Sentiments apart, the ascendancy of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as governor of Enugu State has indubitably brought about many positive changes in the sociopolitical, attitudinal culture of Enugu State.
If we as a people could eschew bitterness and sectional political interest, we would understand that:
•We never had the name of our state on national signpost for good until the coming in Gov ugwuanyi. Before now, people never understood that we are a sovereign entity with political, religious and sociocultural ideals capable of contributing to the stability that the Nigerian state has yearned for overtime.
•Enugu as a state capital used to be a village square where outsiders mistook for one of those fledgling hamlets with the potentiality of becoming a satellite unit in the nearest future. But today, Enugu is fast rising to the status of a sought after state capital in Nigeria with robust nightlife and invigorating sights of rendezvous. Enugu can now be referred to as a state capital with superlative potentials for trade and commerce, tourism and sociocultural education.
•Earlier before the coming of Gov ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, politics used to be the only source of livelihood for the people. The posturing of the system was such that could be described as symbolic of a plaything; an adventure everybody was entitled to delve into. Nobody had the option of going into many other unploughed fields. Government House was the resort for all and sundry, thereby entrenching banditry in leadership and haphazard way of doing things for the benefit of the citizenry. Today, the narrative has changed. It may not have changed absolutely but it has dropped to a very minimal propensity. People now have veritable options for livelihood.
•Every other part of Nigeria used to associate Enugu State with war and carnivorous attributes. Previous administrations though tried their best but, the administration of Gov Ugwuanyi has brought about a considerable level of stemming down the menace of boundary related wars which used to be a recurring decimal. Today, many communities previously enmeshed in lethal and sundry conflagrations now cohabit with one another courtesy of the human-faced approaches invested in peacemaking by Gov. Ugwuanyi. I may not begin to mention names of such communities for obvious reasons best known to security interest, but it’s a testimony that no Enugu citizens can claim ignorance of.
•Governance in Enugu State used to be a cabalistic thing, thereby hampering speed of development and inclusive governance. There used to be so many governors under a duly elected and officially recognized governor. It’s a known thing to our people. This menace contributed in no infinitesimal measures to drive Enugu back to the Neolytic times. Activities of governance were distorted to the stage that people had begun to agitate for state of emergency. But today, we have only one duly elected and inaugurated governor who acts as one. The fund with which to service supposed demi governors with draconic egos as it were in times past is now used to paddle infrastructural ship to the harbour where the people are the end users. It’s a great achievement and we have to give it to Gov Ugwuanyi.
•It is in the administration of Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi that Enugu citizens got to know that youths could be used as agents to drive purposeful governance. Against what it used to be, now, the involvement of young people in governance in the state is absolute and result oriented. These young people are being prepared for tomorrow’s governance demands. It’s only a visionary leader that can do this.
•It is in the time of Ugwuanyi that Enugu citizens actually got to learn that projects could be initiated and completed under specification. Projects under Governor Ugwuanyi are delivered strong and beautiful. All projects under Governor Ugwuanyi will outlive man and remain priorities for the people.
•Before now, Enugu though known for its great grail in agriculture, was only showing that in a near subsistent practice. Gov Ugwuanyi came and digitized it; made it lucrative becoming a farmer and attracted the attention of the Federal Government which now recognizes the state as one of the major producers of food in the country. Both young and old people now practise farming in Enugu State and eking great living from it. Because of this, hunger which used to be a major ill plaguing the people of the state now has become a relic of forlorn ills.
•With the Lion Industrial Business Park Gov Ugwuanyi has begun to construct in the state and opening of essential roads for ease of conveyance of human, agricultural and solid mineral resources, the state will soon become a cynosure of the international community. We’ll soon be awash with surprises and such a rapid economic growth that’ll overwhelm everyone of us. This is what a visionary leader does. A visionary leader invests in the future. He sees beyond his nose.
•By the time the seeds Gov Ugwuanyi is taking pains to bury in the entrails of the earth of development begin to sprout, Enugu State will be delisted from the register of poor states in Nigeria, and then shall we know that Gov. Ugwuanyi saw the future from the pew of demanding immediacy!
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS ADDED”But select capable men from all the people — men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain — and appoint them as officials . . .”
— Exodus 18:21.. We stand with our capacity leader His Excellency Gov ifeanyi ugwuanyi”
Written by
Miss Stellamaris chiamaka Nwede
MEDIA TEAM MEMBER OF ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU
