Changes Of Anambra Developmental Mantra, Is It In Progress Or Retrogress?

During my school days in Anambra, to grow up in the state, was like a full movie on its own with a lot of experiences, educative and inspirational events that helps in total understanding of life for someone.

For those that lived in the Onitsha/Obosi/Nkpor/Ogidi and its environs have much of stories to tell about the state in its high rate of robbery attacks, picking pockets “aka akpa” and dilapidated roads especially that of old Onitsha-Enugu road mostly occurred in the inception of the fourth republic and current practicing of democracy in our dear nation. One could recall how the security enhancement moves made by the then Governor of the state, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju in curbing and tackling crimes and other vices in my dear state.

The introduction of the bakassi boys and the matra of “It shall be well with Anambra State”, which was jokingly translated into “It shall be well with Anambra state, well well welu ju ebe nine (it shall be well with Anabra state, that’s why there is potholes filled with stagnant waters in the accessible roads of the state). The Mbadinuju tenure was accompanied with lots of problems, failures and flaws. From owing the civil servant to more than a year ‘stay at home’ by schools children due to the 30% increment in school fees then.

In the year 2003, a new developmental mantra was introduced ‘’It is well with Anambra state”, the Governor of the state in 2003, Dr. Chris Ngige, though came through the ‘back door’ did all he can in progressively achieving the meaning of his administration mantra in infrastructural development. The Ngige administration was forcefully ousted of the Agu-Awka house by the court rulings thereby paving way for the authentic, formidable, simple, and accomplished group of administration led by a successful business man turned politician who battled his mandate for 3 years before God the father that have destined him to be successful in life intervened and gave him back his mandate.

Mr Peter Obi’s tenure experienced a lot of ‘on’ and ‘off’ in its administration of the state, from non-substantial impeachment to illegitimate election in 2010. The administration, having a good and proper knowledge of the people needs, came up with the developmental mantra of ‘’Anambra adi ba gwo mma, nye aka ka o di mma” (Its now well with the Anambra, be of help to its achievement). The Obi administration can ‘never’ be forgotten. , he touched all the sectors of the state 110%, from Health, Education, Roads and Infrastructure, Economic, Agricultural, security, Missionary and Religious encouragement, Transportation, Commerce and investments.

In Education, for years now, Anambra has been outstanding in its performance in WAEC and NECO due to proper intervention of the then Peter Obi’s administration, he also provided 16-seater hummer buses to all the state and missionary owned primary, secondary and tertiary schools in the state. In Health, he provided hospital and medical equipment, ambulances and buses to all the state, general, and missionary owned hospitals.

Due to his love to connect communities to the commercial cities of the state, he provided rural roads network that spans through the 177 towns, 27 LG’s and 3 senatorial districts of the state. His economic standards and implementations of fiscal policies earned him the Honorary Adviser to Mr President on Economic matters. In Agricultural sector, he provided agro loans, and mechanised equipment to the farmers and encouraged them in exporting their finished products locally and internationally out of the state. In security, with the introduction of community policing, that gives exact information in aiding the security of lives and properties, his administration also provided 2 pick-up vans each for the 177 towns, 21 LG of the state.

In commerce and investments, the administration attracted many multibillion naira projects to the states, from motor manufacturing business, agricultural and large farming, electrical, breweries, infrastructural investments and developments in the state. In transportation, with his earlier introduction of the bigger dream for Anambra state in the name of ‘Anambra Integrated Development Strategy’ (ANIDS) which was a vehicle used in the development of the state, provided surplus transit vehicles that runs all the part of the nation thereby providing revenue for the state.

The administration was run with focused, responsible, gentle but smart innovative moves, people oriented, for the good benefit of the Anambra people by a simple, smart, down-to-earth successful businessman turned successful and accomplished politician and statesman in the person of Peter obi, the Okwute Ndi Igbo, whose lifestyle and policies has become an emulating point for many youths in Nigeria including the writer.

The Peter Obi’s administration in its great influences in the state, successfully installed the present administration of the state but the question is are his positive legacies being improved on, what is the new developmental mantra for the state, why will someone’s name be attached to a supposed Mantra, has arrogance and pride found its way to my dear state?

Tonie Osegbo writes from Abuja, Nigeria.