The Governor Anambra Needs, By Aloy Uzoekwe

As the November 18, Anambra State gubernatorial election draws nearer, it is imperative and beneficial that we, the electorates, add our voice to the choice of the man we prefer to run the affairs of the State from March 2018 to March 2022. It is necessary we do this and not remain docile because in the long run we are the recipients of the consequences of our choice. So this piece is intended to highlight the qualities we prefer in whomever that aspires to lead us and to help point the torch on the path we will love our State to trod. It is not meant to x-ray the the individuals on parade, though that may come later.

This write up is also without prejudice to the current administration with its stream of support. Already the contest arena is getting filled with a torrent of gladiators. Among the aspirants are the serious and the un-serious, and some whom a cynical friend termed as actually vying for 'Commissionership', they only use the governorship as a bargaining chip. The incumbent Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, is still eligible to contest for another term.

Anambra needs (more than any other quality) a highly skilled and exposed/experienced human manager. One imbued with the requisite qualities to harness the human potentials which abound in the State for optimal growth. In all spheres of human endeavour, sons and daughters of the State have made their marks but surprisingly this exemplary attribute is not fully reflected at the political leadership level. With the possible exception of Mr Peter Obi, the State had enjoyed leadership foisted on it by a select group with unaltruistic interests.

The coming election presents us - the electorate -the opportunity to finally shake off our passive toga and decide who will best shepherd our collective enterprise. Virtually all the critical sectors need retooling and improvement; health/social scheme, environment, youth advancement, maximisation of the potentials of Nnewi and Onitsha, functional Local Government system, transformation of Awka etc. The State needs someone who has a clear road map on how he intends to transform the State, and not a politician who will win on the back of generic campaign ground promises and bland stereotypical Nigerian politicking.

Anambra needs a futuristic man at the helm of affairs. One who can project into the future and prepare the State for the diversification of tomorrow. Of all who have aspired to govern the State since its creation in 1991, it was only the Prof C.C Soludo's  - African Dubai Taiwan (A.D.T) model concept of 2009 which can be said to claim an agenda of what an aspirant intended for the State and the way forward. When Peter Obi posed his famous "Anambra; Are We Cursed or Are We the Cause?" (2002/2003), it was more of a rhetoric question thrown at the confusion, brigandage and lack of progress which characterised the polity that time than it was a pointer to the road forward.

Though in actual governance, Mr Peter Obi through his Anambra Integrated Development Strategy (A.N.I.D.S) did make up for the lack of an articulated agenda during electioneering with quality governance while on seat. His ANIDS programs did ensure he left giant footprints on the sands of time in the State and beyond.

The incumbent Governor had campaigned (2013) on the plank of multiple Cs - Continue, Complete, Commission and Commence: which translates to continue with the projects of his predecessor, complete and commission them and then commence new ones. A pledge which he has kept so far, but we need a blue print deeper and more encompassing and elaborate. Government is not only about projects. My State no longer needs campaign groundpromises of building roads, school and 'electrifying' us. We need a man who will present how he intends to make Onitsha a more livable city, Nnewi an industrial hub, and elevate Awka from the level of a popular blacksmith community status to that of a befitting State Capital (a comparison with Abakaliki leaves a sour taste in the mouth), enthrone a workable health/social scheme, have a program to discover harness and nurture talents in our youth and bequeath a new set of Okpalas, Egbunikes, Adichies, Onyalis,Achebes, Edochies, Ezinwas, Mikels etc to the State and the nation at large.

The State needs a governor who can coalesce the potentials and proven abilities of Ndi Anambra and channel such for a sustainable economic development of the State anchored on industry and commerce. Someone who knows his onions to create the enabling environment for this with the necessary incentives to engender the "Think Home" philosophy in our people. A man who understands the creativity and adventurism of our people, and who can tap into this to remake Anambra the commercial hub of West Africa. Each entity makes use of its endowments to achieve greatness. Anambra's potentials lie greatly in the commercial and industrial ingenuity of our people.

A State recognised effort at harnessing this potential will germinate positive dividends. Perhaps a recap of what would have been will help. In the aftermath of the annulment of the 1993 Presidential election which was christened - "June 12", serious unrest erupted in Lagos State. The effect of the unrest  made majority of Ibo traders to seek safe haven in their Eastern homeland ( Oso Abiola, it was called). They came home with their wares. Surprisingly following the forced relocation; Nnewi, Ekwulobia, Awka Etiti and other neighbouring towns witnessed an increase in the volume of visitors and trade. Buyers were coming from all over West Africa - Togo, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso name them, to seek out the relocated merchants and buy goods.

A big opportunity presented itself to the State then to utilize the incidence, as unfortunate as it were, to enthrone the "Think Home" philosophy by providing the returnee businessmen enabling environment and incentives to remain in the State. Unfortunately neither the Government of the day nor the elites of the State seized the opportunity and the traders went back after the impasse to the gain and glory Lagos and loss of Anambra and Ala Igbo.

Whoever will be the next Governor of our Sate must present to us his plans for our ravaged environment. He must convince us on how he intends to check the nature's onslaught and create our own Silicon Valley out of the many erosion sites doting our landscape. Or how he intends to copy the examples of Chief Polycarp Emenike, who has turned one of the erosion sites in his native community of Nanka to a standard football stadium and is moving ahead to turn more of the area to a world class health and hospitality resort. We need to assess our would be governor's answer to the threat of erosion as it gets set to take the whole state under. Added to this is his intended approach to waste/sewage management in the State.

Urbanization is sweeping through the towns in the State without a recognizable corresponding government response to its effects especially on waste management. Towns like Ihiala, Ekwulobia, Abagana, Nnobi, Agulu, Umuoji, Ozubulu etc are now urban centers. What policies will he put in place to absorb the fall outs of this phenomenon?

Years on end, the Onitsha Inland Port has existed only on paper. Its importance to the industrial cum economic development of Onitsha and the State is known to all. Who among the players in the arena has the tenacity to fight for its actualisation? Who best can utilise our waterways to promote trade and commerce and spur growth?

I stand to be corrected, but of all the States in the South, Anambra is the only state without an identifiable program for the youths and talent development.

It is most unfortunate that a State which produced world class athletes like the Ezinwa brothers, Innocent Egbunike, Mary Onyali, Sylvanus Okpala, Mikel Obi etc, does not have a single sporting facility. All the Sports Complexes in the State are privately developed; Power Mike Sports Complex (Onitsha), Rojenny Sports Center (Oba), Neros Stadium (Nanka), Gabros and Ifeanyi Uba Stadium (Nnewi). Same applies to the Arts/Entertainment sector.

The role of sports and arts in youth advancement, poverty eradication, and crime reduction/control is well documented. Why all the successive governments failed to tap into this field remains a puzzle. The next Governor must show to the youths his agenda for their advancement.

Again no State in the Federation has abused the Local Government system as much as Anambra.

Let truth be told, Anambra State has no Local Government system of administration presently. What obtains is a caricature of the intendments of the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The State needs a man who is urbane and liberal enough to accept the bounds between the State and Local Governments. A man democratic and self disciplined enough to allow the Local Governments to thrive through elected officers.

He will do this while putting in place a mechanism to monitor the activities of the Local Government Councils to ensure judicious use of the Local Government funds without interfering in their administration. The present practice stultifies the Local Governments and hamper development. Awka alone cannot take government to all nooks and crannies of the State.

Above all the character traits of who would be the next Governor comes into play. We need as Governor a man who is strong willed and imbued with the indefatigable Igbo spirit. One who is bold enough not to capitulate at the least nudging. Who is ready at all times to uphold and protect the people's collective interest and place same above his personal interests. We do not need a politically correct man.

Ironically while the citizenry yearn to have a glance at the policy perspectives of those who aspire to govern us, the dramatis personae are currently engaged in fighting naked in the market place.

Rather than presenting to us their concepts on how to move the State forward, they are busy mudslinging and trying to out defame each other, character wise. This is not what the electorates want.

The incumbent and his challengers can save us the name calling and Nollywood like blackmails going on, they should channel their energies to think deep and come out with programs which can sway us - the electorates, and guarantee them victory at the polls. Anything less is unacceptable.

Hon Aloy Uzoekwe
080 3 850 3174.

Hon Uzoekwe is a co-founder of the advocacy group - Coalition for Good Governance in Anambra.