I’m bigger than Imo State and Nigeria, here’s why - Okorocha

He further explained “No, when I say “bigger”, I mean that this is not the only place I belong to. I mean I have gone beyond being an Imo man, beyond being a Nigerian. I am now an African.”

Okorocha made this proclamation and more in an interview with Vanguard, while providing reasons for appointing of his sister as commissioner for happiness and purpose fulfilment, and tackling allegations of running a family government.

He proceeded to say: “So, don’t put me like a small rat in a small hole. I have a bigger image than what people see. If you say I run a family government, that means I run a very big government. I have thirty commissioners.”

He sarcastically added: “All of them are members of the same family with me. What a fantastic family!”

He then commented on making his sister “Supervisory Commissioner for Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment”, saying: “there was nothing wrong with that.

“This young lady has been with me for the past seven years as my Deputy Chief of Staff. She does not take salary as Commissioner; she takes salary as Deputy Chief of Staff. She will supervise the new ministry until a substantive commissioner is appointed.”

He explained that the young lady has committed no offence and is qualified for the position.

He said: “She is a Deputy Chief of Staff (Domestic), which is even higher than a Commissioner. The young lady is qualified. Because she is the governor’s sister, she should not play a role?”

He then berated those talking down the idea, saying it “is the ministry that deals directly with the ordinary people in the streets. It is the pivot upon which the missions of other ministries must revolve. The yardstick of every government is to provide happiness to the people.”

Governor Rochas Okorocha created the Ministry of Happiness on December 5, 2017, and swore in his biological sister, Mrs. Ogechi Ololo (nee Okorocha), as Supervisory Commissioner.

Article by Muhammed Adenowo