By Chido Nwakanma
A trending video of her dancing beside her SUV has again shifted some conversation in cyberspace around Maria Ude Nwachi.
Assemblywoman Maria Ude Nwachi aka Nwanyi Afikpo is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. The story of her colourful past inflames passions. The former Ariana Uzo
Egwu paid the price for her crimes in the United States.
She gets even more passionate approbation from the electorate in her constituency and young people across the South East and Nigeria for her Robin Hood transformation.
Since returning from America, she has been doing good works for her community. Scholarships, empowerment of women and widows, and of young people. She spent her money to provide modern amenities in the market in Afikpo. She is a generous giver of phones, laptops, wigs and all the desirables for young people. She doles out cash and interest-free loans.
In 2017, she ran the Maria Unity Cup Tournament for young people in her area to play football. She also launched the Deborah Generation to empower women.
Her personal CSR and good works fetched her the seat at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly. On the campaign trail, she told the people that “Your burden will be my burden”. She has lived up to the promise.
In a speech on February 13, 2017, she extolled her constituents for breaking the mould in Nigerian politics by electing her outside of the mainstream political parties.
She believes other constituencies would follow the lead of her Ehugbo people. She has been pushing for what the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe called “cultural resurgimento” among her people, beginning with a campaign to get people to bear Ehugbo names. She then moved it on to her Igboist group, insisting that prospects and members should bear Igbo names.
The context is that Afikpo and its mother Ebonyi State were for a long time some of the most challenged by development in the South East.
She told her people: “I started and completed major projects with my personal funds even before we were paid a dime. And today I have completed a bunch of solid projects.
To be completed soon is the Eke Market state of the art toilet. There is also an ongoing project in Unwana; also near completion.
She added, “I have never seen my salary.
I neither know what it tastes like nor what it looks like. If it is yellow or blue in colour I do not know. The tens of millions of my personal mula I poured into projects for you was not enough so I used my salary to get a loan from a bank so I will be able to undo a lot of the damages that have been done through neglect. I awarded a couple of contracts with it. I am very satisfied with what was achieved with the loan.
As I am talking to you, I am even owing that bank. If you see the insult one of the bank guys gave me one day, I nearly dug a hole in the ground and entered. I am doing my damnedest and best to clear it all up and it will surely be cleared up soon.
Whatever I suffer, be it humiliation, embarrassment or otherwise, because of you; is worth it. You will even do 100 times more for me if needs be. That I know. That you have shown over and over and over.”
Maria Ude Nwachi deploys the social media purposively. She runs about five platforms on Facebook including Igboist, Afikpo Chic, Best Chic Ever Liveth and two in her names.
Model, photographer, publicist and ex-doyen of the oldest profession in the world, Maria Ude Nwachi is a handful. She lent her skills and reach to serving as publicist and booster for the achievements of Governor David Umahi in infrastructure development in the state. She campaigns for him all the time.
The Ebonyi State House of Assembly suspended her for in their view bringing the Assembly into disrepute by carrying cameras around and doing the job of a photographer. The suspension happened after the launch of her Deborah generation, the football tournament and another round of expose of her past in New York trended on social media.
The House of Assembly increased the suspension because Maria used her platform to run a lottery that rewarded hundreds of followers with seven people winning N1m each. Now, they had a legal basis. However, they drew more attention to her.
As with her Howard Stern show appearances, however, a large and overflowing hubris could be at the root of her current travails. Her sights are set on the Senate, no less. She believes, and her supporters agree, that her past is dead and not a prologue.
She is writing a new chapter of love and positive engagement with her community and young people. If an election holds today, she will win from even a one-woman party against all the established parties.
“How do you solve a problem like Maria?” This was the famous line in The Sound of Music for a less controversial character and namesake. The Ebonyi State authorities think that the stick rather than the carrot would do it.
There must be more than the stated reasons for the Ebonyi State challenge with their famous daughter. As stated, some thumb their noses on the basis of morality. Societies impose punishment for crimes, and once you pay the price, they wipe the slate clean legally.
They may still hold it against the person in other ways. Is this double jeopardy the matter at stake? Has she continued the ring in other ways in Nigeria, in which case the law should take its course? Or is it a matter of the growing influence of this petrel building a political base away from the established parties? Does it have to also do with her gender>
The Maria Ude Nwachi story points to possibilities in the narrative of political participation and citizen engagement in Nigeria. It says that citizens can rally round an independent candidate and put the person in the office. Does that frighten some persons?
What is at stake in Ebonyi state concerning Maria Ude Nwachi?
This strong character, positive or negative, may force the country to take a second look at a number of issues concerning the public space.
What qualifies persons for office? Who should we disqualify and why? Should senators and house of assembly members be free to give vent to their colourful social lives?
Can we have independent candidates under the guise of any of the small parties? Is the Maria Ude Nwachi trajectory the route?
It is an evolving film worth the best of Nollywood. It is also a tale of our morality, citizenship, attitudes and political behaviour. Mainstream media should be unravelling the matters for us. Meanwhile, grab your popcorn and notes on Nigerian political development as matters unfold.