Chief Willie Obiano, the Executive Governor Of Anambra State, has taken a great Step, in trying to reconcile all political and ideological differences amongst Anambra’s Illustrious sons and daughters, to enable them form a strong bond that will speed up the growth and development of Anambra State.
The governor, who addressed a gathering of Anambra’s best and brightest in Awka at the weekend, pulled together some prominent industrialists, entrepreneurs, traditional rulers, members of the clergy, and the political class, elder statesmen, leaders of women groups and others who form the bulk of the upper crust of society to a session of fruitful and candid interaction.
Setting the agenda in his opening address, Governor Obiano explained that the time had come for Ndi Anambra to set aside their political differences and come together on the altar of common brotherhood in the overall interest of the state.
Arguing that it was wrong to continue to pursue narrow political differences long after elections, the governor observed that in all civilised societies, citizens usually set aside political acrimonies once elections were over and came together to build a better society for themselves.
Calling for a stronger bond between Anambra’s distinguished sons and daughters, Obiano pointed out that the only way the state could attain an admirable height in all-round development was for the citizens to forge a common front, pool their resources together and pursue a set of goals. He noted that the world was never in doubt of the capacity of the state to transform itself because of the quality of its human capital.
He called for greater kinship and brotherly love among Ndi Anambra wherever they found themselves, pointing out that as the governor, he had a natural role to play as a consensus builder across personal, political, religious and ideological lines.
Governor Obiano, who was applauded by the stakeholders for drastically cutting down the rate of crime in the state in less than two months after his inauguration, assured Ndi Anambra that the state was safe enough for indigenous and foreign investors.
According to him, it had become important for Anambra citizens, reputed to have multi-billion naira investments across Nigeria and overseas, to look homeward with a view to setting up business in the state to create wealth and provide employment for the teeming population of the unemployed in the state.
Arguing that his administration was determined to ensure that Anambra’s good citizens would not perpetually flee the state in fear of a handful of criminals armed with guns, Chief Obiano declared that his administration’s crackdown on criminals in the state would be sustained till the end of his tenure.
Also speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain and widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, observed that the gathering was a clarion call for Ndi Anambra to look inwards and discover for themselves the imperatives of building a cohesive society in which everyone would see their neighbour as a brother and not a rival.
Re-enforcing her argument with the famous story of Igbo landing on the marshes of Dubar Creeks in Georgia in 1803 that stands out in the narratives of pivotal resistance to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, Ambassador Ojukwu reminded the gathering of the need to ensure that their success abroad was not eclipsed by their resounding failure at home.
Similarly, speaking at the ceremony, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe commended the governor for his efforts to turn the state around and further identified the need for the administration to set up independent power plants in the state as a precursor to the realisation of the full potential of the administration’s four pillars of development.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, commended the governor for taking up the initiative of inviting Anambra’s stakeholders for a brotherly dialogue and further advised that the initiative should be held at intervals in a year to ensure greater effectiveness.
Also speaking, a former gubernatorial aspirant in the state, Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu, commended the governor for demonstrating a deep sincerity of purpose and assured him of his support as well as his belief in his ability to deliver on his promise to Ndi Anambra.
A good start for Gov. Obiano. i wish him all the best