PAGES: 284
AUTHOR: COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO
REVIEWER: LAW MEFOR, PhD
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the author of the book “Philosophical Undertones of Ugwuanyi’s Era in Enugu,” has reintroduced the long-held political tenet that only the persons with the necessary expertise should hold positions of leadership. It was the renowned philosopher Plato who discussed Philosopher Kings for the first time.
According to Plato, the ideal form of government is one in which philosophers are in charge. In Plato’s Republic, the idea of a just city (country) was first developed, along with the ideal of a philosopher leader and that is how Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is presented in the new book.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is portrayed by Onwubiko as the philosopher king, a leader who combines philosophical knowledge and political acumen. That is the kind of niche that Onwubiko’s new book on the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state has carved and thus reechoed Plato’s eternal statement – “Until philosophers are kings or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils.”
The book is not necessarily a complete chronicle of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s achievements, but it does emphasise a number of them. The Foreword, written by Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, a professor of communication at Baze University along with the preface, essentially offers philosophical insights into the governor’s eight-year administration, explaining why he prioritised some key areas of development, given the present and future he sought to create for the people of Enugu state.
The definition of Public Policy provided by Thomas Dye, “Anything a government chooses to do or not to do,” is likely the most well-known and most concise (Dye, 1972: 2). In the States of Nigeria, the governor is the main decision-maker who establishes the priorities for a state’s governance. Onwubiko, whose attention is currently focused on Governor Ugwuanyi, finds the eight years that Enugu State has been under Ugwuanyi’s leadership as an interesting case study. Comrade Onwubiko gave a tour de force of the governor’s effective leadership in this era of a trust deficit in the public sector, focusing mostly on leadership, governance, and human rights wherein Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was aptly described and presented as “humble, peaceful, focused, and visionary” by the author.
A fairly succinct biography of Governor Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, which summarises the man’s birth, impressive educational background, and political career adventure, opens the book.
The book’s beginning takes a rather unusual tack while adhering to a similar conceptual pattern. The epic poem “Happiness: The Price of Uprightness,” which focused on several issues regarding both how to achieve happiness and how happiness eludes, was utilised by Onwubiko to reveal himself as a poet. The ultimate aim of power and leadership, which Ugwuanyi discovered and embraced in contrast to most of his peers who leave the government with regrets, is thus both literally and metaphorically represented as “happiness” in the context.
The remaining five chapters are rather long and condensed so many critical issues in leadership, governance, human rights, and Ugwuanyi’s achievements. The best quotes on Freedom, Human Rights, Democracy, and even Environmental Rights are found in Chapter One i.e. “Human Rights: from the Mouth of Experts.” For instance, Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….endowed… with unalienable Rights,” which were celebrated in the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, is such a typical quote revisited in the book.
What makes for excellent governance is covered in Chapter 2, “Governance.” The author named nine fundamental principles, namely: Participation, Consensus Orientation, Accountability, Openness, Responsiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Equity and Inclusivity, Adherence to the Rule of Law, and Strategic Vision. Each factor is thoughtfully and practically nuanced by the author. With these factors, the author established a leadership model which Ugwuanyi now represents, using the chapter.
‘Situating the Leadership Milestones of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’ is the subject of Chapter 3. The governor’s style in the political arena is first depicted by the author using the Africanness and Igboness of Ugwuanyi as a canvas. This chapter argues that Ugwuanyi’s concept of governance and leadership is deeply rooted in his cultural background and beliefs and not the result of culture shock, unlike the intentionally colonial attitude that is evident in the majority of his peers. This chapter also emphasised the qualities of a strong leader, such as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. To provide insight into how contemporary leaders and leadership should function, the author also included universally praised examples of excellent leaders from ancient times that were pulled from biblical perspectives.
‘The Ugwuanyi Model of Good Governance Embellished by Human Rights’, which is covered in Chapter 4 of the book, explains why the exemplary leader gave Human Rights particular consideration when developing and implementing his policies. Ugwuanyi gave both infrastructure development and human capital development equal attention; he balanced both out aware that infrastructure is for people and should serve as enablers to their happiness. In the book, the Ugwuanyi administration’s numerous accomplishments over his eight years in office as governor are listed. There has been a striking delicate balance between the growth of physical and human capital, particularly in youth empowerment and welfare initiatives that focus on inclusivity and interventions for the benefit of the most vulnerable members of society. The author credits Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s dedication to human rights as unprecedented and deliberate.
The author carefully defined what human rights are and mean in Chapter Five, “Evaluating How Human Rights Influenced Good Governance in Enugu State under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.” The author emphasised that these rights are universal, inalienable, and cannot be exercised at the whim or discretion of anyone.
As the founder and leader of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), the author Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko is a devotee of the human rights movement in Nigeria and around the world. It is therefore understandable why Onwubiko admires Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his leadership style, as well as the governor’s unwavering devotion to human rights in a time when political actors—especially state governors— are reputed for abusing their positions of authority regularly.
It is often said; do not judge a book by its cover. “Philosophical Undertones of Ugwuanyi’s Era in Enugu,” lucidly written as an unputdownable, presents Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a good example of how philosophy and governance should blend. The book further demonstrates how informed leaders who govern for the common good may create a knowledge-based society and progressive nations by striking a marriage between physical and human capital development as well as respect for human rights.
Consequently, both academics and individuals who want to grasp the principles of good governance, leadership, the significant accomplishments of the administration in question, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi himself, will indeed need the book and should grab a copy and give one to another.
· Dr. Law Mefor is a senior fellow at The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought; contact information includes +234-905-642-4375, drlawmefor@gmail.com, and @Drlawsonmefor on Twitter.
PAGES: 284
AUTHOR: COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO
REVIEWER: LAW MEFOR, PhD
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the author of the book “Philosophical Undertones of Ugwuanyi’s Era in Enugu,” has reintroduced the long-held political tenet that only the persons with the necessary expertise should hold positions of leadership. It was the renowned philosopher Plato who discussed Philosopher Kings for the first time.
According to Plato, the ideal form of government is one in which philosophers are in charge. In Plato’s Republic, the idea of a just city (country) was first developed, along with the ideal of a philosopher leader and that is how Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is presented in the new book.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is portrayed by Onwubiko as the philosopher king, a leader who combines philosophical knowledge and political acumen. That is the kind of niche that Onwubiko’s new book on the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state has carved and thus reechoed Plato’s eternal statement – “Until philosophers are kings or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils.”
The book is not necessarily a complete chronicle of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s achievements, but it does emphasise a number of them. The Foreword, written by Dr. Abiodun Adeniyi, a professor of communication at Baze University along with the preface, essentially offers philosophical insights into the governor’s eight-year administration, explaining why he prioritised some key areas of development, given the present and future he sought to create for the people of Enugu state.
The definition of Public Policy provided by Thomas Dye, “Anything a government chooses to do or not to do,” is likely the most well-known and most concise (Dye, 1972: 2). In the States of Nigeria, the governor is the main decision-maker who establishes the priorities for a state’s governance. Onwubiko, whose attention is currently focused on Governor Ugwuanyi, finds the eight years that Enugu State has been under Ugwuanyi’s leadership as an interesting case study. Comrade Onwubiko gave a tour de force of the governor’s effective leadership in this era of a trust deficit in the public sector, focusing mostly on leadership, governance, and human rights wherein Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was aptly described and presented as “humble, peaceful, focused, and visionary” by the author.
A fairly succinct biography of Governor Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, which summarises the man’s birth, impressive educational background, and political career adventure, opens the book.
The book’s beginning takes a rather unusual tack while adhering to a similar conceptual pattern. The epic poem “Happiness: The Price of Uprightness,” which focused on several issues regarding both how to achieve happiness and how happiness eludes, was utilised by Onwubiko to reveal himself as a poet. The ultimate aim of power and leadership, which Ugwuanyi discovered and embraced in contrast to most of his peers who leave the government with regrets, is thus both literally and metaphorically represented as “happiness” in the context.
The remaining five chapters are rather long and condensed so many critical issues in leadership, governance, human rights, and Ugwuanyi’s achievements. The best quotes on Freedom, Human Rights, Democracy, and even Environmental Rights are found in Chapter One i.e. “Human Rights: from the Mouth of Experts.” For instance, Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….endowed… with unalienable Rights,” which were celebrated in the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, is such a typical quote revisited in the book.
What makes for excellent governance is covered in Chapter 2, “Governance.” The author named nine fundamental principles, namely: Participation, Consensus Orientation, Accountability, Openness, Responsiveness, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Equity and Inclusivity, Adherence to the Rule of Law, and Strategic Vision. Each factor is thoughtfully and practically nuanced by the author. With these factors, the author established a leadership model which Ugwuanyi now represents, using the chapter.
‘Situating the Leadership Milestones of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’ is the subject of Chapter 3. The governor’s style in the political arena is first depicted by the author using the Africanness and Igboness of Ugwuanyi as a canvas. This chapter argues that Ugwuanyi’s concept of governance and leadership is deeply rooted in his cultural background and beliefs and not the result of culture shock, unlike the intentionally colonial attitude that is evident in the majority of his peers. This chapter also emphasised the qualities of a strong leader, such as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. To provide insight into how contemporary leaders and leadership should function, the author also included universally praised examples of excellent leaders from ancient times that were pulled from biblical perspectives.
‘The Ugwuanyi Model of Good Governance Embellished by Human Rights’, which is covered in Chapter 4 of the book, explains why the exemplary leader gave Human Rights particular consideration when developing and implementing his policies. Ugwuanyi gave both infrastructure development and human capital development equal attention; he balanced both out aware that infrastructure is for people and should serve as enablers to their happiness. In the book, the Ugwuanyi administration’s numerous accomplishments over his eight years in office as governor are listed. There has been a striking delicate balance between the growth of physical and human capital, particularly in youth empowerment and welfare initiatives that focus on inclusivity and interventions for the benefit of the most vulnerable members of society. The author credits Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s dedication to human rights as unprecedented and deliberate.
The author carefully defined what human rights are and mean in Chapter Five, “Evaluating How Human Rights Influenced Good Governance in Enugu State under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.” The author emphasised that these rights are universal, inalienable, and cannot be exercised at the whim or discretion of anyone.
As the founder and leader of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), the author Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko is a devotee of the human rights movement in Nigeria and around the world. It is therefore understandable why Onwubiko admires Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his leadership style, as well as the governor’s unwavering devotion to human rights in a time when political actors—especially state governors— are reputed for abusing their positions of authority regularly.
It is often said; do not judge a book by its cover. “Philosophical Undertones of Ugwuanyi’s Era in Enugu,” lucidly written as an unputdownable, presents Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a good example of how philosophy and governance should blend. The book further demonstrates how informed leaders who govern for the common good may create a knowledge-based society and progressive nations by striking a marriage between physical and human capital development as well as respect for human rights.
Consequently, both academics and individuals who want to grasp the principles of good governance, leadership, the significant accomplishments of the administration in question, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi himself, will indeed need the book and should grab a copy and give one to another.
· Dr. Law Mefor is a senior fellow at The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought; contact information includes +234-905-642-4375, drlawmefor@gmail.com, and @Drlawsonmefor on Twitter.