By Cajetan Mmuta Awka
Precisely at about 9:52 am on March 17, 2022, a new page in the history book and narrative of political activism of Anambra state and its people was opened. This came, the moment Charles Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and professor of Economics, was sworn in as the sixth democratically elected governor of the country’s ‘Light of the Nation’ state.

The state Chief Judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, was at his best to administer the oath of allegiance and office as governor.

Soludo, flanked by his wife and four children stole the show at the epic occasion. The deputy governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, and his wife were not taken aback as they had had their shot of the oath-taking processes earlier.

They all relished the momentous occasion with the little fanfare and glitz that heralded the colourful ceremony, though, low keyed. The new aura and protocol were understandable as prescribed by the emerging antics of His Excellency. The security was unbeaten; the eyes of guests of immeasurable heights including captains of industry, labour, traders and market women, support groups, political actors, and the clergies did not fail them. The media did not miss targets. Indeed, it was a happy and glorious moment that people, both high and low, had looked forward to -a new dawn.

Already, his predecessor and former governor, Chief Willie Obiano, left the stage after eight eventful years on the saddle at the Agu Awka Government House. Critics and admirers are now at their best with tales as to what Obiano did and failed to do.

However, Akpokuedike’s legacy achievements of building Anambra International Passenger/Cargo Airport, 10,000 capacity International Convention Centre (ICC), the launch of the state into the club of oil-bearing states, and up-to-date payment of workers’ salaries, speak volumes for him. The rest is now history. Today, the Aguleri political czar had stepped out a fulfilled man, having installed his successor despite the hue and cry, an accomplishment that not many could do.

However, Obiano left his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in a local political league, still as a movement without a virile platform at the national level and its members are still locked in deep suspicion. The ceremony that heralded Soludo’s inauguration witnessed a solemn moment as he led predecessor Chief Willie Obiano to his awaiting vehicle and bade him farewell. That also marked the end of an era.

No doubt, the tall moment and era Charlie Nwamgbafor dreamt and longed for is here, after a few failed attempts. History now beckons on him. Will he fail or succeed? The time has started ticking. Soludo is seen and is carrying a global aura that he cannot afford to disappoint, disgrace, and embarrass both the locals and the diaspora. It is, no wonder, therefore, his burning desire and determination to set out to walk the talk.

Most importantly, Anambra State is a peculiar state because of its strategic and nodal positions, which serve global and national interests in areas of commerce, politics, culture, resources, tourism, and economy. These are given the yet untapped huge human and material potentials that dot every nook and crannies of the state.

Expectedly, the village boy and political czar had once proven his mettle while on the hot seat of the nation’s apex bank which gave birth to the consolidation of the country’s banking sector.
Instructively, the over 100 members of the 2022 Transition Committee that midwife the Soludo/Ibezim inauguration, a body chaired by former Vice of the World Bank (Africa), Prof Oby Ezekwesili was exceptionally wonderful.

In addition, the governor’s 2070 vision for the state remains an ‘architectural’ masterpiece which according to him would take the state to Eldorado and launch it into the realms of global competitors.

Back to basics, it must be pointed out that the state wears an odorous status that tends to give a scare to its residents and indeed knee productivity and enterprise of businesses and economy. This is proven by the ugly footage and imprints of deviants and other criminal elements both in high and low places.

The acts of these elements have not given its people reprieve over time, especially, at the inception of every new government. Governor Soludo has not left any in doubt about his undying love, passion, understanding, prospects, and perception of the obvious challenges and intrigues in his speech laced with assurances for a better tomorrow and with pledges not to disappoint the people.

However, his focus and attention on key areas of the worrisome security situation and to enthrone sanity, tackling the challenge of hooliganism and thuggery that have continued to give residents and visitors cause for worry; ensuring a boost in education, economic revival, and realistic employment generation and sanitising the battered system, are all heart-warming.

Singular in this arduous task is in Soludo’s thoughtful move to initiate a summit for a peaceful dialogue between critical stakeholders in the Southeast geo-political zone and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), its militant arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other dissident groups, which calls for a serious rethink.

The poise by the new administration to conduct elections into the 21 local government areas, though in far two years, after the gesture has been crippled by previous governments, is, indeed, cheery and many others. It is no surprise, therefore, the call and invitation extended to all by the governor to join hands with his government in the task of repositioning and lifting the state to an enviable height, saying that “everybody is important in this journey and I need your help to succeed.”

He assured them that his deputy and he would work to make them proud, adding that work had started in earnest and there was no time or kobo to waste in fanfare.

Soludo added that with the State Security Council; meeting of Strategic, Execution, and Evaluation (SEE) team and others, the ship of the state is on the cruise to “signpost our commitment to fundamental urban regeneration, beginning with the greater Onitsha metropolis.”

The governor stated, “Besides the environment, a fundamental existential threat to our state and indeed Igboland is that of peacebuilding and law and order. We can’t build this homeland by turning the sword against each other. Ndi Anambra loves their homeland but the recent upsurge in criminality poses a great threat. My heart bleeds to see and hear about our youth dying in senseless circumstances.”

He said, “Every criminal gang- kidnappers, wicked murderers, arsonists, rapists, thieves— all now claim to be freedom fighters. Criminality cannot be sugar-coated. This must stop.”
Therefore, he said, “I endorse the recent statement (March 7, 2022) by the Joint Body of South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Bishops/Archbishops on Peace and Conflict Resolution, requesting for a tripartite discussion between them, The presidency, and South-East governors to deal with the conflicts in the South-East, especially concerning Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB and ESN.”

He said, “There is no conflict that dialogue, in good faith, cannot resolve. Our government is determined to urgently restore peace and security in Anambra, and we will seek the active cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders. To IPOB/ESN and MASSOB, as well as the disparate armed groups in the forests, it is time to interrogate both the purpose and means of your campaign. To the politicians playing politics with the insecurity, you are riding a tiger. The current trajectory is a desolation road.”

The governor urged, “Let us get around the table and talk. Let the elite in the closet come out, and let’s debate our future and forge a consensus. The conspiracy of silence by the elite and some community leaders must end. If you see something, say or do something! Securing Igboland and Nigeria must be our collective responsibility.

“Let those in the forests come out, surrender their guns and let’s work together to rehabilitate and empower you to contribute positively to the peace and prosperity of our homeland.”

He noted, “A significant part of our state economy is powered by artisans, tricycle riders, vulcanisers, hairdressers, cart pushers, petty traders, bricklayers, women frying ‘akara’, and all those who depend upon daily toil and sweat to feed their families.”

He said, “Every day, there is a “sit at home”, these poor masses lose an estimated N19.6bn in Anambra alone. Due to the protracted breakdown of law and order, businesses are relocating outside Igboland, with growing unemployment, and traders who used to come to shop in Onitsha, Aba, etc, are going elsewhere. Who is losing?

“By forcing our children- the future of Igboland- to stay at home instead of being in school, while even the critically sick people (including pregnant women) cannot go to the hospital, we harm our future.

“I hereby challenge any of the disparate groups that claim that it is not part of the senseless killings and kidnappings to step out and show leadership by joining hands with us to DO something about it. If you love our homeland, there is no place for bloodshed.

He said, “Our contract with Anambra people derives from three seminal documents: (a) “Anambra Vision 2070—a 50-Year Development Plan” which I chaired the drafting; (b) “The Soludo Solution: A People’s Manifesto for a Greater Anambra”; and (c) “The Transition Committee (Combined) Report”—which built upon the first two.”

The governor expresses gratitude to the federal institutions—the judiciary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies for insisting on a transparent and credible electoral system.

He particularly thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Presidency for remaining democrats. He said his government would work on collectively building on a new social and economic order that guarantees and defends economic freedom and reward of private enterprise to secure our future such that any child born in Anambra will have little incentive to rush elsewhere in search of opportunities and anyone persecuted anywhere in the world can return to a happy and prosperous homeland.”

While appreciating the 150 star-studded Transition Committee chaired by Ezekwesili, the governor said the ceremony called for sober reflection due to the enormity of challenges on the ground.

He thanked all the stakeholders including the national leadership of APGA, traditional rulers, the clergies, labour, market women, and traders as well as youth and support groups for their efforts which led to the emergence of the new government in the state.

In his reaction, a former governor, Peter Obi, who commended Soludo on his inauguration and speech, said, he has set a definite tone and standard for the development of the state.

Knowing his background, he would focus on critical areas of development which are education, health, and pulling people out of poverty.

“And he emphasised these clearly and you know that governance and government are about caring for the poor. We have not cared enough for the poor people. You can even see what is happening in the whole country today; while the poor people are looking for food to eat, there is the scarcity of petrol, diesel, and everything.

“We are all occupied by the next elections and so on. It shouldn’t be so. We shouldn’t glorify the suffering of the poor people who cannot get that services. Our children in the universities are not in school. The new governor from his background and his speech; is going to care about all these things and our own are prayers. Mine is always to pray for those in authority,” he added.

Also, the chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra State, Orizu Chinwe said, “Well, from what the governor said in his inaugural speech, I believe he has something good off his sleeves and from what he has started already shows that he came to work and he started without wasting time.

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“Our expectations are high, from Anambrarians and the workers and the people in general. For the workers, we hope that the incoming governor will put smiles on the faces of the workers again. At least, our salaries are small and with this minimum wage, we hope we can get something better than what we have.

“On the workers’ welfare, training and retraining of workers, you know the world has become a global village now and we agree that when the workers are well trained, the output will be very high, productivity will be very high.”