Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State, has taken a swipe at those criticising his decision to erect a statue in honour of Jacob Zuma, stressing that many of the critics are not even fit to make tea for the South African President.
Okorocha said this in an interview with Vanguard newspaper on Sunday, saying that Zuma visited the state out of compassion for the thousands of children benefiting from the free education being offered by the Rochas Foundation.
“Zuma came here because he appreciates something good. He heard about Rochas Foundation Schools,” Okorocha said.
“Since I established the Rochas Foundation Schools, there is no local government in Nigeria that I don’t have children [from], over 15,000 children.
“No Governor, no President has heard about this school and visited it, except Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who visited recently. It’s been there for more than 15 years. Nobody, no big man, has thought it wise to come and see what we are doing.
“This man heard we had a school where we were providing free education, he wept and said in his life he never saw a classroom; he never went to school in his life.
“He spent most of his time in prison. He wept here in Owerri. He said ‘I wish I had met you earlier, my brother; I would like to partner you’. That was why we brought him.
“What is wrong with all of you? None of you has visited this school. These are children of poor people, children who have nobody.
“Then the man came all the way from South Africa to appreciate something good and they could not see that. They could not see the industrial park; they could not see the cargo airport. All they could see was the statue, that he is facing corrupt charges. Some of those making noise cannot even be teamakers for Zuma.”
Okorocha added that Zuma assured him that no Nigerian would be killed again in South Africa, stressing that since Zuma’s visit, no report of any Nigerian being killed in South Africa has been heard.
“Tell me one instance,” Okorocha quizzed the reporter. “If it happened it would be all over the Internet. When he came he said he would ensure no South African would kill a Nigerian and no Nigerian would kill a South African.”
Okorocha further explained that Zuma did not visit Imo State just because of the Rochas Foundation, clarifying that the visit was also in connection with certain projects being pursued by the state.
“Before you take any action, ask yourself, to what extent will this action make people happy? If not, it will be a waste of people’s resources,” he said.
“What is wrong with Zuma coming to Imo State? When you leave here, take a picture of our cargo airport. President Zuma came here to discuss the procedure of the South African Airways coming here to take over the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport alongside the Federal Government of Nigeria. He came with the Chairman of the South African Airways.
“Zuma came here for three things: One, the Imo Industrial Park, which we signed an MOU on, do a gas industrial park in Ohaji-Egbema, because all I have is gas.
“Two, Zuma came here for the issue of the International Cargo Airport.” And the third was because of the Rochas Foundation.”