Jonathan Ukodhiko: First a Servant, Second a Politician ~ Truth Reporters

By Palmer Ogheneyole N.

Considering the brand of politics we play in this clime where the thirst for power can become an injurious obsession and political loyalty is sometimes treated as a marketable commodity, the entrant of Hon. Engr. Jonathan Ajirighene Ukodhiko, Member representing Isoko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, into the Delta political stage presents a refreshing beginning. 

A breakaway from the old malfeasance order and a brand new energy for our shared progress. Here is a man who is neither intoxicated with power nor desperate for it; a man who appears comfortable in his own skin, secure in his convictions and guided by a deep-rooted sense of duty to God, humanity and the people he represents.

Ukodhiko, the invaluable bird at hand and hope of Isoko Nation,  understands that the fulcrun of party politics is loyalty. His loyalty to Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and commitment towards the successcess of his administration is unimpeachable. 

He has consistently made it clear that, just as the Governor is placing the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu above his own political ambitions, he too is more concerned about ensuring that Governor Oborevwori returns triumphantly to Osadebe House than about securing another term for himself in the Green Chambers. 

This is rather not the language of a desperate politician. It is the disposition of a man who understands that politics is ultimately about loyalty,  service, sacrifice and the greater good of everybody.

A cerebral, well-schooled and cosmopolitan mind, Ukodhiko's greatest strength may not even be his intellect or deep pocket.  It is his contentment, humility, humanity,  accessibility to all and sundry and enduring relationship with God. He has demonstrated that one can occupy an important political office without becoming consumed by the vainglories of power. His politics is increasingly defined by deep human compassion, results and a determination to make government meaningful to ordinary people.

In barely three years at the National Assembly, Ukodhiko has helped redefine what legislative representation can mean for the ordinary Isoko people. He has given hope where despair once prevailed; facilitated noticeable opportunities; ranging from employment to empowerment; attracted attention to the needs of his constituents; and elevated the luminous visibility of Isoko on the national stage. His tenure has made nonsense of the old assumption that a politician must spend years upon years in office before leaving an appreciable footprint.

Ukodhiko, a father of faith and servant of the Host High, moved to Abuja well-prepared beleiving that his AlmightyFather will make all rough paths smooth in his time. Rather than merely occupying a seat, he has deployed his intellectual capacity, large networks, relationships and considerable human resources to open doors for his people. 

His greatest achievement is perhaps the smiles his interventions have brought to faces that may never have imagined that their representative could reach them directly. In this regard, Ukodhiko demystified representation from an abstract constitutional phrase to  something more tangible, something more indelible.  

As the campaigns begin and we all move into a  deeper political chapter, the choice before the people should not merely be about personalities or rebellion against a system, it should be about standing firmly with our very best, about continuity, capacity, character and demonstrated performance. By that standard, Jonathan Ukodhiko stands tall.

Our darling UJA is the bird at hand, not a distant promise, not an untested proposition, but a political investment whose value is already visible. He represents the possibility that Isoko can produce legislators who combine intellectual sophistication with humility, influence with compassion, ambition with restraint, and political relevance with genuine service.

Palmer is a former Newspaper Editor, a son of the Governor, a lover of Ukodhiko and The Black Prince of Isoko Nation