By Amechi Francis
In a terse but intellectually resourceful article written by one of the finest public affairs analysts and legal critics, Barr. Steve Oruruo, which navigated the historical voyage taken over the past centuries in different political systems by advocates of liberty and democracy, the prices citizens paid through revolution to resist tyranny and monarchical fascism which birthed today’s modern democracy, has been adjudged as a priceless bankable work of reference.
Freedom, in many instances, was never gotten on a platter. Often, even elected political leaders resort to dictatorship and violence employing the instrumentality of state force to maintain the grip of power. Dissenting voices are rather brutally taught lessons through extra-judicial steps.
In Nigeria, the route to political power is becoming messier and dirtier by the day as political actors perceive power play as only reserved for the survival of the fittest. The just concluded 2023 general elections in most states of the federation would serve as a reminder.
However, Enugu State under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi became a radical exception with respect to the peaceful nature of the conduct of the elections. That didn’t occur by happenstance. Historical tracking of political violence in the country always place Enugu State at the lowest rung of the ladder of violence since the era of former governor Sullivan Chime, which was sustained by the present administration.
Indeed, political killings, targeted brutality and opposition harassment became a history in the state. Credit to Ugwuanyi’s disposition, tolerance and his avowal to uphold democratic tenets to its last word.
In the work by Oruruo, titled “Governor Ugwuanyi: Martyr of Nigeria’s Socio-Political Renaissance”, the erudite author rightly replicated the known in the state and the fact that Ugwuanyi’s administration has been able to insulate the state from heightened insecurity, mindless killings and attacks when comparably related with other states.
The intervention of Governor Ugwuanyi in the area of critical infrastructure, education, health sector, human capital development, social welfare etcetera, has further moved the state to a more confidence rating by experts and even the majority of the citizens.
That the governor was unfortunately caught up by what Oruruo described as the tornado of euphoric political change where most electorate got swayed by emotion and blind subjugation of herd mentality did not make the governor any little or diminish his legacy projects littered in the state especially in Nsukka Zone as a balance of equity.
It would, therefore, baffle readers that Mr. Onyema Okoani, although troubling unguarded and voyaging in ignorance and vindictiveness, would descend on the duo of Barr. Oruruo and Governor Ugwuanyi addressing them with unprintable names.
Going through his nauseating rejoinder, one would rather not join issues with him as hunger could be another frustrating factor that would push a rather reasonable person to a line of idiocy. Okoani, in his infamous notoriety, departed from the issues discussed by Oruruo to attacking his personality. In Okoani’s descent, I doubt a person of Oruruo’s standing would ever be produced.
According to Okoani, Governor Ugwuanyi was a failure because he had never addressed or granted interview to “any national broadcast media”. When has that become a criterion for quality representation if not that some people’s gutter advocacy has been re-ordered by hunger and pursuit of slum fame?
Yet Okoani, who is a known social media miscreant to Frank Nweke Jnr, governorship candidate of the APGA, would quote him as an authority in economics and debt management even when it has been established that Frank was deceitfully brandishing fake figures and statistics to deceive his gullible supporters like Okoani and others who are very lazy to subject claims made by politicians to verification. After all, Frank is just a mere zoologist from one unpopular university.
One fact that nobody can dispute with superior argument is the fact that Governor Ugwuanyi has done well in offices, both as a House of Representatives member and as governor. The records are there and they speak for themselves.
Citizens could appreciate the reform in our primary and post primary school education through the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board, Post Primary School Management Board and the Science, Technical and Vocational School Board. The managements of these critical bodies had been able to alter the destiny of education through shift in their curricula. Today, Enugu State is talking about SMART education through by science and technology. The materials and intensive resources needed for the kickoffs were all financed by the Ugwuanyi administration.
Enugu North Senatorial Zone has the best road network today in the state courtesy of Ugwuanyi’s relentless effort to prioritize critical infrastructure.
Jobs are created for graduates and youths are being empowered through trainings in different skills acquisition in and outside the state through the present government. However, Okoani and his strange bedfellows would close their eyes to these laudable achievements.
Governor Ugwuanyi will go down in history as one of the most peaceful governors of his time in Nigeria. History will forever be kind to him.
