ONUMBA.COM, USA – Created along with five others in 1996 by the late Nigerian Head of State Sani Abacha, Ebonyi State is one of the smallest states in Nigeria. Right off the bat, it was a struggle for the new state which joined a cabal of other feckless governments ravaging in teeth-gnashing poverty.

The brand new state —– which also goes by its popular moniker ‘The Salt of the Nation, and its capital city of Abakaliki —- had to take off lacking the badly needed advantage of building upon existing governmental structures.  Because of that embryonic setback, the state struggled to get going from having to install institutions of government from the scratch. Comparatively, from most measures, Ebonyi is limping painfully behind its neighbors as far as infrastructural and economic development are concerned.

In short, when it comes to things that are small, Ebonyi features quite prominently.  The state is small in land, tiny in population, little in the growth of its economy and picayune in the size of its budget.

But while ‘small’ does not always convey notions of gloom and doom, it does however raise a fundamental question of why Ebonyi is not small where it needs to be small and large where being so would be beneficial.

While Ebonyi ranks small in just about every developmental and demographic barometer, it nevertheless boasts an extraordinarily bloated government —– a doozy, I might add.  The government maintains a large retinue of political appointees, most of them gleefully collecting hefty paychecks while accomplishing absolutely nothing that its residents can see, feel and enjoy.

The Governor, David Umahi, who was elected under PDP banner serves with his deputy. Soon after his victory in 2015, he formed a government operating through the Ebonyi State Executive Council, a cabal of appointed commissioners and other key government functionaries.

All of that is fine.  As the constitution allows, he needs a cabinet to help him carry out his vision for the state. Not just that, he also needs a vast array of minds to contribute to the reservoir of ideas crucial for crafting public policies to address the myriad needs of the state.

I get all of that.

But here is where the whole thing fell completely apart for me ——- and quite frankly, the cusp where it becomes mind-numbingly reckless and irresponsible. Governor Umahi, as though he brought absolutely nothing to the table about matters of governance, appointed so many “special advisers,” to the point where nearly every imaginable issue —– never mind how insignificant it is —– has its own “special adviser.”

Why this many advisers?

How many?

Well —– I hope you are sitting down or at least leaning against a pillar.  Governor Umahi governs with a stampede of 28 special advisers, plus 19 commissioners, and a legion of assistants, all of this in a poor tiny state with less that 2 million inhabitants.  And each of these lofty appointments often morphs into nice mini enterprises for the fat cats ——— eventually becoming perfect conduit for pilfering government money and engaging in all sorts of shenanigans.

All told, there is him the governor, the deputy governor, secretary to the state government, Head of Service, Chief of staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary, Deputy Principal Secretary. Then there’s the personal assistant to the governor, personal assistant to the deputy governor and others.

How exactly is Umahi able to manage the camarilla of 28 advisers trooping in and out of his office, holding powwows with these advisers in a state with diddlysquat to show for this vast unhinged and wasteful display of political patronage.

Please understand me. The issue here is not about appointing legitimate staff to help him govern and manage the daily affairs of state.  No. Rather, it is incompetence and mismanagement galore. It is the troublesome boondoggle —– the sickening and deepening political excesses on display here.  In short, it is the vast spoils of power and the out of control racket that has become the norm in Nigeria, benefiting the political class at the expense and ululation of Ebonyian hoipoloi.

Let’s take a look at the problem. Gov. Umahi has a special adviser on cement and salt. That, as you know, sums up to a hefty paycheck.  There’s an adviser on “Attitudinal Change.” That too commands a Lollapalooza of dosh and other perks. And another on “Religious Matters.” Yep — that sums up to a lorry load of wampum. And another on “Lagos Liaison.” That person , whether or not offers any advice to the governor, gets a big, fat paycheck. By the way, what exactly is “Lagos Liaison”? There’s one, believe it or not, on “Intra-Party Affairs.”  What exactly is that?

You should see the rest of it.  It is surprising the governor does not have an adviser on chicken poop and hogwash.  It really, really is absurd.  And you wonder why Ebonyi is the way it is.