There is a Biblical quote that whoever God has blessed, no one can curse or pull down. The Executive governor of Enugu state, Rt honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi while taking the reigns of leadership of the coal city state understands another Biblical injunctions which exhorts us not to lean on our personal wisdom and understanding but to place our trust in God for ultimate guidance. In realization of the ultimate strength, grace and guidance which only God Almighty can guarantee, he placed the entire state into God’s hands to enable him to walk far in the governance of the state. But it appears that some disgruntled elements in the society are not happy that God has had a beautiful hand in the affairs of our state. They actually struggle day and night to pull down all the good legacies which Gburu-Gburu has labored to put down in the past six years. Enugu state unarguably has remained one of the most peaceful state in the country and I say this with all sense of responsibility that Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been a torch bearer in the relative peace enjoyed in Enugu state. No state does it better.
Curiously, the same people or group of people who Ugwuanyi has identified as equal partners in progress are the same group bent on causing social upheaval and mischief in Enugu. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has been variously described and rightly so as an egalitarian, a bridge builder, a one Nigeria advocate, a peace maker and one who understands that every one irrespective of creed, religion or tribe has the right to live and carry out his or her legitimate business anywhere in the world. Ugwuanyi equally understand that the republican and cosmopolitan nature of the Igbos which have largely scattered them all over the globe in search of legitimate livelihood cannot be jeopardized in any way and so he needs not only to thread cautiously especially with regards with his government dealings with non indigenes but must make both indigenes and non indigenes comfortable and the state habitable to all.
Interestingly, news filtered out yesterday that crisis akin to Rambo like movie erupted at the new Artisan market along Enugu – Port-Harcourt Expressway fueling suspicion that the merchants of death might be on the prowl for the wrong reasons and in a wrong place. Enugu has grown past this kind of crisis courtesy of the peaceful polices of Ugwuanyi administration. Yet, these sons of the bitch would want to stretch the patience of our Governor. Curiously, some of the political enemies of the state are lapping the crisis up and even castigating our Governor over the crisis. How insensitive could some politicians be in a bid to give a dog a bad name to hang it? God is watching!
It is important to examine the circumstances which led to the unfortunate incident at the new Artisan market yesterday according to the news release by the Enugu police command and other relevant news media. The report signed by ASP Dan Ndukwe, Enugu State PPRO read in part…
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the unscrupulous elements within the Market, became riotous and resisted the execution of a Court Order issued by High Court of Enugu State, authorizing the demolition of structures and possession of the land area covering the Market by Nwajanja Family of Akpugo in Nkanu West L.G.A. of the State. It further shows that the unwarranted rioters set up burn-fires on the road, obstructed vehicular movement, injured unascertained number of persons, vandalized two (2) caterpillars that had gone to carry out the demolition exercise and set ablaze three (3) vehicles”.
Earlier in another statement signed by Mr. Steve Oruruo, Governor Ugwuanyi’s special adviser on information clearly revealed the position of the government of Enugu State in the unfortunate incident…
“It has become necessary to make it abundantly clear that the aforesaid property illegally occupied by traders, particularly livestock dealers from the North, belongs to the family of a revered traditional Ruler and Statesman, late HRH Igwe Gabriel Nnaji (NWAJANJA) of which there is a subsisting judgement of the court to that effect.
The Enugu State Government, Law enforcement agencies and the leadership of the predominantly Hausa merchant community of New Artisan Market were duly briefed on the intended execution of the judgement and its implications. In line with good conscience and utmost regard for human dignity, a robust plan was set in motion to resettle these traders whose importance to the economy of the State cannot be underestimated.
While the leadership and genuine members of the business community peacefully and gladly leveraged on the alternative property benevolently offered by the peace-loving Governor of the State, some miscreants and hoodlums who had apparently reduced the property to an abode of criminality and immorality capitalized on the prevailing circumstance to instigate a crisis.
Enugu State has a historic reputation for hospitality to her vast demography of migrant residents, which has grown stronger under the administration of His Excellency, Rt Hon Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi. The Governor has diligently and consciously instilled the spirit of harmonious coexistence of law abiding residents within the state without prejudice to ethnic or religious sentiments.
… In furtherance to his unwavering commitment to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry, the Governor has swiftly instructed security agencies to take absolute control of the situation and sufficiently punish anybody found in breach of the law.
… The Government of Enugu State is saddened by the grave losses occasioned by this development and is determined to decisively deal with the situation”.
The statement concluded that government of Enugu State shall continue to jealously sustain the cordial relationship with every law-abiding resident of the state irrespective of background, orientation, leaning and affiliation while it shall uncompromisingly adhere to the principles of Rule of Law.
In view of the foregoing therefore, it is important to remind the trouble makers and their political enemy collaborators that God is still in charge of the affairs of Enugu State and Ugwuanyi our servant leader is still leading with conscience, fear of God and ultimately the rule of law. In the fullness of time, Enugu will be better than he met it six years ago. Nwa Ugwuanyi, keep the movement please.
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS… Gov. Ugwuanyi vowed to protect citizen and non citizen of Enugu state..A father to every tribe
Written by
Austin Okechukwu Chijioke
A Public Affairs Commentator
MEDIA TEAM MEMBER OF ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMENT
