Okey Eze: How I Used Poems to Woo My Wife

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He is an accomplished writer, poet, journalist, banker, publisher, entrepreneur and humanitarian with strong impact in diverse areas of endeavours in remarkable time, and a  consummate professional with rich banking experience with leading multinational bank (Citibank Nigeria) in a 15-year career spanning operations and technology, internal control, private, commercial & corporate banking; rising to senior managerial cadre with core competence in relationship management of public sector, infrastructural and telecommunications businesses. Chairman of Savvycorp Limited, a cutting-edge treasury management, financial and investment advisory catering to a slew of multinational blue-chip clientele, and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Okey Eze tells Adedayo Adejobi why he wants to be next governor of Imo State

Educated at the Federal government college Okigwe, with a first degree in Mass Communications from the University of Nsukka and an MBA from the University of Benin, his career trajectory has seen him work in major multinational companies around the country and globe. Okey Ezeh has vast experience in banking, specialising in management of public sector infrastructure and telecommunications businesses. He is the first franchise holder of the European Armoured Trucks Bureau. He also introduced secure armoured Cash-in-Transit transport for Nigerian banks, setting the stage for the authorities to make armoured transportation compulsory for CIT operations of all Nigerian Banks in late 2007.
With a successful business career, he is spurred to foray into politics with a view to serving his people. He speaks about his years of experience.
“Since 2006, I’ve been the Chairman of Savvy Coop limited, a management consultancy and investment advisory company based in Lagos. I’ve had a foray into politics. I’m one of those professionals who believe that politics is too serious to be left to politicians. So I came out of my private sector comfort zone to try to be part of the solution, specifically in Imo state where I  think there has been some deficit in governance, I believe that the country and the states can get better if people with the skillset can come out from all sectors to be part of the solution. For too long, we have left the business of governance and creating value, to those we refer as politicians. In a situation where career politicians have taken charge of our lives, many a time its garbage in, garbage out.’’

Growing up, he’s always had a flair for the pen-pushing profession, but the vagaries of life caused him to abandon same for the banking hall. He tells of his fortunate foray into uncharted territory: “Growing up, I had a literary flair. Till date I write poetry. I’ve always fancied myself as a writer. Back in the days when I graduated from the University of Nigeria, I was fortunate to have passed through the graduate recruitment system by multinationals. So when I got a job with a multinational bank, the issue for me was could I fit into the bank? But then I was told, I didn’t have to have strong numerical skills to be able to work in the bank. The new generation banks still have that practice now. The bank was looking for expertise and mental acuity, and I had the requirements. I got some training and exposure, but communication has been my first love and life itself is about communications. Communications is a life skill.”
One thing you can’t take away from Ezeh, the published poet, is his penchant and undying love for books, poetry and poetic licence. Little wonders his vocabulary and diction are impeccable. In his opinion, the problem with this generation is not far-fetched, “because I read Mass Communications. In my university days, I edited ‘The record’, the in-house newspaper. In federal government Okigwe, I was also the President of the Press Club. I like to play on words. I have published poems on my website. Growing up, I read novels like James Hardley Chase, Nick Carter, Sidney Sheldon and that’s how we made friends. I have a passion for books, wide diction and so I play with words. One of the problems with this generation is that they don’t read.

Should you ask him any time of the day, week or year, be sure to anticipate the same answer. His top five poets are Rudyard Kipling, Josiah Holland, William Wordsworth, John Keats and William Blake.Two poems he loves most are IF by Rudyard Kipling and God Give Us Men by Josiah Gilbert Holland. ‘“The poem is practical and it closely reflects my worldview.’’
When quizzed if he uses his skill of language to make his spouse feel like a real woman she is, he was quite affirmative. These words say it all. ‘‘Absolutely. That’s how I married her. When I met her, one of the things that swept her off her feet, was my ability to say things convincingly and in a special way.’’
In a nostalgic mood, he looks back and shares those very fond memories.
“Growing up, one of the things my dad taught me is that, if he took me out, later in the day, I’ll write an essay on my experience. I must write my observation and the lessons learned. But in this day and era, most children are busy fiddling with phones and play stations. And you know poetry draws from the environment, nature, and interchanges. Every day is an experience and it adds up. The advent of social media has made people less attentive to nature and the environment.”

He shares the romance of meeting his wife: “I married my wife in 2011, but I met her in 2001. It wasn’t a very long courtship. Meeting my wife is a striking story. A friend was going to take me to Mega Plaza to buy a new generator, as the old one I had was noisy. He told me I was crazy because it’s four times the regular price and then offered to take me to Alaba International market. I opposed it because buying it there doesn’t come with a warranty. He insisted he had someone he would take me to, so we agreed he’ll come to my house on a Saturday and he didn’t turn up. Much later in the evening, he rang my land phone at home saying he had a good excuse for not turning up. Something happened, although a bad news, very tragic occurrence which saw some Law students who had left the Law school in Abuja to catch a flight. On the way to the airport, they had an accident and died. One of the victims who died was a family friend of theirs and they needed to break the news to the parent. I was touched. The next day he came and told me, he went to the family to find out that the lady who was supposed to have died came out to open the door. Upon inquiry, the lady said she also heard the news. It turned out that the lady was supposed to be in that vehicle, but because her father who was a General Manager in the bank had said to her I will send an official car from the office to take her to the airport. The driver was delayed so some of her friends hired a taxi and asked her to join, but she said no because her dad had sent a driver. In less than thirty minutes after the conversation, a fatal accident occurred and everyone perished. She came behind in the bank car to see the accident. They managed to via off, but she didn’t know.

It was when she got to the airport looking for her colleagues, the news of the Law School students’ death was broken to her. My friend then told me when he saw the lady, with the way she speaks phonetics and how she appeared, that is the kind of girl I would like. I replied asking what he meant-who would you like, I asked! I then agreed to see her. So, we went there. I rang the bell, met the security man who said she had gone out. I then dropped my call card and left. By the time I got home, she had called because she didn’t know who it was. One thing led to the other, we re-connected. On meeting her, I discovered her younger brother was my junior in secondary school.”
Seventeen years into the great union, he shares the golden highs and lows, ‘‘It’s great marrying your friend. Time has flown swiftly. We have three children abroad and the fourth here with us. Marriage comes with its own unique challenges, but I have no regrets. If you prepare well for the ride, you’ll enjoy it.’’

Away from the secular world, when he is not at The Jesus Christ Never Fails Arena, Owerri, a first-of-its-kind Disney-Style Events and Amusement Park, East of the Niger, he is playing golf or creating opportunities, training and empowering over 1000 teeming Imo youths through vocations across skills development and free extra-mural classes for thousands of secondary school students in Imo State.
Matching his words with verifiable facts, as opposed to those seeking pecuniary gains in politics, he spills the bean on what he is bringing to the table and what he’ll do differently to save his people from what he calls a clueless leadership in Imo state.
“‘I am passionate about creating value in all its ramifications.  In Imo state, we have a population of 4.2 million people and counting, with a land mass of 5288km. it’s a densely populated state and prone to erosion. We have a predominantly youthful population with 60 per cent under 30 years. There is a huge unemployment rate in the state which is 77 per cent dependent on the dwindling federal allocation. Oil is a cold comfort and it’s going to change soon. Looking at the dynamics of the oil economy, countries that have had hydrocarbon fuel as mainstay are re-jigging their strategy.

UAE, Saudi Arabia in 2030 projects that they will exit oil, car makers like Volvo have put a deadline for 2019 to stop the production of diesel engines., Toyota will stop production of diesel engines at the end of this year. No one imports Nigeria’s oil. We might have countries like India taking our oil, but how far can that last? In the last 5 year, the oil economy has change dramatically ad it’ll continue. So, states that are dependent on allocations are living on borrowed times. Imo state has potential in the rubber plantation, oil palm production, cassava, cashew and various areas as an oil producing state with 163 oil wells in 3 locations. We have vast resources. Agro-produce is goldmine yet untapped. What we need to do in creating opportunities for young people, is adding value to these natural endowments, especially with a young, vibrant and productive population.’’ He enthuses.

Sharing his master plan and focus in his blueprint should he get into government today, he says, “The Imo State Marshall plan. Part of what intend to entrench is the tax credit scheme.  Assuming artisans who are mostly not documented and earn a decent chunk of money, pay an income tax of N20, 000 to the state government, it guarantees them a year’s full health care service in any General Hospital across the state.  Once they pay, their health care is taken care of, for the rest of the year. There is an incentive for people to pay tax. The stake-holding is not established in their minds because there is a problem with paying tax in Nigeria. When people don’t see government functioning in their interest, they become resistant to taxes, as they feel it’ll be embezzled. The economy must be well managed and the people’s resources must be used for their benefits. Our finances need to be rejigged. That is the first surgical operation anyone who wants to bring a paradigm shift, must do. Imo State is not efficiently managed financially as it ought to be.  It earns N3.2 bn every month and spends N4.5bn. In elementary economics, the only way to stay afloat is to increase revenue or cut cost. We are not increasing revenue in Imo. Our IGR is a paltry N456m. we have irrevocable standard payment orders (ISPO’s) which are derivable from bond proceeds we have drawn in the past. Imo has not been properly run. Borrowing money is not the problem; lots of money have been borrowed. It moved from a debt figure of N23.3bn in 2013 to N93.3bn in 2016. As of 2017 May 29, Imo state was owing N102bn, Ezeh believes in looking into the future.

Shedding light on the excessive debt his state might have been plunged into, continuing, he said, “If you do some extrapolation, Imo state chops off about a deficit of about N1.5bn every month. If the figure is added to the already verified debt profile, that gives you an idea where Imo State is. If that is added to about N456m which is the first line charge taken out every month to service the bond proceeds, asides domestic debts, you see that the IGR cannot service the debts.  When you look at the expenditure profile, about N2bn is personnel cost, and between N2.5bn to N2.8bn covers monthly overheads. When you look at that, it’s frightening. And it’s not only in Imo State, other states also. Professionals should be in charge of governance. If you run a state the way a serious profitable company is run, one is forced to ask hard questions like- where are the overheads coming from? The cost of running governance, bureaucracy is so unhealthy and the taxpayer pays for it. Imo state is too endowed to have a paltry IGR profile of N456m. I believe there are plenty leakages and it’s because the government isn’t visionary.’’
In the midst the negative rhetoric, he believes Imo State is in a valley, so it wouldn’t be business as usual. ‘‘We must create new income streams and a local economy that works.’’ He says with a bright smile.
Giving his honest and rather fair assessment of the incumbent governor who is perceived as a huge joke, he shares this sentiment: “I try not to go personal when it comes to these matters. But I know that many of the policies he’s introduced and actions are controversial. What matters is for me as a stakeholder in the Imo project and most Ndi-Imo is, to ask this question-what is in it for the people? The average Imolite is bothered about his economic well-being, employment, access to basic healthcare, functional educational system, security and good infrastructures.

If the approach of the current Governor doesn’t change the lives of the masses in these core areas, every other thing is irrelevant. Nigeria of 2018 is a different one. People are a lot more aware and discerning. In a democratic space, there are choices, but what matters is the collective will of the people. I do not think Imo is a banana republic, and that it’ll be that easy for someone to foist a successor on the people. The people know what is good for them, they are desirous of progress. They know on what side their bread is buttered. It’s not about Federal might. The people want to join a league of progressive states. Neighbouring Anambra State has done very well and is a perfect example. The prayer in Imo is that as it is in Anambra, let it be in Imo.”
When asked on his opinion of  reckless Nigerian governors,  he shares his thoughts of the problem with the average Nigerian governor,   what  he would you do differently if he were in the same shoes,‘‘As a people, we are very lax in our attitude. We do not pay attention to details. In other climes, people are very thorough when it comes to leadership and elections. There is a leadership grooming process. In America for instance, when there is a Presidential election, there are no surprises. There is a pull from leadership talent from which recruitment is made.  Nigeria is where people become emergency leaders on account of the depth of their pockets.  Career politicians who have never earned a living, nor done productive jobs, nor add value to anything. They’ve enjoyed tutelage and aspire to high office. And by hook or crook, they get there. Expect nothing less than mediocrity. This is why I am clamouring the space should not be ceded to career politicians. We must have technocrats who understand what global best practices means in the management of men and resources.

We must have professionals who have accomplished much with a track record for creating value, run government institutions. Once Nigeria transits to that phase, you will see progress. There is so much conflict of interest in Nigeria’s public sector. There is zero corporate governance. How many state governors have active tenders board? There is no value for money, the taxpayer is perpetually short-changed, with contracts given to cronies.  In Nigeria with preponderance of unemployment, our leaders have no business giving contracts to foreigners, especially in the construction industry and practically all aspects of our economy. The jobs are given to Asians, Chinese, Lebanese and Indians. These are conduits for raising slush funds and money laundering. And we are short-changing the young population who need jobs.  They are guilty of expropriation. We consume what we don’t produce and produce what we don’t consume. That mismatch has been there for too long with no one making any efforts to correct it.  For as long as we haven’t answered these basic questions, governance is still an illusion. Our solution lies in using technocrats and professionals to do the job.”