Ben Kalu and the politics of thin skin

BY CHIECHEFULAM IKEBUIRO

I belong to several WhatsApp groups, both solicited and unsolicited, where I encounter all kinds of content, from outright spurious and ridiculous to the ones that make sense. I have learned to scroll past most, especially once I spot the trademark exaggeration and emotionalism that now dominate public discourse.

Lately, I have been seeing a growing number of posts targeting Deputy Speaker Hon. Ben Kalu, many of which are in a tone that borders on the hysterical. It is clear he has rattled the base. He has touched the “anointed one”, whatever that means!

You see, there is a certain political base Governor Soludo of Anambra once described perfectly.  You dare not question their messiah, even if he turns out to be the mediocre of mediocre. Any dissent, however factual or well-meaning, is treated as sacrilege.

Now, let me be clear, Governor Alex Otti is doing okay, and he deserves commendation for restoring some sort of sense of order and purpose to governance in Abia state. But let’s be honest, good governance should not be so rare that when it appears in its most basic form, we start to canonise it.

There is actually nothing transformational or groundbreaking thus far from where I sit. Yet you dare not say that out loud. To express even mild criticism is to invite the wrath of Governor Soludo’s “friends”, who have somehow convinced themselves that hype equals governance.

What Abia truly needs are transformative initiatives and projects that expand opportunity, create jobs, and leave a lasting economic impact. Governor Otti has made a decent start, but it’s time to build beyond aesthetics and prove that the optimism his emergence inspired was not misplaced.

Hon. Ben Kalu’s sin is that he dared to speak uncomfortable truths. He questioned the level of development on the ground in Abia vis-à-vis the triple allocation received. He raised concerns about the minimum wage. He raised concerns about pensions being owed. In short, he said what many see but fear to say- that there is some sort of media noise around the Otti administration compared to substance.

For this, he is being vilified. Why? As the leader of the opposition in Abia State, Ben Kalu’s constitutional and moral duty is to hold the government accountable. That’s democracy 101. Some criticisms should not be seen as sabotage. Every functioning democracy thrives on checks and balances, not blind cheerleading.

Abia must not settle for the basic dressed in PR finery. We cannot continue to applaud baseline achievements that are not extraordinary. Things that are not legacy projects!

The Abia state government should see Ben Kalu’s criticism as feedback and not affront.

So, rather than unleashing attack dogs or manufacturing outrage online, the Otti administration should channel that energy into translating the increased revenue into transformational projects. Into paying long-overdue pensions, revitalising public schools, and delivering results that truly redefine governance.

These are not hostile asks but patriotic ones.

Hon Ben Kalu has done nothing wrong by asking questions. In fact, he deserves commendation.  The essence of democracy is accountability, and the essence of leadership is humility-the humility to accept that feedback, however uncomfortable, is a gift.

If the Otti government is truly confident in its performance, it should welcome scrutiny, not suppress it.

Abia does not need a chorus of praise singers. It needs leaders and citizens unafraid to ask questions.

Chiechefulam Ikebuiro can be contacted via [email protected]