It is a time tested strategy to praise or laud the positive efforts of individuals. For one, it is a motivating factor that propels such individuals to do more. For another, it gives an overriding impression to the good doer that his or efforts is being recognized by the people and ultimately by God. It is however instructive to note that the acts of doing good is not a mere bread and butter phenomenon. It comes with a heavy self discipline and sacrifice. For a good man though, the acts of doing good comes as a natural flare for the individual. Yet it is ideal to appreciate the good deeds of an individual.
The Igbo culture it must be noted has a long tradition of encouraging those who find it worthwhile to do good and improve their society through their God given resources and talents. The adage which seems to encourage the courage of good doers “Etoo dike na nke omelu, omekwa ozo” couldn’t have been made in vain. Even the Good Book recognized the importance of appreciation when our Lord Jesus Christ demanded to know from one of the lepers who got his healing and have come back to thank Him why others who got healed as well didn’t bother to come to show appreciation. In appreciation of this singular act of thanksgiving by the healed leper, Jesus gave him His full blessings and healing.
A lot has been said and written in appreciation of the good governance and impactful leadership of Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi since he assumed the headship of government in Enugu State. For the discerning minds who have remained apolitical, those praises are actually Germain and reflective of the true position of how governor Ugwuanyi has enamored not a quite a few by his examplary leadership styles. For others too, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is simply doing what he signed up to do and so no big deal! Yet for others, political leaders are not supposed to be praised beyond what might be considered as the basics. After all, the resources they expend in government projects and recurrents are not their personal resources but a collective one. I make bold however to remind those in this later school of thought to imagine the humongous resources accruable to government at all levels including their internally generated revenues (IGR) and how mismanagement of all these resources had kept the economy comatose and left the teeming citizens in abject lack and want.
There is no denying the fact that money remains at the center of every positive as well as the negative trajectories. It could also not be argued that many societies and organizations have been brought to their knees owing to the non God fearing leaders who have had the fortune of overseeing their affairs and to the detriment of those they rule. Nigerian citizens have repeatedly gnashed their teeth owing to the non impactful leadership of those either foisted on them or “elected” to lead them. A common thread of ‘I can do whatever I wish with the collective resources and better myself, my family and my cronies” runs through all of them. History is still complete with most of these political rulers hoarding state resources for themselves, families both yet unborn and cronies that they cared less about the welfare of the people whom they have signed up to cater for. Nothing is truly as edifying as seeing co-owned resources being used in more ways to create socio-political and economic development and harmony.
It is therefore truly not out of place to praise governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who had entrusted the affairs of the state to God Almighty and who have allowed himself to be used gloriously in the service of his people. Recently, the Nigerian Guild of Editors led by their president Mustapha Isah was in the state for a fact finding visit on the famed Ugwuanyi’s developmental trajectories. They were unanimous in their belief that governor Ugwuanyi was beyond praise and deserve all the accolades he is receiving as one of the best (if not the best) performing governor in the entire Nigerian state. They actually expressed satisfaction with the massive development strides and other people-oriented programmes Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration is undertaking in the urban and rural communities of Enugu State.
They specifically asserted that the quality of roads they saw in the rural areas, the massive dualized road in Nsukka; the primary and secondary healthcare facilities and even tertiary institution for the ESUT Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine, in Igbo-Eno, were impressive legacies of a state chief Executive amidst dwindling state resources and therefore worthy of emulation commendable.
Contributing during the interaction with the elite journalists, Martins Oloja, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspapers was highly elated that he reiterated his aversion for mediocrity and asserted that Governor Ugwuanyi has grown beyond what any right thinking individual, opposition and the likes could term as the mediocrity of Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration. Continuing, Mr. Oloja added:
“… I went inside the newly constructed and equipped Type-3 Primary Healthcare Centre and the Cottage Hospital with Isolation wing, the finishing was impressive. They considered so many things that people in the village need. It is very impressive and they even built quarters for doctors and nurses.
Beyond the appraisal of good governance of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi by the Nigeria Guild of Editors, others like Papa Enoch Adebayo, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was also in the state recently during his Church’s event which held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu and praised Dr. Ugwuanyi to no end and described him as a “Kind and humane leader and God’s gift to Ndi Enugu” Pa Adebayo went on to pray that the state would continue to experience peace, prosperity and increase in all areas in the name of JESUS, Amen…
It was also the turn of the people of Obukpa, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State to express their profound delight for what they described as the prudent deployment of state’s lean resources for the transformation of the state, especially in the rural areas. They genuinely commended the untiring zeal and steadfastness of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration in transforming the state, despite various economic, security and public health challenges confronting the nation, as a rewarding experience in the social contract between the state government and the people.
May the good Lord continue to have an unending hand in the affairs of Enugu State and beyond… Isee! 2023 beckons!
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS.. ADDED…The solution to a sick society is not rooted in policy, it is rooted in individual collectivity.
Written by
Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
A Public Affairs Commentator
MEMBER, ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT.
