By Charly Onah
It is often said that from the morning activity one will know how the evening will be. The new Governor of Enugu State, Bar. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has indeed hit the ground. He is already walking the talk and living by his words. His actions and inactions so far pointed to that direction that it will be no longer business as usual.
Since he assumed office, Mbah had often come to work early precisely by 8am. He is approaching governance in a more realistic, business-like and dedicated manner. He has shown that he is very mindful of his campaign promises and the urgency of time to fulfill them. He is leaving no stone unturned in tackling all impediments and repositioning the state for betterment of the people.
Apart from signing three executive orders which are geared towards the actualisation of his administration's campaign promises, lofty dreams and visions for the state, Mbah has also announced an end to the Monday sit- at- home in Enugu State, starting from June 6, 2023, stressing that such orders were restricting entrepreneurship, creativity and productivity in the state. He has passionately appealed to President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently release IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to put an end to the IPOB agitation and expressed readiness “to engage in dialogue with people, who have genuine grievances towards bringing lasting peace and security to Enugu State." This happened after his first closed door meeting with heads of security agencies in the state.
It has been observed that since Mbah made the announcement on the ban of sit at home and passionate appeal to the President for Kanu's release, tongues have been wagging, social media has been buzzing and mixed reactions have continued to trail the ban.
While some saw it as very timely and a right step in the right direction, others believed that it may cause more problems than solutions for the people and government of the state. Even one invisible character called Emma Powerful, who parades himself as spokesman of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued an expected press release calling Mbah names and threatening fire and brimstone. Expectedly, the Ebonyi State-born Finland based garrulous fugitive and factional leader of IPOB, Simon Ekpa, whose inciting and unguarded utterances and statements have led to wanton killings of many innocent Igbo souls and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira in the name of enforcement of sit at home order in the Southeast region since September, 2021, has issued his usual hate speech threatening Mbah and the rest of Enugu people.
Of note and rememberance is the fact that on several occasions and even in his incarceration, the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has repeatedly condemned in totality the sit at home order and distanced himself from it, calling those behind it as enemies of Igbos.
One obvious thing is that the purpose or aim of the sit at home order has since been defeated and hijacked by hoodlums and miscreants who are now using it for selfish reasons and to wage war against political leaderships and people of the Southeast region.
There is nothing meaningful or useful in the sit at home order for the Igbo to gain again, if at all anything gainful had ever come out of it for them. I don't know how the disruption of economic activities, killing of more innocent Igbo mindlessly under the guise of enforcement of IPOB sit at home order will bring economic and political emancipation and Independence to the people of Southeast region. Sit at home order had outstayed and outlived its purpose and needs to be stopped immediately.
If not, why are the leaders of IPOB not on the same page on the sit at home order? Why the division among them in views and compliance? Why have some states like Anambra State precisely the State capital Awka, Imo, Abia the home state of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Ebonyi not observing sit at home order again? How did the people, governments and security agents succeed in stopping the menance in those states?
Whichever way one sees or looks at it, one thing is that is very clear and not in doubt is that Mbah has taken a very commendable and bold step towards ending the hydra-dreaded order that has overtly and covertly contributed to quantum economic, human, time and material losses in the state and Southeast region at large.
Just like Mbah, none of his critics mainly the opposition Labourers in Enugu and the IPOB factional leaders are in denial that the IPOB sit at home order has done more harm to the economy and people of the Southeast region than good, hence there is urgent need to ban or stop it now. Monday is too important in Weekdays to be wasted or toiled with. In short, no time or day is less precious and important to be wasted or misused in the name of sit at home order.
Of much importance and assuring is that Mbah is not daunted or discouraged by the mixed reactions or subtle threats by the factional leaders of IPOB and their few apologists, who are opposed to the ban.
Mbah's government is determined to enforce the ban and has started sensitising, appealing and persuading the people of the Enugu State to join hands with his government and security agents to achieve it.
Mbah has in a follow-up statement and radio jingles, urged the people of the state to comply with the ban, assuring them of maximum security and his government's commitment to see an end to the sit at home order in the state.
Mbah's government and security agents deserve the unflinching and unwavering support of the people and residents of Enugu State actualise the ban. This is not time to play politics or politicise security. The time is now. Nothing can be achieved in the atmosphere of insecurity and wastage.
Together, the people and government of Enugu State can. It is doable. Those who are behind the enforcement of the sit at home order in Enugu state are not spirits. They are humans. They are living and cohabiting in the state. They are among the people in the streets. They don't operate in isolation. They have apologists and accomplices among the people.
This is time for all hands to be on deck to end the anathema called sit at home order in Enugu State. Those behind it should utilise this ample opportunity that Mbah has expressed readiness to engage groups with genuine grievances in dialogue to resolve all differences and move the state forward.
On the call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Mbah has done the needful by appealing to the President to urgently release him in the spirit of national healing. Moving forward, the Southeast governors and political leaders should collaborate to engage the new government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently find political solutions to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's prolonged incarceration.
