The title of this piece is indeed not original to me. The shape of things to come was the title of a science fiction book written by British Writer H. G. Wells in 1933.
In that book, the author made some predictions which came to pass. Is this article a prediction of the shape of things to come for the people of OHANIVO? Indeed, I dare to stick my neck in the person of Nkemkanma Kama.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated on June 13th 2023 after a presidential proclamation by President Bola Tinubu to that effect in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. On that day, the people of OHANIVO Constituency will troop out in their numbers for Hon. Kama.
Hon. Kama, the member elect for Ohaozora, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency on the platform of Labour Party will join othernewly minted representatives in the green chambers to take the inaugural oath of office.
Meanwhile, I empathize with Hon. Kama due to the enormous task and expectations ahead of him. The people of OHANIVO have not had it rosy with most past legislators.
These past legislators move to Abuja and become inaccessible to their constituents till the next electoral cycle. Also, the myriads of infrastructural deficit and poor human capital in OHANIVO constituency in comparison to other south eastern constituencies presents a bigger challenge than his main function of lawmaking and representation. How he manages all of this will determine the shape of things to come for the HIPE agenda proponent.
His electoral victory as some would say is divine providence, who am I to doubt them. The 25th February election was his first attempt at electoral politics. He emerged as the only Labour party candidate that was elected in Ebonyi State.
This is despite sharing the same constituency with the immediate past governor of the State, David Umahi who led the APC brutish onslaught on voters. This to me, is a demonstration of the level of confidence the electorate bestowed on him. They not only cast their ballots for the Labour party but also waited to defend the results.
His four campaign thrusts were coined stylishly into the “HIPE Agenda”, which represents Health, Infrastructure, Poverty Alleviation and Education. This to the unwary onlooker are very audacious targets for a first time lawmaker who does not wield executive power.
But Ijele Chukwu as he is called by admirers, is not a new face in the corridors of business and politics in Nigeria. Neither is he one scared of playing on the big leagues. He has been an astute businessman with the necessary network, required to play the legislative lobbying and negotiations that takes place at the highest of places.
The former governor of New York, Mario Cuoma, famously said : “You campaign in poetry and govern in prose”. The act of lawmaking and the politics of lobbying that takes place at the National Assembly is even more unsexy than prose. It’s about strategy, quality staffing of your office, networking and putting your people first at all times. These are qualities which Hon. Kama already possesses and we only hope that the shape of things to come is a prosperous and united constituency.
Indeed, the people of OHANIVO and the Labour party family in Ebonyi State are rooting for you. 
Emeka Opoto Onuh writes from Amaeze Ishiagu in Ivo LGA.
