An Open Letter to Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem

 

Dear Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem,

There are people who discover public service after they have gained everything they want for themselves, and there are others who begin to understand responsibility while they are still finding their own place in life. Your story belongs more to the second group. Long before the present political journey, you had already found yourself taking responsibility among young people and within your community. At an age when many young men are still trying to understand what they want from life, you were already learning what it meant to bring people together, listen to them and work with them. Those early experiences may have seemed ordinary at the time, but they became part of the foundation on which you stand today.

I think that is something worth remembering as you continue towards the Imo State House of Assembly. The Assembly may be a bigger stage, but the people remain the same people. They are still the mother trying to provide for her children, the father working to keep his family going, the young person searching for an opportunity, the farmer returning from the farm, the trader opening her shop each morning and the elderly man hoping that the younger generation will build something better. These are the people whose lives will give meaning to whatever position you eventually occupy.

You have known community life from close range. You have sat with people, worked with young people, participated in community activities and experienced the responsibilities that come with trying to bring people together. Do not lose that closeness simply because the responsibility before you has become bigger. Sometimes, the people who need a representative most are not the ones who can reach you easily. Someone may not have your telephone number. Someone may not know anyone in your circle. Someone may never have the opportunity to sit in a room with you. But that person may still have a genuine concern that deserves to be heard. Always leave room for such people.

There is also something I hope you will protect as you move forward: your ability to listen without immediately trying to answer. Not every person who comes to you wants money. Sometimes people want to be heard. Sometimes they want someone to understand what they are going through. Sometimes a person simply wants to know that somebody cares enough to listen. Politics can make people very busy. Meetings follow meetings, people make demands, and there is always another place to go. In the middle of all that movement, it is easy to forget the quiet conversations that often tell you the most about a community. Do not let that happen.

You will also meet people who will expect a lot from you. Some expectations will be reasonable, while others may not be. Some people will understand the limits of your office, while others may expect you to solve every problem they bring before you. Learn to be honest with people. If you can do something, do it. If you cannot, say so. A sincere 'I cannot do this' is better than a promise made simply to make someone happy.

Your political journey will also bring people into your life who were not there before. Some will genuinely believe in you, while some may be interested in what they can gain from being close to you. It will be your responsibility to know the difference. Choose your company carefully. Keep people around you who can speak honestly to you and who will tell you when you are making a mistake instead of applauding everything you do. Public life becomes dangerous when a person begins to hear only praise.

And when criticism comes, as it certainly will, do not allow it to change your heart. You will not please everyone. There will be people who disagree with your decisions, people who question your intentions and even people who criticise you without knowing the full story. You do not have to answer every voice. Sometimes, your best response is to continue doing what you believe is right and allow time to speak for you. But where criticism is useful, listen to it. Nobody enters public life knowing everything, and one of the greatest signs of growth is the willingness to learn.

Hon. Odunze, you are still young enough to have many years ahead of you. That is both an opportunity and a responsibility. The decisions you make now can shape the kind of public figure people will know you to be years from today. Do not rush the process. Build slowly. Learn from those who have experience, but also know when to create your own path. Respect the wisdom of elders, encourage young people and remember that every generation has something to contribute.

And perhaps most importantly, do not allow politics to take away your humanity. There will always be politics. There will always be elections, parties, campaigns, meetings and contests. But before all these things, there are people. Your neighbour remains your neighbour after the election. The person who supported you remains a human being after the political excitement has gone. The person who disagreed with you is still part of your community. Never allow political differences to become personal hatred.

Mbaitoli is bigger than any individual politician. Its future belongs to all its people, and everyone who seeks to represent it should understand that they are stepping into a story that began long before them. You are now writing your own chapter, and I hope you write it carefully. There will be opportunities to make a name for yourself, but there will also be temptations to forget why you started. When those moments come, remember the young man who began serving before he had a political title. Remember the communities that gave you the opportunity to learn. Remember the people who trusted you when you were simply Odunze, before the 'Hon.' became part of your name. That person is still important.

As you continue your journey towards representing Mbaitoli in the Imo State House of Assembly, I wish you wisdom more than applause, courage more than popularity and good people around you more than a large crowd. May you always know when to speak and when to listen. May you have the courage to stand for what you believe is right, even when doing so is difficult. May success never make you look down on the people you met on the way up.

And when you finally look back years from now, I hope you will not measure your journey only by the positions you held. I hope you will remember the people whose lives you touched, the young person you encouraged, the community you helped, the person you listened to, the promise you kept and the difficult moment you handled with wisdom. Those are the things that will remain long after the political season has passed.

Hon. Odunze Kingsley Chinonyerem, the road ahead belongs to you, but you will not walk it alone. Many people will watch, many will hope, many will support, and some will question you. Take it all as part of the journey. Walk forward with humility, stay close to the people and, above everything else, remain a good man.

Yours sincerely,

Nightengale Ben-Onyeukwu