The saying “A fool at forty is a fool forever” is a proverb suggesting that if a person has not gained maturity, wisdom, and good judgment by the age of forty, they are unlikely to ever develop these qualities.
Emenike Iroegbu, a native of Umuasua in Isuikwato Local Government Area of Abia state and a poor local blogger who was recently banished from Umuasua for sleeping with his relative has proven that change is not entirely constant. His continuous show of immaturity or foolishness at 49 suggests a fundamental inability or unwillingness to adapt, learn, evolve and succeed. Emenike has desperately shown disdain for good things and this could be the reason his looks remain pitiable and impoverished. When one flaunts foolishness and ignorantly fails to respect boundaries , another assumes that a mad man must be his advisor. At this point , no reasonable indigene of Umuasua would doubt that Emenike could be listening to a particular mad man. Until reality hits him and probably restore his factory settings, he may never learn.
I learnt that Emenike had solicited for monthly stipend from the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial zone , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in 2019 . The request I learnt did not scale through as Kalu was not comfortable with his claims and proposals.
Emenike immediately resorted to media attack and misinformation about Kalu. For a very long time he was ignored until 2023 election. He desperately courted attention from Kalu and even went as far as launching a movement called “ Stop OUK Now”. The so called movement became a laughing stock as only two persons identified with it; himself and his wife. During the election, Kalu won Emenike’s community with 99% votes. The 49 years Emenike should have known that Kalu does not belong to the class of politicians he must have imagined in his poor head. But as a foolish man, he failed to learn. His latest strategy is to malign and slander anything Kalu. He sounds bitter about Kalu’s sterling performance in senate. He doesn’t understand how a particular senator is
rebuilding rural roads, renovating schools, giving meaningful empowerment, distributing educational materials, scholarships, strategic empowerment, human capital development and still has the highest bill contribution in the senate.
It eats him up seeing the level of support Abia North continues to extend to Kalu. It’s not that he doesn’t know; it’s just that he is so foolish to understand the name Orji Uzor Kalu.
He will still find means to propagate another “STOP OUK Now ” , ahead of 2027 election. Kalu’s goodwill and extraordinary performance in the senate will give him tremendous victory. Even Kalu’s competitors respect him and his capacity. In their conscience they know they can’t wear his shoes. They know they can’t meet up with the legislative expectations of Abia North. No one and no community wants to go backward. There is no going back for Abia North. Kalu remains the only ‘way forward’ option and he will be re-elected in 2027.
After Kalu’s victory in 2027, will Emenike Iroegbu change or stop his antagonism? No, he will never. A fool at 49 has no room for change, only factory setting can help him.
From Kingsley Okorie, Umuasua Isuikwato
Abia State
August 30,2025
