How I Developed Writer’s Block On Congratulatory Piece Over Uche Nworah’s Exit From ABS -By Isaac Asabor

There is no denying the fact that I surprisingly started to experience an overwhelming writer’s block after I learnt on a social media platform that Chief (Dr.) Uche Nworah was bowing out from Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, after 8 years of meritorious and innovative service.
I didn’t know what to write and felt like I had forgotten how to write. Ideas were sparse and nothing came to fruition. There were ideas but nothing inspiring enough for me to write about his bowing out from the broadcast station he transformed from nothingness to an organization that can now compete with other stations; globally.

My spark was gone. I lost my reason to write. I’m not sure of what happened, to be quite honest. I just lost it. It’s a demoralizing feeling when you lose something you thought you had, especially when it happens to be your creativity.

There is no denying the fact that there is hardly any pastime that exists today that has not got its own share of challenges. It is in the light of this truism that many opinion writers accept most of the frustrations they face with seeming equanimity. Any committed and passionate opinion writer sees himself or herself literally crying by each passing day. He does not cry like the child that was scolded with a whip or a spank.

Any opinion writer that knows his or her onions does not cry in a shrill manner like the baby that was deprived of breast milk or denied attention.

I must confess that it was very difficult for me to write a meaningful piece about his exit from ABS which he no doubt helped to transform in all its ramifications. It was bad that coining an appropriate heading and writing a lead paragraph about his exit from the broadcast station was a problem. For those in the writing profession, this kind of situation is usually caused by a phenomenon called Writer’s Block. It is simply a situation where a writer finds it extremely difficult to write a new piece or improve upon an already written piece. It is a terrible situation for any writer.

However, as a writer, I am not unaware that one of the ways of drawing inspiration is to obey a rule which says, “Don’t overlook the ordinary”. That was exactly what I did to finally write a piece about his exit from ABS. The rule, according to Daniel Handler, a writer, is that he gets ideas to write by noticing everyday things and considering them in a different way. He says, “I’ll have some idea or see something or an event will strike me in a certain way. I’ll string it along immediately and think of where it could lead and where it could go. I think of a story.”

Having applied Handler’s simple rule that says “Don’t overlook the ordinary”, I was able to realize that thoughts might not have been given to how Anambra State and ‘Ndi Anambra’ will continue to benefit from Ezeudo’s bunch of talents and verse knowledge in virtually every area of life. I see extraordinaire qualities in him as he is relatively young and full of energy. He might have being seen, and considered for retirement but it is crystal clear that he is not tired yet.

In fact, Ezeudo as a workaholic is not a flippant person that can be said to toy with choices: enjoy life to its fullest, relax, watch TV, read the newspaper from start to end, chat with friends, eat and drink what and when he wants, play cards, window shop, go to exotic places to the detriment of making contributions to the development of Anambra State. He is not a lazy person to resort to that kind of lifestyle. As someone I vicariously know, he believes such way of living would not add up from whichever way one may wish to look at it from. He is someone that is willing to engage in other activities that can provide him purpose, challenge, adventure, and a feeling of accomplishment, happiness, and satisfaction.
Ezeudo is someone I know that won’t see retirement as a resignation from meaningful contribution to the development of Anambra State as he has by virtue of his abilities, skills, knowledge and education been making huge contributions to the wellbeing of the State and her people. He is someone that does not believe that retirement is a time to sit and wait for destiny to show him the door, but to do something that would make things better. And in doing so, he believes he will also enrich his own life, and by that, he would not get into the habit of debating the meaning of life.

Ezeudo is no doubt a personality that believes that hard work is the engine that powers and drives life. He believes that without hard work that someone could get bored and depressed. To me, he is one of the admirers of Wilfred Peterson who summed up the art of retirement thus: “Don’t retire… aspire”. Aspire to work for those causes you’ve always believed in. Practice the art of filling your moments with enriching experiences that will give new meaning and depth to your retired life”.

Not few people believe that as students, they would later become professionals in diverse field of human endeavor. However, during employment many were too busy in earning money than thinking of accomplishing career-oriented goals. As parents many were busy raising family and providing for their children’s education. Perhaps they did not have time or even the aptitude to understand questions like who they were, what the real purpose of their lives were, what their real interests were.

It is for this reason that retirement to most people is the time to ponder over certain questions and accomplish what they really want to do from the core of their hearts. Retirement gives ample opportunity to discover the real purpose of life and pursue activities that express ones true self. To me, Ezeudo has discovered himself even before bowing out from ABS, and he is the type of person that would bring the saying “Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him” to bear towards the development of Anambra State. Simply put, nothing has happened to Ezeudo except how to make Anambra a better place and how to make “Ndi Anambra” better people. The reason for describing Uche Nworah thus cannot be farfetched as “Some things cannot be taught; they must be experienced. You never learn the most valuable lessons in life until you go through your own journey.”

Having said much, permit me to congratulate Chief (Dr.) Uche Nworah for leaving an unprecedented legacy in ABS, and making it a better place to work. There is no denying the fact that he has been a dedicated and appreciated “Onye Anambra”. I must confess that not few “Ndi Anambra” will miss his collegial good spirit, specifically in the world of labour. That said, as someone I admire, and vicariously draw inspiration from, I’m happy he still have more contributions to make towards the development of Anambra State. In fact, how I wish he is from my State, Edo State.