is therefore stark. Continue down the familiar road of underhand deals and purchased loyalty, or rise in 2027 with clarity and courage, refusing to sell tomorrow for today’s porridge.
The zone’s salvation will not come from powerful godfathers or fleeting handouts, but from a people determined to protect their conscience, encourage their best voices, and reclaim ownership of their future.
Let this be written on marble: Imo North did not fall because it lacked capable sons and daughters; it suffered because it surrendered its voice. When a people rise to defend their conscience, no godfather can rule them. When citizens refuse to sell tomorrow for today, destiny reopens its door. And when courage finally outweighs convenience, history is forced to change.
