Dr. Richard Okoye, Chairman of SaveAlife Group, has drawn a 40-year connection between Abia State Governor Alex Chioma Otti and late Chief Sam Mbakwe, former Governor of defunct Imo State. In a featured post on Pulse Nigeria, Okoye describes Otti as a leader sent in the "Spirit of Moses," a visitation he says occurs every 40 years. He warns that if Abians fail to understand the mission, they risk suffering "captivity for extra 40 years."
Moses' Spirit and the Mission of Governor Otti
Okoye draws parallels between Otti's journey and that of Moses, who left the comfort of Pharaoh's palace to deliver his people. He notes that Otti reached the pinnacle of his career as Managing Director and Chairman of a bank before taking on the governorship of Abia State. This, he says, mirrors the Moses pattern of abandoning privilege for a mission of liberation.
He further compares Otti's cabinet appointments to Moses' selection of Bezaleel and Aholiab, craftsmen chosen by God to build the Tabernacle. Unlike typical political establishments where appointees lobby for office, Okoye claims that most of Otti's cabinet members never lobbied for their positions, and some are not even of Abia State origin. He states that Abia State is now a place where one does not need to lobby anyone for an opportunity to showcase excellence.
Okoye recounts personal encounters with Chief of Staff Pastor (Dr) Caleb Ajagba, Commissioner of Health Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, and Commissioner of Petroleum Prof. Joel Ogbonna, all of whom speak in line with the governor's vision for Abia people. They reportedly ask how a project or idea would benefit the people of Abia State, showing a focus that leaves no room for lobbying or compromised negotiation.
Funding, Infrastructure, and the Mbakwe Legacy
On the question of funding, Okoye says money answers to men in this "Moses order of mission." He quotes Otti as saying, "My business is business of money," which the governor described as his "Otu mokpo." Okoye asserts that the spirit behind the mission attracts excellence and compels freewill contributions.
He draws a parallel with late Governor Sam Mbakwe, who built the first cargo airport in Nigeria, Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri, with collective community contributions. School children contributed to the airport construction through appeal funds. Okoye says he himself was compelled to power two Primary Health Centers in Abia State with smart solar solutions and full digital infrastructure, without any government appeal.
Okoye predicts an unprecedented influx of investors and investments into Abia State in the near future.
Warnings, Prayers, and the Need for a Joshua
Okoye warns that the people's suffering can return on two fronts. First, if they misjudge the mission, as the Israelites did when they asked Moses, "Who made you a judge over us," leading to his flight. Second, he calls for prayers, recalling that in 1983, exactly 40 years before Otti became governor, Chief Sam Mbakwe's second tenure was cut short by a military coup three months in. Okoye says the last 40 years showed what Abians and Igbos should never wish to experience again.
He notes that Mbakwe was called the "weeping Governor" because he wept publicly over the suffering of flood victims with no federal support. Similarly, Otti reportedly wept publicly when he saw children with special needs during a Children's Day march past. Okoye also mentions Otti's visit to the family of late Chief Sam Mbakwe, where his aged wife testified that no Governor has cared the way Otti has done.
Okoye emphasizes the need for a successor, a "Joshua," because Moses' mission usually ends before the Promised Land. He calls for intense prayers on two points: first, against forces that plan to truncate the mission and its transition, especially between January and May 2027; second, that God would raise a Joshua for Abia State, saying, "Fear not, as I am with Moses, so shall I be with you."
Okoye concludes by praying that God grants the prayers of the good people of Abia State.
