DR CHINEDU UMEADI: WHEN HELPING OTHERS IS ALL THAT MATTERS

People go into politics for a number of reasons. In a country like Nigeria where politics is a
lucrative business, individuals use politics to amass wealth for themselves. These are called
career politicians. There are also people who go into politics because they need political powers
and fame to protect the wealth they have accumulated. Finally, there are also people who go into
politics not because of the money involved or because they want to be popular but because they
are not comfortable with the way, things are going in society. They are not comfortable with
injustice and want to create a society where people are treated fairly.

Dr. Chinedu Anthony Umeadi belongs to this third category. An Abagana born Canadian based
Nigerian Psychiatrist; Dr. Umeadi is one of the most renowned mental health physicians in the
world today. In terms of money, he has accumulated enough wealth that will last him and family
a lifetime.

In 2019, he established the Dr. Umeadi Foundation to subsidize the cost of education for the less
privileged, empower the youths, provide free medical outreaches for communities; create skills
acquisition programmes, soft loans and mentorship for the underprivileged in society. The
Foundation has provided scholarships, educational materials, relief materials for individuals and
institutions especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic, free medical outreaches, youth
empowerment programmes etc. across West Africa since its inauguration in 2019.

An unassuming personality, Dr. Umeadi is not the type who goes about canvasing for fame or
looking for political powers. The power he exercises over the millions who admire and follow
him is moral authority. The authority and fame rooted in the strength of his character, his moral
integrity, benevolence and compassion, which have been the trademark of his kind of leadership.

Traditionally, Dr. Umeadi’s magnanimity and charity have earned him reverence throughout
Igbo land and beyond. No wonder, the ancient stool of Abagana community sees nothing wrong
in conferring on him the Agunechemba 1 of Abagana, in spite of his young age.

In academics, Dr. Chinedu Anthony Umeadi has very few rivals. He is an accomplished
Canadian based Physician whose experience in medical practice, leadership management,
research, mentorship and service development belies his young and ebullient age. Besides being
a Prof. in medicine, Dr. Umeadi has received countless academic and honorary doctorate degree
awards from prestigious universities across the globe. He has as well made worthy contributions
in renowned journals, which are constantly referenced by academics and researchers. In fact, in
terms of fame and power, Dr. Umeadi is the epitome of what it means to be famous and powerful
in one’s chosen career.

It was therefore a surprise to many when Dr. Umeadi declared his interest and won the YPP
primary to run for the senatorial seat of Anambra Central in the upcoming 2023 general
elections. The question on every lip has been, Dr. Umeadi has money, power and fame, and he
has a foundation through which he has touched the lives of many, what else is he going into
politics to look for? Few days ago, Angel Network News caught up with Dr. Umeadi and threw
this question to him.

According to Dr. Umeadi, his going into politics was not motivated by money. He was not the
richest man in Anambra but he has made enough money to enable him take care of his family
comfortably. In addition, he didn’t not join the political race of Anambra Central because he was
looking for power and fame. He has already made enough fame for himself both locally and
internationally that it would be difficult to imagine what being a senator can add to his name that
he has not already achieved.

The erudite physician then maintained that his reason for entering politics and joining the race
for Anambra Central was to bring succor to the downtrodden in the society and give a helping
hand to the needy:

“I’m a medical doctors and I have been doing well in my profession. I am not contesting because
I’m the strongest or because I’m the most intelligent. I’m quite comfortable and live comfortably
with my family, but the world is not all about that. It is not all about my family and me. It is of
no use that only you and your family live in comfort zone and people around you are suffering.
There is a reason for that and that is what I have come out to address. I have an intention of
touching more lives as a politician, because there is limit an individual can touch the lives on his
personal capacity.”
Dr. Umeadi furthered explained that the only thing that gave him joy and that mattered for him
was to assist those who for no faults of theirs found themselves at the receiving end of injustice
in the society. This desire to extend a hand of compassion to the less privileged in the society
was what inspired him to begin his foundation in the year 2019. Therefore, it was not about
politics but about humanity and fulfilling what one felt one was brought into the world to do.

In this context, he decried the lack of true leadership in Nigeria as the cause of the woes the
citizens of the country have been suffering. He maintained that a whole lot of difference could be
made through committed and exemplary leadership:

“We have never had a senator with a difference in Nigeria and for the first time in the country, I
assure you that you will have a senator with a difference representing his people at the senate.
The mistake we have repeatedly made over the years is that we kept on recycling the same set of
people that end up punishing us. When the selection is around the corner, they begin to make
nonsensical promises, which within them, they know they cannot fulfill. To start with, I will start
teaching the populace what quality representation is all about. The people have been poorly
represented because those representing them have not made them feel the impact. The system in
Nigeria is in shambles. There is insecurity everywhere and poverty here and there. The inflation
is on the rise; our children finish in the university without meaningful employment. We need to
have a situation where the people gather with their leader to have a chat on the need of the
town.”

Going by his record of accomplishments, Dr. Umeadi is not coming into politics driven by
personal gains. Rather, he carries within him, the burden to better the life of the unfortunate and
the downtrodden in society. What he aspires for is the Biblical Moses’ type of leadership that
would rather have his name removed from the book of life than see his people perish. He has a
Romulus type of leadership that singlehanded transformed ancient Rome from being a wasteland
to being the most powerful and beautiful city in the ancient world.

Leaders who place the needs of others above theirs like Dr. Umeadi are very difficult to find.
However, whenever and wherever they are found, they become builders of people and cities. The
people of Anambra Central are very lucky to have Dr. Umeadi who has come to rescue them
from the hands of transactional politicians exploiting them all these years. The is now for the
people of this senatorial district to ensure that Senator Victor Umeh (Labour Party), Senator
Uche Ekwunife (PDP), Hon. Dozie Nwankwo (APGA) and Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe
(APC) are honorably retired come 2023 to make way for Dr. Chinedu Anthony Umeadi, the man
anointed by God to take Anambra Central to the Promised Land.