Prof Okunna speaks on Obi’s Anambra on Obiano’s day

It was an interesting outing for Prof Pat Okpoko to have attracted the response of Prof Stella Chinyere Okunna to speak about her boss Chief Peter Obi on the 1^st anniversary of Governor Willie Obiano. www.odogwublog.com reports that it is trending now

I write to commend Prof Pat Uche Okpoko for his painstaking effort to document the remarkable achievements of His Excellency Mr Peter Obi, CON, during his two-term tenure as Governor of Anambra State. Indeed, ANIDS (Anambra Integrated Development Strategy) was as audacious as it was revolutionary. At its inception, many people were astounded by HE Peter Obi's audacity to think of working in ALL sectors of the economy SIMULTANEOUSLY (an 'all-point' agenda), when some Governors were implementing four-, three-, two- or even one-point agenda. To some doubting Thomases, Peter Obi was 'not serious' or simply crazy!

Amazingly, ANIDS did work. It did, mainly because it was a planning and budgeting strategy, and Peter Obi was a planning and budgeting mastermind. As he carefully planned, meticulously budgeted, doggedly implemented and supervised, and participatorily sought and received feedback from Ndi-Anambra for whom the numerous ANIDS projects were being executed, he surefootedly made his way into the history books. Through his masterstroke in combining his revolutionary ANIDS with his equally innovative Vision (to achieve the MDGs), his movement into the annals of history as a leader of great repute and "a veritable role model of good governance" was unstoppable. His journey and amazing achievements in this regard are as partly but masterfully documented by Prof Okpoko.

Yes, Prof Okpoko's account of the remarkable legacy of HE Peter Obi in Anambra State is merely a summary, albeit a good one. There is absolutely no doubt that in the records of the numerous local, national and international development partners with whom HE Peter Obi worked, as well as in the fond memories of Ndi-Anambra in particular and Nigerians in general, there are fuller accounts of the Peter Obi legacy in his beloved Anambra State.

Indeed, history will look very kindly on this legacy and any attempt to denigrate it, or its creator, is an exercise in futility. Above all, history will certainly look most unkindly on such 'denigrators'. Undoubtedly!

Professor Chinyere Stella Okunna,
Head of Mass Communication,
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Former/Immediate past (Peter Obi Administration):
*Chief of Staff
*Hon Commissioner, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget (Development Partnership Coordinating Ministry)
*Chair, Millennium Development Goals Implementation Committee

Photo: Okunna on white and Dr Uju Okeke , former Education Commissioner during Obi's tenure and now member of Local government service commission Board