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Uncle Chike Heartbeat, Afikpo Road, Abakaliki (2025)

22/07/2025

■Lest We Forget!
THE POWER OF REFUSAL: A LESSON IN GRACE AND STRENGTH

The recent decision by a known personality to respectfully decline a federal appointment — citing personal and professional reasons — has triggered a storm of interpretations. Some read it as a quiet signal of regional unease, others as part of a broader political puzzle. But the most compelling reading — and perhaps the most courageous — is that this was a gesture of principle and prudence: a rare act of self-awareness in a space too often dominated by ambition and appetite.

At a time when power is pursued with desperation and drama — no matter the cost or context — that refusal stands out as an emblem of integrity and restraint. He didn’t protest; he didn’t posture. He simply said no — without rancour or resentment, and with the kind of dignity that demands no explanation. That alone deserves applause.

His quiet refusal is an act of principle and purpose. It is a testament to self-knowledge and inner discipline — the kind that tells a man when to step forward and, more nobly, when to step back. He did not grandstand. He did not explain too much. He simply bowed out — without drama, but with dignity.

This is no small gesture. Too many people today pursue public office as a ladder to luxury, not a platform for service. They measure success by position and possession, not by contribution or character. So when someone steps back — not with anger, but with honesty; not in failure, but in discernment — it reveals something powerful: a sense of vocation and value. It is both rare and redemptive. It signals that public service, to be meaningful, must spring from readiness and responsibility, not merely from access and ambition.

What he has modeled is what our democracy desperately needs: clarity and courage, conscience and commitment. And perhaps even more: an alternative address — that is, a life beyond politics that makes stepping away possible without fear of collapse. That kind of independence is what allows a person to see public office not as survival, but as sacrifice.

We should not interrogate his motives with suspicion or cynicism. We should, rather, celebrate the discipline and detachment it takes to recognize one’s limits — to choose timing over title, conscience over convenience. This is the kind of example our power-hungry culture needs: the courage to say “not now,” and the wisdom to know when silence speaks more than acceptance.

In a time of noise and need, where too many fight to be seen rather than prepare to serve, refusing a political offers is a counter-narrative — one shaped not by ambition, but by awareness. It is a soft-spoken act, yet a resounding message: that not all leadership begins with acceptance; sometimes, it begins with decline.

And in that rare power of refusal, there is grace.
There is strength.
And there is a lesson for us all.

—Chike Onwe, a communication strategist wrote in from Abakaliki

20/07/2025

THE MIRROR IS NOT MOCKING YOU

Some people believe that once you say, “This could be better,” what you actually meant was, “You’re a failure, your ancestors are ashamed, and the nation weeps.” But let’s clarify: a suggestion to fix your collar doesn’t mean you’re being undressed. Criticism, dear esteemed leaders, brethren, and elders, is not an act of war. Sometimes, it’s just someone holding up a mirror and saying, “You’ve got a little crumb from lunch there.”

Yet in some quarters, feedback is treated like a national emergency. Responses vary: unfollowing, uninviting, and the timeless classic — labeling critics as “enemies of progress.” But here’s the catch: progress needs feedback like plants need rain. Rejecting all criticism because it bruises your pride is like firing the smoke detector because it was too loud during the fire.

So next time someone points out that your idea might need tweaking, or your policy might need polishing, resist the urge to clutch your chest and cry sabotage. The mirror is not mocking you. It’s just doing its job — showing you what’s real. The wise fix what they see. The rest blame the glass.

20/07/2025

■Lest We Forget!

ONE NATION, UNEQUAL STATES: TIME TO REDRAW THE BALANCE — BUT WITH WISDOM

By Chike Emma Onwe

"Where is the justice?" These were the piercing words of the late Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu during the 2022 APC presidential primaries — a question that continues to echo across Nigeria’s political landscape. As the call for constitutional amendment and the creation of new states gains momentum once again, we must confront the hard truths it raises about fairness, representation, and the soul of our federation. If we’re to amend the constitution meaningfully, it should not merely satisfy political ambition — it must address long-standing historical injustice and geographical imbalance among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The need to bring governance closer to the people is clear. Many citizens in remote areas are cut off from the benefits of state presence — lacking infrastructure, security, and administrative access. In principle, creating more states could enhance inclusivity and strengthen development at the grassroots. But while that rationale is appealing, we must ask: what are the deeper motives behind most agitations for new states? More often than not, they’re driven by elite competition for power, access, and control — not necessarily by a sincere desire to serve the people.

Indeed, state creation in Nigeria has historically been a slippery slope. Every new state births fresh agitations from neighbouring regions, creating a cycle of demands with no end in sight. It becomes a game of slicing the national pie thinner without baking a bigger one. However, we cannot ignore the fact that some zones are clearly disadvantaged in the current structure. The South-East, for instance, has only five states, while others have six or more. There’s a case to be made for correcting this inequity to promote unity and a sense of belonging in the national project.

Still, fairness must not come at the cost of feasibility. Any proposal for new states must pass the ultimate test: viability and sustainability. Do these proposed states have the population, the economy, and the administrative capacity to survive and thrive without becoming wards of the federal government? Will they truly serve the people or simply create more political offices to maintain? We must resist emotional appeasement that ignores hard realities.

Lest we forget — if this process must proceed, let it be one that heals, not harms. Let it correct old wrongs and lay a more equitable foundation for future generations. But if it becomes yet another scramble for influence masked as reform, it will deepen old wounds and sow new seeds of distrust. The stakes are high, and the opportunity rare. We must not miss the chance to get it right.

Dr. Chike Onwe, a Communication Strategist wrote in from Abakaliki
July 20, 2025

19/07/2025

■EVENING SHOWER

Do I Really Need a Sign - or Just the Neeve to Move?

Sometimes you find yourself in a moment of pressure — stuck between doing something and doing nothing — and the question comes: Should I move if I’m not sure I heard right? Is this pause a sign of wisdom — or fear in disguise? Do I push forward just to keep up, or hold back and risk missing something? And what if the silence I’m sitting in isn’t a “no,” but an invitation to trust — to wait, listen, and move only when it’s time?

We live in a time that pushes constant action — move fast, stay visible, don’t lose momentum. But the truth is that not every opportunity is yours to take, and not every delay is a mistake. Some people act quickly and find their way. Others move too soon and spend years undoing the damage. The tension is real: act too early, or wait too long?

Here’s my take: If I’m not clear, I don’t move, not out of fear, but out of deference to timing, purpose, and peace.
Because forcing action without clarity often creates more noise than progress.

So if it’s truly yours to do, you won’t need to guess or grind to make it fit. Pause long enough to ask: Am I being led — or just reacting?

—Chike Onwe
Ogbuagu Njemanze
July 19, 2025

11/07/2025

■WHEN THE VOICE REVEALS THE CRACK

In the theatre of modern governance, where microphones are plenty but sincerity is scarce, one seasoned statesman recently took the stage to tell a story. A quiet tale from his time as governor, when a past ruler tried to use the might of emergency powers to sweep him from office. But cooler heads, wearing wigs and holding gavels, prevailed. It was, he assured us, just a historical footnote. Pure coincidence that it surfaced now.

And yet, as he spoke, the country was neck-deep in a different kind of storm — not one he addressed directly, of course. But he did remind us, with all the care of a man trimming bonsai, that no president can remove a sitting governor. A constitutional truth, softly spoken, but curiously placed. Like a dropped pin in a very loud room, it rang louder than it should have.

He didn’t mention the present. He didn’t need to. Instead, he praised those who defended the law back then — hinting, perhaps, at a shortage of such defenders now. He offered no applause for today’s tactics, no rallying cries for the current throne. Just a memory. Just an echo. And in that echo, a quiet distance from the palace’s louder voices.

For a presidency that insists all is well, the silence from its second chair now hums with its own frequency. It is not rebellion. It is not confrontation. It is something far more refined — disagreement dressed in diplomacy. In a space where unity is often staged, a soft-spoken recollection can speak volumes about what is being felt, but not said.

And so we watched a masterclass — not in speech-making, but in message-sending. In the careful art of saying everything without saying it. For in the house where power resides, the loudest warning may come not from a shout, but from a story. And in that story, quietly told and calmly delivered, we see a crack in the palace — thin, but undeniable. With time, that thin crack may well define our politics.

—CEO

05/07/2025

■Viewpoint
Saint of Spite, Patron of Political Chaos

In a certain corner of Nigerian politics lives a man with a gift — not for diplomacy, but for the fine art of fighting everyone. If politics were a boxing ring, he would be the last man swinging, even if the arena were already empty.

This is no ordinary man. This is a man who speaks not to people, but at them — with the benevolent grace of a sledgehammer. A man who considers humility a tragic illness, best left to the weak and the unambitious. In his empire, there is but one voice that matters, and it carries the echo of a thousand grievances.

He is many things — minister, former governor, self-styled warrior monk. A one-man opposition, ruling by press statement and gesticulation. Some people hold grudges, but he sculpts his into architectural wonders: elaborate, public, and lit by floodlights. Every speech he gives is a battle cry; every disagreement, a declaration of war.

He talks down not out of malice, no — but because from Mount Olympus where he stands, everyone else simply looks very, very small.

And yet, something curious has begun to happen. The applause grows faint. The thunderous declarations, once eagerly repeated by political minstrels, now hang in the air like stale smoke. You see, even emperors have expiration dates. Even Roman generals, crowned in glory, had someone behind them whispering: memento mori — remember, you are mortal.

He fights everyone: his party, his allies, his predecessors, his successors, his shadows. And what has history taught us about those who believe they can fight all and triumph eternally? That hubris is never left unrewarded. Time does not forget. Neither does the ballot, nor the people who tire of being talked down to like disobedient schoolchildren.

You can only play God for so long before someone reminds you that even gods get overthrown — ask the Greek pantheon, or better yet, former Nigerian politicians.

So let the Lord of Lamentations continue his soliloquies. Let the Minister of Mayhem hold court in his echo chamber. But the clock ticks. And when the curtain finally falls — as it always does — it may surprise him to learn that the kingdom he imagined was never really his. Just borrowed time and borrowed power.

And no, Your Excellency — borrowed throne doesn’t come with receipts, sitting on it doesn't make it yours no matter how loud you speak from it and it certainly doesn’t guarantee returns.

■Chike Onwe
Communication Strategist

29/06/2025

■Viewpoint
THE FIGHT THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED

It started like many political stories in Nigeria — a powerful godfather installing a loyal protégé. But what unfolded between Nyesom Wike and Sim Fubara was far from ordinary: an unfolding political drama that went from impeachment threats to an unexpected embrace. Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State and current FCT Minister, handed over power to Sim Fubara, but it didn’t take long before both men found themselves in a public and bruising power tussle. Allegiances shifted, assemblies fractured, and threats flew across media platforms. Supporters on both sides cheered, jeered, and stoked the flames, until the unexpected happened: reconciliation. A handshake replaced headlines of impeachment. But behind the smiles lies a deeper political lesson.

In politics, self-preservation is the first law — and for that, give it to Wike. His style may be brash, his methods far from gentle, but he understands the terrain better than most. He fights to protect his influence, not to prove a point. On the other hand, Fubara found himself cornered — whether by ambition, idealism, or sheer pressure — and in the end, he had to offer more than just concessions. He gave what could be likened to his political liver just to survive. That is not weakness; it’s what survival sometimes demands when the fire gets hotter than expected.

Let this moment serve as a cautionary tale. Never accept a political gift from someone you won’t be loyal to till the end — it will come with chains you can’t break easily. Being cheered into battle by supporters who won’t carry the scars is not courage, it’s foolishness. Principle-driven fights may cost you, but you’ll emerge with dignity. But when you fight for interests — and especially against a master of the game — even your "win" may taste like defeat. Even if you win such a fight, the cost may be greater than the gain — and it rarely ends clean. In the end, don’t start a fight you can’t finish. And if you must fight, make sure it's a hill worth dying on.

■Chike Onwe
Communication Strategist

28/06/2025

■Viewpoint

THE GANDUJE LESSONS: 20 BRUTAL TRUTHS FROM THE EXIT DOOR OF POWER

Power is beautiful but it rarely lasts forever. No matter how brightly a political figure may shine, the spotlight eventually dims. The recent exit of Dr. Umar Ganduje from the chairmanship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) offers more than a headline—it provides a case study in the realities of political life. A man who once held sway over Nigeria’s most populous state and later rose to helm the ruling party now finds himself stepping aside under a cloud of speculation and shifting alliances.

While health or personal reasons are often cited in resignation statements, the seasoned observer knows better. In politics, optics matter as much as substance, and the timing of exits often tells a deeper story. Ganduje's fall isn't just about one man—it is a mirror reflecting how the system treats its own once their usefulness wanes. It also reminds us of how fleeting political relevance can be. His departure provides a rich moment to reflect on the hard truths that lie beneath the surface of political power.

Here are 20 unvarnished lessons drawn from his exit—and from the brutal school of politics itself:

1. Power is sweet—while it lasts. The intoxicating nature of power often makes leaders feel untouchable. But time, like power, runs out. Those who forget its temporary nature are always shocked when the music stops.

2. When “personal reasons” are cited, politics is usually the real reason. Behind every “voluntary” resignation or sudden retreat lies a chessboard of internal pressures. Illness is often the polite mask politics wears to avoid public embarrassment.

3. In politics, you are only as relevant as your last assignment. Former glory fades fast. Yesterday’s kingmaker becomes today’s sidebar if they don’t constantly reinvent or re-align.

4. Those who recruit you will be the ones who ask you to leave. Political godfathers don’t offer unconditional loyalty. The same hands that lifted you up won’t hesitate to push you down when you become a liability.

5. You won’t be as loud at the point of exit as you were at entry. Entry into office is trumpeted with celebrations, but exits—especially unceremonious ones—happen in hushed tones, sometimes without a press conference.

6. The higher the office, the louder the rumors when you fall. Power invites scrutiny. The more visible you are, the more headlines your fall will generate—especially if scandal is involved.

7. No matter how good you are, some people are waiting for your fall. Politics breeds envy. The higher you rise, the more rivals you collect—some quietly counting the days until you stumble.

8. Loyalty in politics is mostly transactional.
Political friendships are built on convenience. Once the benefits stop flowing, loyalty evaporates.

9. Every political seat is rented, never owned. No matter how long you occupy a position, it’s never truly yours. It belongs to the system, the party, and eventually, your successor.

10. Silence from allies can be more brutal than public criticism. When your supposed allies look the other way or offer no defense, it hurts more than the insults from opponents.

11. Political capital has an expiry date. Influence needs constant renewal—through achievements, fresh alliances, or electoral victories. Without them, even heavyweights become featherweights.

12. The system protects itself first. Institutions will cut off even their top loyalists to survive. No one is too important to be sacrificed when the stakes get high.

13. Your legacy is shaped more by your exit than your entry. A triumphant beginning doesn’t guarantee a dignified end. History often remembers how you left, not just how you arrived.

14. The media will turn on you faster than they celebrated you. The same voices that once praised your “visionary leadership” will amplify your downfall when the tide turns. Headlines are fickle.

15. Behind every resignation lies a political equation.
What’s not said publicly is often the real story: pressure from power blocs, internal deals, or strategic betrayals.

16. Political power doesn’t equal personal immunity. No fortress is impenetrable. A single scandal, leak, or shift in favor can undo years of power consolidation.

17. Disgrace travels faster than dignity. Accusations and controversies spread like wildfire—especially when you’re no longer politically useful to the system or the press.

18. Relevance is rented; loyalty is leased. Everything in politics is temporary. Today’s loyalists are tomorrow’s defectors. Staying relevant requires more than a title.

19. When power shifts, alliances melt. The corridors of power grow cold quickly. As new hands take over, old allies reposition—sometimes at your expense.

20. The wisest know when to leave before they’re pushed. Exiting voluntarily lets you retain dignity. Clinging on until you're shoved out only invites humiliation.

This is not just about Ganduje—it’s a broader lesson for all who walk the corridors of power: Never get too comfortable. In politics, everyone’s turn eventually comes. The only real question is how and when—and what you’ve learned by the time it does. They remain cautionary tales for anyone entering public office thinking the ride lasts forever.

■Chike Onwe
June 28, 2025

16/12/2024

Lesson in Self Development

Lesson 2: Practice Self-Compassion
Sometimes, you feel as if you’re not measuring up. You look at unmet expectations and unpaid bills and conclude that you are not doing well enough. You look through the window to see the green area in your neighbours court and automatically resolve that you’ve been left behind. Let me tell you something: I think you’re been too hard on yourself. It is not greener anywhere. Everyone is carrying a cross, seen or unseen. It is time to talk to yourself in compassion, in grace, and in dignity. Whatever you’re going through is working for your good. Don’t wish it were easier; develop more strength and skill to meet your challenges. You’re not inadequate. Don’t allow self-doubts, guilt, or regret to rob you of your self-esteem and self-confidence. Be kind towards yourself. You are often your own harshest critics. But in truth, you should be your own biggest fan. Talk to yourself fairly; treat yourself with the same empathy and understanding that you would offer to others. I repeat, give yourself a peck, a thumbs up, a pat on the back, a handshake. Buy yourself a bottle of drink. At the end of work today, lock yourself up in a room and dance in front of your mirror, *maka n’uwa bu ofu mbia.*

16/12/2024

Lessons in Self Development

Lesson 1: Self-Reflection
We all desire to live a meaningful life. We all want to live a life of significance by making impact. This is true of everyone, whether you’re in service sector or production sector. But the question is, ‘how many are willing to do what it takes to move from survival to success, and from success to significance? The journey begins with self-reflection. Do you ever stop to review your thoughts? Do you stop to examine your strategies? Do you question your motives and the purpose that drives you? Do you interrogate your methods and approaches? You’re where you are at present as a result of your past choices. Where you will be in the coming year and beyond will be a result of the choices you make now. Whether you call it self-evaluation or self-examination, self-reflection is an important tool for personal growth and development. With it, you become more self-aware. With it, you assume more control of your environment. With it, you will avoid being manipulated. By taking the time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, you can gain deeper insights into yourselves and make more informed choices. It’s not too late to start.

14/12/2024

If you want to be free and happy, don't wish for nor avoid anything that depends on others. Read it again!

07/11/2024

Self-esteem and personal value do not depend on external achievements and social validation. They come from within.

Uncle Chike Heartbeat

22/07/2025

20/07/2025

20/07/2025

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11/07/2025

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29/06/2025

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