VIDEO INTERVIEW: ‘Judge Me by My Track Record’ — Bishop Ekurume Speaks on Service and His Vision for Okigwe South
WATCH THE EXCLUSIVE ORBIT NEWS INTERVIEW
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In this exclusive Orbit News interview, Sir Chima Bishop Okereke, popularly known as Ekurume, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate for the House of Representatives representing Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma and Obowo Federal Constituency, speaks on his record of community service and his plans for education, youth empowerment and infrastructure.
He also discusses his approach to lawmaking and accountability, explaining why he believes the people should judge him by what he has already done and the impact of his service on the community.
Oma: Good day and welcome to People’s Mandate on Orbit News.
I’m Oma, and with me is my colleague, Jill.
As another election draws closer, the people deserve the opportunity to hear directly from those seeking to represent them.
Our responsibility today is simple. We are not here to tell anyone who to vote for. We are here to help voters understand those asking for their trust.
Our guest today is a name that has become familiar across Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma and Obowo through years of humanitarian service, educational support and community development.
Interview session with Bishop Ekurume
Sir Chima Bishop Okereke, popularly known as Ekurume, thank you for joining us.
Ekurume: Thank you very much. It is my pleasure to be here.
Oma: Many people first came to know you through your humanitarian work long before politics. What made you decide that this was the right time to seek election into the House of Representatives?
Ekurume: For years, my wife and I have carried out our programmes through the Bishop Ekurume Foundation using our personal resources. We have done what one family can do, but there is a limit to how far private efforts can go.
Public office gives you a wider platform to reach more people. If we have been able to support lives without government resources, then I believe we can do much more with the opportunity to represent the people.
Jill: You have served people privately for many years. Why move into politics now?
Ekurume: Because someone has to do the job. I have supported politicians in the past and hoped they would serve the people well. Some disappointed us after getting into office. I kept asking myself whether they truly shared the same desire to improve society.
At some point, I realised it was no longer enough to complain. I still have the strength, I still have the passion and I believe this is the right time to step forward.
Jill: There are other candidates seeking this office. What makes you different?
Ekurume: I always tell people to look beyond campaign speeches. Look at what every candidate has done before asking for your vote.
Without holding public office, I have built homes for families, sponsored students, established a tuition-free secondary school and carried out projects people can still see today. These are not stories. They can be verified. That is why I keep saying, judge me by my track record.
Oma: Let us bring it home to the people of Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma and Obowo. If elected, what would be your top priorities for the constituency?
Ekurume: Education will remain my first priority because every child deserves an opportunity. That conviction is why we established a tuition-free secondary school through our foundation and why we continue to sponsor students writing WAEC and JAMB.
Bishop Ekurume’s tuition-free school
I know what education did for my life, and I believe no child should be denied that opportunity because of financial hardship.
Housing is also important. Over the years, we have helped families with shelter using our personal resources, but there are still many people living in difficult conditions. Public office will give us a better opportunity to reach more people.
Beyond that, there are communities that still struggle with bad roads, erosion and poor infrastructure. Representation should be about identifying those needs, engaging the relevant agencies and remaining on them until the work is done.
Jill: Youth unemployment remains one of the biggest concerns in the country today. Many young people have certificates but no jobs, while others have skills but no opportunities. Where do the youths fit into your plans?
Ekurume: They are at the centre of it. One thing pains me whenever I travel round our communities. I see young people with energy and talent but without direction or opportunity. Some have lost hope.
I want to change that.
For graduates, I will use every legitimate relationship available to connect qualified young people with employment opportunities. Public office should not be about occupying a seat; it should be about opening doors for others.
For those without formal education, vocational training must receive serious attention. We already have facilities that can be put to better use through partnerships and proper support.
If we equip our young people with practical skills and create opportunities for them to earn a living, many social problems will reduce naturally.
As an African proverb says, “The child who is shown how to farm will not spend the day chasing shadows.” Our young people need opportunities, not endless sympathy.
Oma: One complaint people often make is that elected representatives become difficult to reach after elections. Campaign offices disappear, phone calls go unanswered and constituents begin to wonder if they still matter. If elected, how will you remain accessible and accountable?
Ekurume: I have experienced that disappointment myself, and I do not want others to experience it through me.
Accessibility should not end on election day. My office must remain open to the people because that office belongs to them.
I intend to maintain regular engagement with constituents, listen to their concerns and create channels through which they can reach my team without unnecessary obstacles. Leadership should never build walls between the people and the person they elected.
The people who sent you there deserve to know what you are doing on their behalf.
Jill: Lawmakers are also expected to supervise projects and ensure they are properly executed. How will you make sure projects meant for the constituency are delivered as planned?
Ekurume: I will take absolute responsibility for supervision. Every project must have people assigned to monitor its progress, and every stage must be accounted for.
Accountability cannot exist where nobody accepts responsibility.
If public funds are committed to a project, the people deserve to see the result. Oversight is not something to be done from an office. It requires visits, inspections, follow-up and the courage to ask difficult questions when things are not going as they should.
That is the only way to protect the interests of the people.
Oma: Leadership sometimes comes with pressure. There may be situations where political interests conflict with the interests of the people who elected you. If that happens, whose side will you stand on?
Ekurume: The people come first.
They are the ones wearing the shoes, and they know where they pinch.
My loyalty will always be to the people who gave me their mandate. Political office is temporary, but the decisions taken there affect families for many years. Whenever there is a choice between political convenience and the welfare of my constituents, I will stand with the people.
As former South African President Nelson Mandela once said, “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.” Leadership must always be guided by conscience.
Jill: Before we conclude, let us step away from politics for a moment. Behind every public figure is a family. Tell us about yours.
Ekurume: I am blessed with a wonderful wife and three beautiful children.
My wife holds a Doctor of Nursing degree, and beyond being my life partner, she is my strongest supporter. Most of the humanitarian projects people know us for are things we have planned and carried out together.
We share the same belief that whatever God has placed in our hands should become a blessing to other people.
Our children have also grown up seeing that spirit of service. As a family, we believe that success has greater meaning when it improves someone else’s life.
Oma: Finally, if the people of Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma and Obowo are watching you right now, why should they trust you with their mandate?
Ekurume: Because my record is already before them.
I am not asking them to believe promises they have never seen. I am asking them to look at what I have already done.
My desire is simple: to serve my people faithfully, create opportunities for our youths, strengthen education, support families, encourage vocational development, improve our communities and represent this constituency with integrity.
If given the opportunity, I will work every day to justify that trust.
Oma: Sir Chima Bishop Okereke, popularly known as Ekurume, thank you for speaking with us.
Jill: We appreciate your time and wish you the very best.
Ekurume: Thank you for having me. It has been a pleasure speaking with Orbit News and, most importantly, with the good people of Ehime Mbano, Ihitte-Uboma and Obowo.
Oma: And to our viewers and readers, thank you for joining us on People’s Mandate.
Remember, democracy is strongest when citizens ask questions, listen carefully and make informed choices.
I am Oma…
Jill: …and I am Jill.
Both: Thank you for watching Orbit News.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW SESSION ON OUR ORBIT NEWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL
