We may not have to reinforce the fact that human lives are sacred. Were it not so, God would have expunged that no 5 commandment on the 10 lists of dos and donts handed over to the people through God’s emissary – Moses. Although, the command by God not to take another’s life might be sited on no 5, yet it is by no means the greatest on the lists of commandments after no 1. Death of individuals by any circumstance can not be said by any stretch of the imagination to be a good omen. Agency of government like the Federal Road Safety Corps has remained an avant-garde in the campaign against destruction of lives or property through strategic operations and communications to stem the use of unroad worthy vehicles and unruly driving culture. But it appears the more strident the strategic campaigns, the more people are using facts of economic realities to cut corners and whip up sentiments to do wrong. Some people would go on to operate rickety and unroad worthy vehicles and drive carelessly and tell you that ‘man must survive’.
It is however important to point out that accident is both a natural and unnatural phenomenon. It becomes unnatural when an accident can be avoided such as the one that happened recently at Nza street, Independence layout in the heart of Enugu. A fully loaded water truck was reported to have collided with a tricycle which claimed the lives of citizens. The incident triggered anger and frustration in the land. Angered citizens immediately torched the water truck as if by that action, they would have justified the death of the unfortunate victims of the accident or it will be able to bring back the dead to life. Our hearts and prayers are with the victim’s families at this time. May God accept the souls of the victims in paradise. They didn’t plan to die and they all died with their dreams locked up in their respective bosoms. What a tragedy!
Yet another tragedy would break out in Enugu recently which has the potential of portraying Ndi Enugu in bad light. To the best of my knowledge, Enugu and her people are not known for ritualistic tendencies or operations. The news of the arrest of an octanagerian and his collaborator ritualist over the murder of a seven year old boy. The octanagerian sadly is the father of the murdered boy who wanted to make capital out of the life of his own flesh and blood. Very despicable! What manner of joy would an octanagerian gain from the murder of his own son by descending this low? What wealth is this son of a bitch looking for in his twilight years? Is it right to justify the erosion of moral values to the quest for material and economic wealth? This is however beside the issue being discussed here.
My interest therefore is the proactive involvement of the state government in all of these issues mentioned above. The Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi led Enugu State government have consistently demonstrated its capacity to provide good governance to all the citizens irrespective of class or status.
On receiving the unfortunate news of the accident that claimed the lives of Enugu citizens at Nza street, the governor of Enugu state was reported to have dashed to the scene of the accident where he personally assessed the situation with the aim of determining government’s needful intervention. Governor Ugwuanyi would go on to announce government’s full intervention to cater for the medical expenses of all the surviving victims of the unfortunate accident, while he pledged to ameliorate the sufferings of the families of the dead during the accident. What a compassionate governor!
Reacting to the unfortunate incident of the murder of an innocent 7 year old boy for money ritual, governor Ugwuanyi again showed his capacity as a leader of all irrespective of class or status.
Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is sufficiently prepared to lead Enugu State with the fear of God. To register his displeasure over the highly condemnable incident, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi assured the mother of the slain boy, Mrs. Augustina Ifebuchechukwu Eze, that the state government will do everything within its power to ensure that she and her children do not suffer. Governor Ugwuanyi has never used such mishaps to express political correctness, because he is a man of integrity. No family ever helped in the past has come to repudiate that governor Ugwuanyi ever failed to redeem whatever pledge or promise made to them in the course of intervention to their predicament. This is the kind of leader we need in our polity. May God catapult Ugwuanyi to the national scene to enable the entire Nigerian citizens to enjoy Ugwuanyi’s uncommon leadership qualities.
Truly Enugu state is in the hands of God.
Bibian Anekwe News added; “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”
Written by
© Austin Okechukwu Chijioke.
A Public Affairs Commentator.
Media Team Member of ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
