NSUKKA RONU: LEST WE KILL OUR PROPHETS

By Hon. Frank Ugwu Ph.D

This is a call to sheath our swords and reinvent the philosophy of NSUKKA KA of the old. Otherwise, we (not they) are killing our prophets while we stand by and look.

NSUKKA KA emphasizes unity, monolithic entity, supremacy and promotion of Nsukka cause/interests and mutual support to one another. These attributes were the hallmark of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo’s era. I remember with nostalgia the emergence of a crop of eminent Nsukka sons and daughters who offered vintage activism and partnership in statecraft, resulting to the prevailing solidarity then  Ready to recollect are names such as Chief Nduka Eya, Maxi Ukuta, Grace Obayi, Hillary Attama, Mike Ajogwu, Justina Eze, Fide Okoro, Julius Onah, Cletus Opata, Ikenna Omeje and so on, all promoting Nsukka cause within the government circle. The synergy was top-notch and helped in stabilizing and in the containment of “free radicals” within Nsukka polity. Today, it is no more. This missing link to my mind is responsible for the present chaotic situation. The government has done so well for our people, considering two recessions and the attendant paucity of funds. Rather the  political elite has failed in creating a buffer zone to absorb shocks inherent in every polity, like in the old. 

The outpouring of hate, opprobrium and excoriating pieces of writing on the governor, especially from our brothers of Nsukka extraction, is nauseating and unfair to the person and position of the governor.  Gov. Ugwuanyi rather deserves commendation and appreciation, realizing that our zone is coming from a background of deficits and serial neglect (valley) in all conceivable ramifications. 

Let’s sheath our swords and rally round our leader, the governor of our dear state, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

 Other zones never vilifed their leaders in their tenures. A comparative analysis of their measurable deliverables/impacts in their respective zones shows that Gov.  Ugwuanyi outclassed them. A simple checklist will convince one. Nsukka specifically should appreciate the paradigm shift that Ugwuanyi represents. In all sincerity, Ugwuanyi has taken Nsukka far in infrastructure and social capital development. Governor Ugwuanyi had set about infrastructural development of Nsukka immediately he came to power. He had tackled age-long challenged roads in the zone. Besides the rural roads, Opi-Nsukka Road had been a major source of worry to visitors and residents of the university town, Nsukka. The road for many years had been erosion-ridden and often flooded, especially during the rainy seasons so much that even residents and business concerns in nsukka suffered much setback. Governor Ugwuanyi gave serious attention to that road. Deep drainages and erosion control channels were deliberately constructed to put to permanent end the ugly state of that important route. Since then, access to Nsukka via that solid dual carriage way has boosted economic growth of Nsukka by 40%.  Ugwuanyi aggressively fixed many roads within the Nsukka town. Such roads like Ogurugu Road, Enugu Road, Tectonics Road, Echara-Ikenga Road, Amaeze Road, Justina Eze Road, Oloto Road 1, Oloto Road 2, Nsukka-Orba Road, etc were all reconstructed and asphalted. Many roads across the six local governments in the zone were fixed. The Udenu ring road that cuts across Orba, Ezimo, Ogbodu Aba, Mbu, Neke, Obollo was constructed by the Ugwuanyi administration. So also is the Nsukka, Eziani, Nimbo rural road. These hitherto forest locked areas are now open for potential agricultural investments, huge enough to guarantee employment and food sufficiency for our people.  

Ugwuanyi administration has given Nsukka a brand new university-STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES (SUMAS) located at Igbo- Ano, a place that cuts across four communities in Nsukka. Gov Ugwuanyi has also appointed Prof. J. Ogbonna, a former DVC (Academics) UNN, a renowned scholar of Nsukka extraction, as the Vice Chancellor of the university. Other appointments for the posts of registrar, bursar and librarian have also been made. The flurry of appointments/events signal the near assumption of full academic exercise in the university. The econometric presentation of SUMAS is indeed profound. The benefits in qualitative health, education, employment, human capital development, land value appreciation, urbanization and commercialization are mind blowing.

This monumental legacy of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi can only earn our son the sobriquet of “The ZIK of NSUKKA”, in the order of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who established UNN in 1960. This landmark delivery is a monumental stride that would indelibly outlive generations and enough win deserving celebration and immortalization of this illustrious achiever of ours.

Ugwuanyi has done extraordinarily well in the provision of primary healthcare to the citizens. His Excellency built type three hospitals in each of the local governments with equipped medical facilities, drugs and requisite personnel: nurses and doctors fully on duty. Two months ago I became a beneficiary when my aunty fell sick.  She was meters away from the type 3 hospital and gained instant medical attention because 4 resident doctors were in the facility. He also built isolation centers at Nsukka and Udenu.  Amenity hospital is ongoing in Igbo-Eze North. General hospitals within the zone were refurbished and upgraded. Community healthcare was extended to almost all the communities in the zone. Presumably, this accounts for why Enugu State under Ugwuanyi’s watch came tops in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria. This is a feat worthy of our appreciation.

Besides SUMAS, Governor Ugwuanyi attracted a federal polytechnic to Nsukka singlehanded. That is the Federal Polytechnic Ohodo. He also set up a campus of Enugu State Polytechnic in Enugu North.Governor Ugwuanyi also built the state secretariat annex at Ede-Oballa in Nsukka. He also built the Nsukka Township Stadium, something unheared of in the history of Nsukka zone.

Ugwuanyi also appointed many Enugu North youths to strategic positions in his government, besides those he employed in the civil service and parastatals. I have just recounted a few of Gov. Ugwuanyi’s many achievements in the zone. 

Let us eschew the outcome of the primary elections, unrealistic sense of entitlements, external instigations to decimate our homogeneity and support our own irrespective of our political affiliations. MAKA NA EGBUE DIKE NA AYA UNO, AYA ILO GA ABIA.

MY PLEA:

Let’s Reinvent the spirit of NSUKKA KA, NWANNE KA OYI, ODIMMA NSUKKA .

Lets our eminent persons come together irrespective of their political linings to provide support to the government, act as buffer and caution the “Free Radicals” and exuberant young NETIZENS amongst us.

Let us put to an immediate end the use of unedifying language on the person or office of the Executive Governor of our state. Channels exist for constructive engagements.

Let our Business Class/Elite invest in our local economy in the area of agricultural cottage industrialization/investment. This is a gold mine yet untapped. We must make these rural roads lead to important economic destinations for relevance and future  maintenance.

Let our people (especially youths) engage in politics while having other sources of livelihood. This will reduce tension in the political space and ensure overall prosperity in our land. 

May God bless our Governor and our people in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen!