“No person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour has been the reward for what he gave’’. Calvin Coolidge (1872 – 1933).
Those immortal words of United States 30th President promptly came to my mind when I learnt of THE SUN’S 2015 Governor of the year award given to Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra State. I also believe that the above quote should serve as a reference to both the givers and awardees of various kinds of honour prevalent in Nigeria these days. I recall that barely three months after my assumption of office as a Council Chairman, several organisations began to troop to my office with one kind of “award for excellence’’ or the other. This occurred at a time when I had hardly settled down in office. Some went as far as publishing my name in national newspapers as having been nominated alongside one other Chairman as the best performing Chairmen. Needless to say I rebuffed those sycophantic praise – singers whose interest is obviously more pecuniary than altruistic.
The above scenario is different from THE SUN awards, which credibility has continued to soar over the years because THE SUN’s choice of candidates have been people so meticulously selected from their respective areas of excellence that even the most rabid of critics had to sheathe their swords in silent agreement. The choice of Chief Obiano, Governor of Anambra State as the “2015 THE SUN Governor of the Year’’ is a further attestation that THE SUN awards are designed to reward the numero uno on the ladder of performance.
I have had the rare privilege of working with three governors in Anambra State and must confess that Governor Obiano possesses such an uncanny knack for confronting daunting challenges, undaunted. He believes that “if you can dream it, you can achieve it.” So, he admonishes Anambrarians to dream big dreams. However, it must be noted that a dream does not become a reality by magic; it takes, determination and hardwork-qualities that abound in Governor Obiano, to convert a dream into reality.
A few examples will suffice here: For twenty long years, (1979 to1999) the inhabitants of present day Anambra West Local Government Area yearned and cried for a bridge across River Omabala (read Anambra) to link them to the Anambra mainland. Many political office seekers used the promise of building a bridge across Anambra river to earn cheap votes from Anambra West peninsula.
After three failed attempts by both the state and Federal governments, the Olusegun Obasanjo administration finally erected this bridge at Umueri – Umueze – Anam axis. Though it was the wish of Aguleri – Otu communities in Anambra East Local Government Area to have a similar bridge constructed at the northern part of the same river to get them connected to the rest of the state, but after evaluating what it cost Anambra West Local Government in terms of time (20 years) effort (unquantifiable) and resources to get the Federal Government to build the first bridge, these communities thought it a wild goose chase going back to the Federal Government to demand for another bridge. In less than two years of his assumption of office, Governor Obiano is constructing, not just one bridge but two bridges across Rivers Anambra and Ezichi for Aguleri – Otu communities and Iyiora – Anam respectively. The cheering news is that work on both bridges has reached 95% completion.
The three flyover bridges that sprung up simultaneously in the capital city, Awka have automatically altered the aesthetic view of the city and eased traffic flow. All these in less than two years. Perhaps one area in which this enigmatic administrator has marvelled his admirers and even opponents most, is in the area of security. Before the advent of this regime, Anambra was the hotbed of violent crime, especially kidnapping and armed robbery. Today, Anambrarians who hitherto were too afraid to visit their home state due to the activities of criminals, come home as often as they wish. The result of this is that Anambra, in tandem with Governor Obiano’s dream of making the state a first choice investor’s destination, is ranked among the safest states in the federation. Thirty years after the foundation stone of an airport was laid at Oba, and finally abandoned and the land acquired for it lost to real estate developers, an airport is being constructed at Umueri with the kind of speed and zeal that can be only be associated with Obiano.
Roads are being constructed through swampy forests to food producing communities that were neglected since the existence of Nigeria as a nation. To ensure that every area of the state is carried along irrespective of the terrain, speed boats and water ambulances have been distributed to the riverine communities to service the education and health sectors. Relentless pursuit of agricultural and industrialization programme has so far attracted $2.5bn investment to the state and created about 20,000 direct jobs with its attendant multiplier effect.
THE SUN award is most cherished because it came at a time when enemies of the state, stunned by Obiano’s awesome developmental strides, have resorted to a most vicious and primitive form of criticism designed to hoodwink and deceive the masses. Interestingly, the sterling performance of the governor is like the light which darkness can never overshadow. As we prepare to celebrate this award in February 2016, I wish to remind our indefatigable Governor that man gives the award while the reward ultimately comes from God.
•Hon. Onuorah is the Executive Chairman, Anambra West Local Government Council, Anambra State
The above scenario is different from THE SUN awards, which credibility has continued to soar over the years because THE SUN’s choice of candidates have been people so meticulously selected from their respective areas of excellence that even the most rabid of critics had to sheathe their swords in silent agreement. The choice of Chief Obiano, Governor of Anambra State as the “2015 THE SUN Governor of the Year’’ is a further attestation that THE SUN awards are designed to reward the numero uno on the ladder of performance.
I have had the rare privilege of working with three governors in Anambra State and must confess that Governor Obiano possesses such an uncanny knack for confronting daunting challenges, undaunted. He believes that “if you can dream it, you can achieve it.” So, he admonishes Anambrarians to dream big dreams. However, it must be noted that a dream does not become a reality by magic; it takes, determination and hardwork-qualities that abound in Governor Obiano, to convert a dream into reality.
A few examples will suffice here: For twenty long years, (1979 to1999) the inhabitants of present day Anambra West Local Government Area yearned and cried for a bridge across River Omabala (read Anambra) to link them to the Anambra mainland. Many political office seekers used the promise of building a bridge across Anambra river to earn cheap votes from Anambra West peninsula.
After three failed attempts by both the state and Federal governments, the Olusegun Obasanjo administration finally erected this bridge at Umueri – Umueze – Anam axis. Though it was the wish of Aguleri – Otu communities in Anambra East Local Government Area to have a similar bridge constructed at the northern part of the same river to get them connected to the rest of the state, but after evaluating what it cost Anambra West Local Government in terms of time (20 years) effort (unquantifiable) and resources to get the Federal Government to build the first bridge, these communities thought it a wild goose chase going back to the Federal Government to demand for another bridge. In less than two years of his assumption of office, Governor Obiano is constructing, not just one bridge but two bridges across Rivers Anambra and Ezichi for Aguleri – Otu communities and Iyiora – Anam respectively. The cheering news is that work on both bridges has reached 95% completion.
The three flyover bridges that sprung up simultaneously in the capital city, Awka have automatically altered the aesthetic view of the city and eased traffic flow. All these in less than two years. Perhaps one area in which this enigmatic administrator has marvelled his admirers and even opponents most, is in the area of security. Before the advent of this regime, Anambra was the hotbed of violent crime, especially kidnapping and armed robbery. Today, Anambrarians who hitherto were too afraid to visit their home state due to the activities of criminals, come home as often as they wish. The result of this is that Anambra, in tandem with Governor Obiano’s dream of making the state a first choice investor’s destination, is ranked among the safest states in the federation. Thirty years after the foundation stone of an airport was laid at Oba, and finally abandoned and the land acquired for it lost to real estate developers, an airport is being constructed at Umueri with the kind of speed and zeal that can be only be associated with Obiano.
Roads are being constructed through swampy forests to food producing communities that were neglected since the existence of Nigeria as a nation. To ensure that every area of the state is carried along irrespective of the terrain, speed boats and water ambulances have been distributed to the riverine communities to service the education and health sectors. Relentless pursuit of agricultural and industrialization programme has so far attracted $2.5bn investment to the state and created about 20,000 direct jobs with its attendant multiplier effect.
THE SUN award is most cherished because it came at a time when enemies of the state, stunned by Obiano’s awesome developmental strides, have resorted to a most vicious and primitive form of criticism designed to hoodwink and deceive the masses. Interestingly, the sterling performance of the governor is like the light which darkness can never overshadow. As we prepare to celebrate this award in February 2016, I wish to remind our indefatigable Governor that man gives the award while the reward ultimately comes from God.
•Hon. Onuorah is the Executive Chairman, Anambra West Local Government Council, Anambra State
Obiano wears the Sun Governor of the year award and it fits him By Simon Onuorah
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Sunday, January 03, 2016
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Sunday, January 03, 2016
Rating:
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