As the current administration of Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, a three time Federal House of Representative member and a second term governor of Enugu cruises back to the dockyard, it might be important once again to examine the contents of the ship he captained for close to eight years. Of course, Ugwuanyi would be completing his second term of eight years as a governor on the 29th of May, 2023. His foray into politics and his subsequent election as a governor of the most populous state, East of the Niger and by extension, the administrative headquarters of the Igbo region might have come as a sheer dint of luck and divine providence. Ugwuanyi himself acknowledged this much when he interacted with the Executive members of the Enugu Di N’akachukwu Movement sometime in the past and I quote “It takes over a 100 years in the life of an individual to be providently elected or even made a Governor. But here I am… How old am I? And among the multitudes of eminently qualified men and women of this state, God chose me and you supported me. This is the reason I chose the moniker ‘Enugu Di n’aka Chukwu’. It is my own little way of acknowledging the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the awesome God of David…I took up the challenge of leadership with a solemn vow not to disappoint God and the people I am chosen to lead”
This was vintage Ugwuanyi. That interaction was my first close encounter with the one and only Gburu-Gburu worldwide holding forth at the Enugu State lion building and I cannot but admire his confidence and humility. Call him a homeboy without an air around him and you will not be mistaken. Although, this foregrounding is not necessarily the thrust of this piece. I am particularly interested in likening the trajectories of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for this eight years in the Lion Building to a merchant who traveled to conduct a business and on his way back, it is expected that stocks will be taken to determine what he took off with and what he came back with.
In fairness to Ugwuanyi, the journey has been very turbulent occasioned by systemic economic pollution and global quagmire, yet as one who puts trust in God, he was able to steer the ship of state to an admirable berth. He might not have met the wide expectations of the generality of Ndi Enugu depending on which part of the divide one stands, I am just going to dwell on what I considers his colossal milestone in the area of rural development.
Rural development sign posts unfolding of capitalism in rural communities and as that package of policy and project interventions that aim to foster socio-economic and political change as well as improvement in rural areas.
The main thrust of a rural development strategy is to facilitate and execute programs on youth and women Empowerment, community health, nutrition as well as education and literacy. It also seeks to establish small/medium enterprises portfolios, indigenous technology and application of self reliance.
A critical analysis of this simple yet elastic term would reveal that governor Ugwuanyi actually applied himself to ensure that he satisfied the yearnings of the rural inhabitants in the main as part of his policy thrusts. Although a lot has been written in the direction of harping on the many achievements of Ugwuanyi across all the sectors of the Enugu State economy, the concern of this piece also is just to highlight a few more of these achievements of the governor even while preparing to hand over to a would be successor.
Few weeks ago, news filtered in that the long awaited Edemani Ring road asphalting has commenced. The asphalting of the road form part of the campaign pledge made to the people of that area and Ugwuanyi is not one given to frivolities. To ensure that he lives up to his firm promise, he mobilized contractor to site. It is important also to remark that this aspect of rural improvement of the lives of the people of Edemani Ogwugwu have eluded them for almost 6 decades until Ugwuanyi decided that enough is enough.
Again it is heart warming to read the official unveiling of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) located at Igbo-Eno in the Enugu North Senatorial zone. By sheer doggedness, zeal and confidence, Ugwuanyi soldiered on to birth another indigenous tertiary institution that will compete favourably with any of its kind globally and will become a pride of the Igbos in general and Ndi Enugu in particular.
While delivering a lecture as a guest lecturer and visitor to the brand new university, Ugwuanyi heartily declared his position as a second runners up to the Zik of Africa who first birthed a university education in Nsukka land. Credit must be given to him also for his other numerous interventions to bring up the people in the hinterland at par with the folks in the city.
Aside the fact of providing direct employment to the people in the rural communities thereby halting rural-urban migration, the provision of indirect employment to other uncountable numbers should be a thing of joy in the government drive to improve the lot of the people.
It is also on record that despite the global economic challenges which is even more pronounced in our clime, governor Ugwuanyi made marks in the area of peace and security which might be responsible for Enugu’s enviable status as one of the safest and most peaceful states in the country. The constitution of the
Enugu State Forest Guards backed by legislation in addition to the Neighbourhood Watch to check the menace of the criminal activities especially in the rural communities which of course is in consonance with his policy thrust on the development of our rural communities.
A striking pattern of Ugwuanyi’s uncommon drive to develop the rural communities is his quantum belief in an all inclusive development strategy that does not leave any person, part or group out no matter such person’s or group’s social or political leanings.
As I write this piece, it is equally important to appreciate Governor Ugwuanyi in his eight years as a governor to have constructed and reconstructed about 1,355 classroom blocks and other projects in primary and secondary schools across six education zones in the state. Recruitment of over 7,030 primary and secondary school teachers and conversion of about 1000 teachers initially recruited as ad-hoc staff to permanent staff and released all outstanding arrears of promotions to affected staff to date.
As the nation prepares for the general polls on Saturday where Ugwuanyi is contesting for a seat on the upper Chambers of the legislature to represent Enugu North Senatorial zone, it is important to sound out the people of the zone to appreciate God for gifting Ugwuanyi to them. They should therefore translate this appreciation by casting their vote in his favor so that they can continue to enjoy what is due for the people of the zone as their arch representative in the Red Chambers. Similarly, March 11th presents another golden opportunity for the people of Enugu State to cast their vote to elect a credible successor to Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Barristers Ndubusi Mba and Ifeanyi Ossai represents that credible template that will rev up the legacies of Ugwuanyi. May God help us to achieve our hearts desires through Christ our Lord, Amen…
Surely Enugu is the hands of God.
*Bibian Anekwe News added… One good turn deserves another… Ndi Enugu North Senatorial Zone Stand With Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for Senate*
Written by
© Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
Public Affairs Commentator and Media
Team lead for Enugu Di N’akachukwu Movement.
*Bibian Anekwe News*
