Governor Peter Obi: Good policy on handing over 1,040 schools to original owners

Governor Obi of Anambra State and his administration deserves unequivocal applaud on transferring 1,040 schools back to the original owners. It is important to highlight such an important and affirmative move by Obi's administration to show that we are all committed to the truth and a better Anambra state. When the government of Governor Obi misplaced his steps in governance, it should not be neglected or left un-criticized.  But at same time when he put up a sound policy he should also be acknowledged and commended.  All of us who cares for Anambra’s development and wellbeing must be consistent and committed to truth and justice. And we will not hesitate to call it the way we saw it and let the chips fall where they may. This time around Governor Peter Obi got it right.

The constructive criticism of the government of Obi cannot be perceived by his administration as bitterness towards the governor. When mishaps, bad policy and poor workings of the government are shaded from the light of the day everyone becomes complicit to the process. And that is not healthy for the emerging democracy in the state and in Nigeria. That is why it is necessary to give kudos to the governor on his recent move to restore the schools to the original owners.

Vanguard newspaper reported that, "The N6 billion will be shared among the Catholic Church, Anglican Church and remaining government schools in four installments. In the first installment, the Catholic Church, which owns a lion’s share of 453 schools, will receive over N762 milion, while its Anglican counterpart will get over N498 million. The remaining public schools not taken from the churches will share over N489 million out of a total of N1.75 billion. The second and third installments will gulp N1.25 billion each, while the fourth and last installment will cost the government N1.75 billion."

L-R Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, the Hon. Minister of Education; Most Rev. Dr. Christian Efobi, Archbishop of the Niger Province of the Anglican Communion; Gov. Peter Obi; Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Okeke, Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Province; and the National Chairman of APGA at the return of 1040 schools to the missionaries by the Governemnt of Anambra State. credit: nigeriamasterweb

Majority of the schools were owned by religious institutions notably the Catholic and Anglican Churches. The remaining schools were owned by non-profit organization and private organizations. At the end of Nigerian civil war the then government of East Central State in the cloak of the implementation of the Universal free Education took over schools owned by private and religious institutions.

Since the takeover of the schools by the government the management was below the standard benchmark. The high benchmark quality set by Christian’s administration and management was relegated to poor quality and poor results. The worst of the all is the emergence of social breakdown and social ills epitomized by gangs, hazing, criminality and nefarious activities. The former schools of notably high morality, decency and uprightness later decomposed and metamorphosed to den of robbers, prostitution and moral delinquency.

As those schools became government owned the teaching and upholding of Christian mores, values and customs were abandoned. The saturation of student's minds with worldly and mundane values subsequently brought the total breakdown of the requisites values needed to sustain a decent and law abiding societies. The government was not interested in improving the moral integrity of the pupils and students and the large segment of the student body became wayward and criminals. In religious settings the study of Christology was richly emphasized that became the basis to build an orderly society.

Comrade Micheal Alogba Olukoya, President of National Executive Council, National Union of Teachers (NUT) criticized the handover and said: “It is a parody and travesty of governance that as the world moves progressively toward mass education through public funding, the Governor of Anambra State is all out to returning education to elitist project, undeserving for the children of the poor masses.” But that is not necessarily the prevailing case.

It must be noted that Christian schools had a history of taking care of the poor and will not abandon the children of poor masses but rather help to direct them in better direction for a successful lives. Also, there were naysayers and cynical individuals that believed Governor Obi did not turn over the schools for benevolent reasons. They were adamant that the Governor Obi could not pay the new lawful approved minimum wages; therefore he transferred the responsibilities to the private sector.

But in supposedly federal system of government, decentralization enables the state government to make the best possible decisions without interference from outside. Anambra state has decided to give back schools to the original owners and that is their prerogative and that’s how federalism works. The government has been in the control of these schools for over forty years and has not improved the moral integrity and well-being of the poor masses. Let's give the private sector the chance to try something new and creatively original that may have better answers to the societal problems.

Governor Peter Obi turning over the schools is justifiable in a democratic society that needs the growth and development of a strong private sector. The reality is that he handed the schools to the original owners and he deserved the kudos for his thoughtful act.

Governor Peter Obi is losing his enormous goodwill

When Peter Obi was campaigning for the governorship election he created for himself an image of a business expert with the capacity to magically transform Anambra state hence Anambra people had a very high expectation, even when Ngige came in through the back door and was doing some good works people were still wishing that the person they gave the mandate should come and take them to the next level.

In March 2006 that dream came through and everybody celebrated the dawn of a new era for massive transformation and realization of the Anambra of our dreams. More than five years after he became governor the high expectations of Anambra people (that made Peter Obi to almost become a religion) have not been met. It is not that Peter Obi’s government has not recorded some notable achievements (especially in the area of rural development- currently about 6 bridges are at various stages of completion) but there is huge expectation gap which so far he has not been able to meet; but for Ngige Anambra people did not expect much from him hence he easily surpassed their expectations.

For example in the Education sector, during his campaign Peter Obi told us that Anambra school system will be transformed to the extent that even his kids will come back and school in Anambra state. Even though there is some piecemeal approach to rehabilitate some school buildings but till date there is no standard secondary school in Anambra state that is worthy of governor’s children; I am not demanding that his children should come back to school in Anambra but can the governor beat his chest today that there is one secondary school in Anambra he can send his own child to. I almost wept the day I saw the state of Anambra state University late last year. Please( for the sake of the children whom he preaches that he loves) let Anambra State Executive Council visit Gombe State University so that they can have an idea of how a state university should look like( Gombe is not an oil producing state hence no excuse of Gombe having more money). It did not take Gombe State government large percentage of their yearly budget to build the university; it only took vision, political will, modest cost of government contract and sincerity.

When Peter Obi came in 2006 he told us that Awka the state capital is an emerging slum, people were happy two years later when he announced that the master plan for Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha is ready; that he will transform these cities to standard cities that will be a model in Nigeria (people’s expectations went very high again), almost three years later there is nothing to show that any form of master plan is being implemented, buildings and shops are still being build indiscriminately in Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi and none of these cities are illuminated at night.

Anytime I pass through Onitsha in the night(from 8pm) from Asaba it looks so deserted that it  always seems as if the Biafran civil war was still on or that it just ended. Onitsha has not been able to achieve its full potential as a commercial hub because it functions only for 12 hours unlike other commercial cities that function for at least 18 hours; this is because there are no social infrastructures to support it to function up to 18 hours like a normal commercial city. This is same sad story for Nnewi that should be the manufacturing hub of Nigeria.

There is still no visible improvement in the social infrastructure of Awka the Anambra state capital, even the Awka stadium and the golf course projects have been abandoned despite the promise of this government to complete all ongoing projects since March 2006.

People always marvel at how Peter Obi (almost on a weekly basis) will pass through Enugu and sometimes Owerri, Asaba and even Umuahia and still be comfortable with the poor level of infrastructure in Awka. The only means of relaxation known in Awka is beer parlour (that is why an average male resident has pot belly- which is not healthy); there are no sports complexes, recreation parks, cinema etc

Till date there is no plan of fulfilling the promise made by Peter Obi to put Anambra state on tourism map by developing of Agulu Lake and Ogbunike Cave into major tourist sites in Nigeria. Also the Ikenga Hotel owned by the government in Awka has been left to rot away; government should have privatised it or concessioned it to private sector to manage (even Protea hotels manage smaller hotels than Ikenga Hotel).

I believe that three years that is left of his government is enough to make amends and be on the same page with Anambra people again; if His Excellency can take time off and do a self appraisal.

Ezomike Ikechukwu,  Public Affairs Commentator Lagos Nigeria.

Happy Birthday Senator Chris Ngige, Let us Sing And Dance

Love him or detest him, Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige remains a classic to be deliberated in the annals of Nigerian politics. And yet more volumes flood in as he continues in his crusade to liberate the state of Nigerian politics from its condition of desuetude, to one where politicians and leaders seek and invest in advanced ideas to salvage their people from the artificial restraints of inequality and poverty.

This has surely earned him great foes, vicious and mean men in high places. Yet he has as well a place in the hearts of the ordinary man and this is proven by the fact that he never rents a crowd, but has charmed the people with his past works, native intelligence and simple way of life, his heartbeat is in synch with that of the farmer in Anam and Anyamelum areas, the trader in Onitsha and Nnewi Markets, The Corn Sellers in Ekuke, the Nursing Mother in Abagana, the student population in Uli, Igbariam and Awka, the Pensioner in Ebenebe, Awba Ofemili and Otogo Nnewi. He surely feels their pains and has vowed to lift such weights anywhere they are found.

Unlike certain demagogues who like to announce to the whole world their harebrained projects as indubitable achievements, for it is only in Anambra that a government announces with shameless hilarity and animation that it has carried out immunization in the state! Or given out ambulances, to non functioning clinics, spending millions of Naira on bill boards, leaflets, TV and radio advertisements in self praise, using many gifted in the art of the spin doctors as Mephisto to this Faust, that even when they fart, they immediately claim it has a wonderful deodorizing appeal.

Dr. Ngige needs no spin doctors, as an Ex Governor and savvy administrator his works as governor reveal dimensions to the man, his philosophy goes beyond windy platitudes and political banality. Whereas he spent only 33 months as Governor amidst iniquitous sallies from the Obasanjo government, a determined Chris Uba and his acolytes and even the Anambra Electoral Petitions Tribunal, Ngige managed to work, performing excellently. This is even acknowledged by his strongest foes that despite their astringent thoughts about him, they still look at his projects with admiration and unconsciously mutter, Chi Gozie Nwa Ngige! In English Language it means, God Bless Ngige's children. This trend alone nullifies out rightly one of President Jonathan's strong arguments for tenure elongation.

Now as a Senator one has no fears that we will once again be exposed to his joie de vivre in the Senate, a Senate lacking in vim and vigor since the days of the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo. In Senator Ngige, there can never be a dull moment, for the people of Anambra Central, Igbo land and Nigeria as a whole, President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda may obtain a speedy vehicle with his likes in the Senate.

Let me state that the cause for celebrating Senator Chris Ngige today, is not limited to partisan politics, nor tribal sentiments. Ngige's fan base cuts across the four cardinal points of the Federation, reaping the respect and the admiration of millions of Nigerians at home and abroad. His trademark beard and jaunty cap remain symbols of his struggle for emancipation amongst the youth.

But how can we forget Ngige's labours, it is with us even when we seek at other things, pushing back, obtruding our inner most thoughts like a flood turning into a torrent or a breeze becoming a gale. Such a situation is hardly surprising, for Anambra state had in the years past been bereft of any semblance, even a pretence to good governance by past leaders, bad governance was a like a norm, a way of life an inclination before he came on board. Even his coming as governor was simply viewed as the continuity of such an ugly trend, many dismissed our diminutive hero as a prisoner in the Chris Uba scheme to continue the hemorrhaging of Anambra state, Senator Ngige's rise from such an invented prison and his capacity in overcoming the trials and tribulations unleashed on him, even in the face of unsaid defeat proved them wrong. In his 33 months of governance we were reminded of our heroic reaction to the triple onslaught of war, starvation and blockade engineered against the Igbo people and other ethnic minorities during the Biafran war.

Senator Ngige is compared to our avowed Igbo leader, General Emeka Ojukwu. Senator Ngige built 44 Inter Local Government, State and Federal Roads, spanning all Local Government Areas in the State, 14 township roads in Onitsha, 10 Township roads in Awka, 8 at Nnewi, with a dualisation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue, thus when a spin doctor like Val Obienyem accuses Senator Ngige of building roads which led only to his Alor country home, one is immediately taken aback at such an attempt at tactless revisionism. It is again a fact that when Senator Ngige's administration came onboard, they met an empty treasury, yet when he was leaving, the state coffers boasted of 12.8 billion Naira in its accounts, an act unprecedented in our state or national history, yet such a noble act was irrationally described by Victor Umeh the APGA National Chairman as a landmine of sorts!

It was Ngige who cleared the backlog of pensions, paid striking teachers and members of the civil service arrears of salaries owed them by the Mbadinuju administration.

It was Ngige who asked the University administration of the Anambra State University to reduce the tuition fees from N30, 000 to N18, 500 and also refund the N5, 000 collected from the students in order to have the University accredited. Today the fees in ANSU have been increased by 110 percent a gesture by the present state government to show that it loves education. This governor even had the audacity to mock the students, saying that university education was for only those who could afford it and that if they really wanted to attend ANSU; they ought to tell their mothers to sell their wrappers as he claims his mother did. Pray my most learned reader, how many wrappers would your mother sell today to raise 130,000 annually for school fees, asides books, accommodation and other financial involvements.

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While religious tensions are gradually rearing its head in Anambra state, we remember with nostalgia how meritocracy was built as an altar in Anambra State under Senator Chris Ngige, here a catholic governor in Ngige had more Anglicans in its cabinet.In other sectors, despite the mantra of developing all sectors simultaneously of the current state government, the Ngige Legacy in Anambra thumps whatever Mr. Obi presents, in style, planning and delivery. Such great achievements will build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold. I am unstinting in my judgement of him

As Ngige clocks 59 today being August the 8th 2011, let us celebrate the man whose greatness is essential to the hopes of Ndigbo and Nigeria as a nation, let us roll out the drums, sing and dance. Happy Birthday Sir.

Igboeli Arinze Napoleon writes from Abuja.

Discarded empty sachets of ‘pure water’ and solid waste are clogging the storm water drainages

Governor Peter and his administration including Anambra State Environmental　Protection Agency (ANSEPA) are not pro-active in the collection and disposal of refuse in Anambra State in general and Onitsha in particular. Despite the restive public relation by his administration on pages of newspapers, the refuse disposal in Onitsha and Anambra State is not being executed properly and it is saddled with poor management. There is no doubt that Governor Peter Obi has been trying to come up with the policy and standard of operation for hauling the refuse and debris from homes and streets of Onitsha. But there are lapses, holes and vulnerabilities in his overall operation in the disposal of solid waste that hampered his unelaborated effort.

The whole truth is that solid waste disposal scheme is not functioning properly. The removals of the refuse from residential homes are not consistent but infrequent and inadequate.There is no established and consistent framework that will stipulate the frequency of trash removal be it once or twice in a week or biweekly. The problem with Obi’s administration is his inability to decide whether a taskforce/appointed contractors or the environmental commission ANSEPA is responsible for collection and environmental safe disposal of refuse and solid waste.

As you walk around or drive through nooks and corners of Onitsha there are still refuse and waste abandon on street corners and inside the drainage system. These are serious and have deteriorating health implications for the citizens living in close proximity to the massive littering and exposure to the rotten solid waste. These abandonments of decaying refuse are becoming the ideal center for breeding of both water and air borne diseases. In addition the trash deposit becomes a breeding ground for mosquito parasites that comes with malaria.

Apart from the deformation of environmental integrity, the unkempt image of heaped refuse and solid waste are blocking pedestrian pathways and the wastes have some detrimental effects on the ecosystem and the urban dwellers. This is why it is necessary that safe removal of waste must be given a highest priority and attended immediately with most serious attention.

The menace and severity of malaria and mosquito can be easily controlled by safe removal of refuse that filled the dirty aqueous potholes on the streets of Onitsha and roads of Anambra State. The urban dwellers derived their drinking water mostly from water boreholes and there are possibilities the residues of waste material could sipped into the water, thus injecting e-coli bacteria that causes cholera, diaherra and stomach upset.

The environmental pollution of the air becomes apparent when refuse and waste are allowed to decay further and commence to discharge some toxic gases that are harmful to human and the ecosystem. Apart from the pungent smell of abandon refuse, the emission of methane and nitrogenous gases from the decomposing refuse can cause serious medical mishaps to the residents of Onitsha and Anambra State.

credit:Igboforum

Re-organization of management team is necessary

There must be a clear stipulation without confusion whose party or team is responsible for attending and removing of waste. The government of Anambra State has contracted some companies to go and make sure that inhabitants of Onitsha are paying their refuse disposal fees. But the objectives, modus operandi and operational responsibilities of the appointed contractors are not clearly defined. Are the contractors mandated to collect fees and if so on what ordinances are they acting on? In this case who will the people hold responsible when trash are not removed. The citizens of the state must be promptly informed on the fees they suppose to pay, the location for the payment and the type of containers that are needed for dumping their refuse.

Good Housekeeping must be adhered to

 For the outcome of achieving a clean environment requires education and information on both ends – the government and the people. To keep the city clean and make littering a history in the state the people must be impacted with necessary information and the government officials must be familiar with the environmental ordinances and they must be equipped with the technical know-how to communicate effectively with the citizens. The information including the frequency of removal and what to do with other materials like bottles and plastic, oil, paints and others which are not essentially decaying materials. Instituting a policy for picking up refuse is more than providing a hauling truck but must involved a consistent planning and execution that ensures that trash are safely removed from the generated point to a recycling center and finally to an engineered landfill.

                                                                                          Discarded sachets of 'pure water'

Best Management Practice (BMP) can be accomplished by trial and enhancement procedures

In Anambra State and Onitsha in particular the abandoned sachets of 'pure water' are grossly littered across on the ground, ditches and gutters. Whenever it rains those empty sachets migrated into the streets and drainages. With a well established BMP, the methodology of collection can be re-visited and adjusted when necessary. The problem of not having an established standard of operation in Onitsha becomes self-evident when it rains resulting in massive over-flooding due to the blockage of drainage convergences by the waterproof polymers and solid wastes.

Governor Obi cannot afford to give lip service to the issue of refuse collection and disposal because the health wellbeing of the residents of Onitsha and Anambra State will be greatly impacted by environmental degradation due to incompetence and dereliction of duty.

Obi is Anambra State's man

When Henry Kissinger was the United States Secretary of state, Germans refer to him as ‘Unsere eigenen Mann’ which means  ‘Our own man‘ because  Henry (Heniz) Kissinger to them  is not just only a German American but a favorite one.  Governor Obi is ‘Unsere eigenen Mann’ which means in Igbo language ‘Onye nke anyi’ because he respects and honors the people of his state.  Obi is truly a son of the soil.

Governor Obi is tenacious, decent, respectful and self-made man a quality that personifies what it really means to be Anambrian and son of a soil. He has made the people of Anambra State proud, for he tendered a leadership that differentiated him from the antecedent governors of the state. For one thing, he is serious with his job and he is determined to leave a legacy of successful governance.

But all things being equal, he will not be absolved from constructive criticism. When and if we do that we are not being fair to him or our self.  One thing for sure, Obi is equal to the task and the best thing he expects from us is not to be milling around him, asking and begging for contracts and handouts. Alas, he wants us to help him build Anambra state, which we all can be proud to call our home.

To his credit and his commissioners, they have a comprehensive blue print for Anambra State development. By this his administration does not concentrate on a project but simultaneously undergoing many projects. The downside is that no single project is fully enhanced, nor greatly accomplished. In addition, the blue print lacks creativity with regards to generating local revenues.

For instance the collection and disposal of solid waste/debris in commercial city of Onitsha has not been fully achieved or instituted due to lack of fund and superior management.  The environmental deterioration of Onitsha continues to worsen due to unattended littering of trash and rubbish in every nooks and corners of the city. In spite of the effort of Obi's administration the ditches and gutters are still teaming with debris and pollutants that readily contaminate the ecosystem. And such an environment breeds misquotes and subsequently malarial diseases have never been subsidized.

During the campaign for re-election, Obi promised to transform Onitsha into a modern city. This is a tall order and credit must be given to him for his vision. For a modern city to be realized and becomes functional some basic social amenities must be present .These social amenities and infrastructures must include electricity, tap drinking water and a functional sewage treatment plant.

In case of electricity, we all know quite well it is under federal government jurisdiction but   nothing stops the state government from not acquiring solar light panels and safe the streets from total darkness at nights. The government of Delta State was able to light streets of Asaba before Onitsha Head Bridge with solar light panels; therefore it can be done. No more excuses!

Governor Obi has embarked on provision of water boreholes to provide drinking water. But instead of investing limited resources in digging water boreholes, it is better to find ways to resuscitate the abandon Onitsha Water Works and others around the state. Moreover some of these water boreholes are exposed to hazardous metals (Arsenic, lead, Boron etc) together with  ecoli bacteria and radioactive elements can be life threatening and carcinogenic.

When children drink untreated water that is exposed to nature occurring pollutants it may result to diarrhea and cholera even death. The boreholes water is not treated nor chlorinated to make it healthy and safe for human consumption.

At the dawn of 21st century there should be a plan to set up waste water treatment plant in Anambra State where sewage and wastes are treated before the release into the ecosystem. The human and animal wastes can be treated properly into manures that will be utilized for farming.

The most important function of a government is to protect life and property. The mal-enterprise of kidnapping threatens the pursuit of life and happiness in Anambra State. The massive unemployment among the youths in the state do contributes to kidnapping and armed robbery. Although that the federal government control security apparatus, the state government cannot totally absolve itself when it comes to the provision of jobs to the youths. It may not be the function of government to provide jobs rather to create a secured environment with less criminal activity for capitalism and free enterprise to thrive and succeed.

Anambra state could be creative with its initiatives and improvise on new ways to lower down joblessness among the youths.  The government can create environmental corps whose function would be to patrol the state and pick up trash. These corps will be mandated to issue violation tickets when citizens violate environmental rules and regulations. And the revenues they generated can sustain their salaries and employments.

Although the government of  Anambra State will complain that there are no resources and funds to carry out these projects. But the most important thing is the willpower and willingness to initiate a change. Start from somewhere and who knows what will happen next. The Chinese philosopher Lao Zi said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

President Goodluck Jonathan in Anambra State

Anambra State and its people including Governor Obi are making the preparation and putting the finishing touch to receive the August visitor, His Excellency President Goodluck Jonathan on his official visit to the state. The people of the state will come out in mass numbers to receive and show Anambra hospitality to the president. Without doubt, the people of the state and its government are solidly in support of the president and his progressive policies. While ago the governors of south eastern Nigeria and stakeholders congregated at Enugu and wholeheartedly endorsed President Jonathan for another four years.

Anambra State has a lot to be proud of and as it’s truly the -light of the nation. The state and its people have contributed immensely in the making of Nigeria and are in the vanguard of Nigeria’s actualization. The great sons and daughters of Anambra State have continued to make Nigeria proud and great.  The one shining example was the role played by the late Rt. Honourabe Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in struggle to free Nigerians from colonialism and ushered the country into the oasis of freedom and liberty.

Even to the present day illustrious sons and daughters of Anambra State including those at home and Diasporas have not rested on their laurels but used every opportunity to make Nigeria better and greater. The Honorable Chinua Achebe, an Anambrian and one of the greatest novelist of our time continues to speak out on issues that are relevant to the people of Anambra state and indeed Nigeria.

With the availability of ample human capital in Anambra State, there are also numerous problems confronting the state. This is where Governor Peter Obi comes in and he will have the ear of the president of Nigeria with this official visit. First and foremost, the provision of security is not adequate to confront the menace of kidnapping. The problem of kidnapping is among the major problems confronting the state. The government of Anambra State may not appreciate the depth of the problem but kidnapping is a clog in the progress of the state.

Anambra State business community especially the tourism industry is bearing the brunt of kidnapping that have gone rampant in the state. Anambra citizens residing outside the state are reluctant to journey home as fear of being kidnapped becomes overwhelmingly probable and real. The citizens of Anambra State in Diasporas especially those in North America and Europe are not returning to the state in a record numbers. The state is losing out because money and resources are not flowing freely into Anambra State.

Governor Obi will dialogue with the president and solicit for a help in providing adequate security to protect lives and property in the state. After all, the most important function of a government is the protection of life and property. President Jonathan is a progressive and compassionate leader; he will come to the aid of the government and people of Anambra State on this calamity they are experiencing.

Another major problem is the issue of unemployment among the youths. The young men and women are the most important human resources needed for growth and development. In a capitalist economy government do not necessarily create jobs but they do create conducive environment that enable job creation to be possible and sustainable. President Jonathan’s visit to the state can be a source of relief and the beginning of something great and spectacular for the Anambra state and indeed Nigeria.

Emeka Chiakwelu is the Principal Policy Strategist at Afripol Organization. Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (Afripol) is foremost a public policy center whose fundamental objective is to broaden the parameters of public policy debates in Africa. To advocate, promote and encourage free enterprise, democracy, sustainable green environment, human rights, conflict resolutions, transparency and probity in Africa.

As the sun shines brighter at the east and sets dimmer in the west; home will always be the best. Home is where the heart is and therein is the treasure. The World Igbo Congress (WIC) is an entity which has been nurtured through the years just like Igbo People’s Congress (IPC), have matured to what it is today. WIC may have noble intentions, with their humongous treasures buried in the south eastern region of Nigeria, but their home seems to be in Diaspora – United States of America. This ambiguity with a shade of abnormality gingers a need for rethinking.

After another convention which ended September 4, 2006 in Boston, this body which some of their objectives are: to unify Ndi-Igbo everywhere; promote, protect and advance Igbo culture and civilization, promote progress and development in Ala-Igbo, promote and cultivate political awareness and civic responsibility among Ndi-Igbo, etc. has really come of age. However, its activities have shown to be more for the Igbo elites and its impact nominal in continental Igbo land. What explanation could be given that an organization which supposedly should be an umbrella for all Ndi-Igbo (both those in continental Africa and Diaspora); since its inception in Houston, Texas has had all its conventions in United States of America. One should start asking; where are the bulk population of Ndi-Igbo? Are they all living in United States of America or at the south eastern region of Nigeria? While kudos should be given to WIC for propagating the interest of Igbo internationally and sending echoes around the globe for the socio-economic advancement of Ndi-Igbo, they should think inwardly on how to get the common man in Igbo land involved. The only way to achieving that would be by hosting some of their annual conventions in various towns in south eastern region of Nigeria.

In the tone of the old school rhyme that says; summer is the season when students are so merry with a long vacation; for Igbo elites, politicians, nouveau riches and every person of substance, summer is the period to converge or retreat into ‘Camp David’ in United States under the canopy of World Igbo Congress. While WIC has provided a cornucopia for the rich and powerful to retreat in America and renew their contacts with the hope of advancing the Igbo course. But to millions of grass root Igbo in Nigeria, little or nothing is known about this Hercules of international symbolism. This is due to little or no impact WIC has made in the local Igbo communities. Even with the numerous teething problems buffeting ‘Ohaneze’ which if not well handled will lead to its demise, ‘Ohaneze’ an Igbo think tank has a wider grass root acceptance than WIC. Today, it seems that the beleaguered ‘Ohaneze’ and the elites are depending on the strength of WIC to resurrect the crawling remnant of the Igbo aspirations within the realm of political survival in the polity of Nigerian terrain.

It costs about $300,000 to organize an annual World Igbo Congress convention in American cities. The Igbo attendees that come from all corner of the globe spend close to $4m dollars annually to grace the convention. Yearly American cities where these conventions are held receive big economic boost. While it is good to support international friendship; imagine what good it will do to the people of Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta and any other Nigerian states, if the sum of $4m dollars and more are injected into their revenue through the annual convention of WIC. WIC would not only have helped in the economic development of the people she claims to speak for , but also will generate awareness among the grass roots who are the prime reason for the existence of that body. After all, charity should begin at home.

The gathering of the Ndi-Igbo during the conventions organized by WIC has drawn more towards building political blocs and seeking for panacea to heal the wounds of the marginalization of the Igbo people in Nigeria political system. It falls on the Igbo to work themselves vigorously back into the Nigerian political system by presenting themselves trustworthy, united, staunch, willing and ready. The generality of the work to achieve these tasks falls on the Igbo politicians, elites and chieftains. No other body but WIC seems more organized to foster this action. As important as this may be, WIC has not come out with structures – political, economic and social that would reinvigorate the collapsing foundations of her people and position them for the new trend.

Swami Vivekananda, a 19th century Hindu holy man, once said that every nation has a "special genius" and that of India’s is religious devotion. For the Igbo’s, theirs are tenacity and patience . Those characteristics should be transformed into action if the Igbo should become relevant in the political navigation of Nigeria. Unfortunately, the general claim has been that the Igbo have been marginalized by the federal government of Nigeria, but internally the Igbo elites, politicians and the rich have in various ways marginalized their own people and that is the worst.

This could be a proper time for the evangelism, revival and salvation of this ethnic group who have been dubbed the "Jews of Africa’. How correct this is, only time will tell. There’s an urgent need for the Igbo to have an agenda which is democratic in nature and shun its misconstrued republicanism. The political image of the Igbo man in Nigerian psyche should be rebuilt. When an Igbo man or politician is asked: Got a brother to betray? And his answer is No, then all other regions of Nigeria will have no reason not to give massive support to the much sort Igbo presidency which has remained elusive for now and which is one of the major concerns of World Igbo Congress.

Sunny Oputa is a Senior Fellow and a Political Analyst on Nigerian Affairs at Afripol.Org

The government of Anambra State, Nigeria and Access Bank a local financial institution have recently lunched 2.5 Billion Naira microfinance project. This is good news coming from Anambra State that is bedeviled with high unemployment and capital flight.  “Access Bank Plc, a Nigerian commercial bank, has agreed to work with the Anambra state government to launch the state’s first microfinance scheme, by providing an equivalent of USD 16.5 million to selected microfinance institutions (MFIs) within the month. State Governor Peter Obi plans to set up workshops at the local government level throughout the state, in order to monitor progress and train operatives on “effective operation of the scheme.”  The petty traders and small scale merchants can get small loans based on their worthiness of character without the conventional collateral and security.

Access Bank and Anambra State must be applauded for this important project. The issues of credit and liquidity availability are the major problems confronting small business in Anambra State and Nigeria. It is not news that the people of Anambra State are business orientated with industrious and enterprising spirit. But issue of finance can become a hindrance in starting and sustaining a business venture. Therefore with the presence of micro financing the lines of credit will become avaliable to the serious merchants and traders in the state.

Governor Peter Obi “has also organized a committee, consisting of himself, representatives of the Access Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, microfinance bank operators, and others, who will oversee the program. The criteria for taking out a loan are not based on assets or collateral, but on “proven good character of the borrower.” The MFIs receiving funds are restricting the maximum amount that can be loaned to an individual to be equivalent to USD 3,294.”

The problems of unemployment do contribute to kidnapping and armed robbery phenomenon in the state. The youths and young men must be encouraged to start small businesses and they can be persuaded to attend trade schools. Guarantees must be given to the youths that loans and credits must be extended to them at the completion of the trade schools. This can help to curtail delinquency and idleness among some of our youths who are likely to engage in criminal behaviors. The micro financing scheme can become a possibility in fighting crimes and unemployment in the state. But we must be careful not to over stretch the project for government does not necessarily create jobs but formulate policies with enabling environment that makes job creation possible by the private sector. The prime reason for the micro financing is to provide the needed credits to small and petty traders who do not have the collateral and expertise to get loans from commercial banks.

The chairman of the State Committee on Microfinance, Mr. Eze Echesi is capable of doing a good job for the people of Anambra State. Echesi have to assemble a committee of experts and technical advisers from all walks of life especially traders and merchants to aid him in implementing and running a successful micro financing entity. The Governor of the State Peter Obi who is a successful businessman can be of a great help and adviser to the chairman of the project.

The great thing about micro financing is the ability to directly work with the people at the grassroots; the regular day-to-day traders on the street corners and at village market place. The women in Eke market of Umuoji or Nkwo market of Nnewi and similar towns are the reasons that brought about micro financing in the first place and they are the ones that need credit to run their tiny and mini-business outlets. The danger with the project is that it can become a patronage to favor political ally and well connected in the state. This can be a major problem associated with government involvement. The government joint partner with a commercial bank can become deterrence to such a self-defeating purpose.

A major barrier that might delay the dispensing of a loan is the evaluation and quantification of credit worthiness of the borrower. Most of the petty traders are semi-literates and are not keen to record keepings and documentation of daily transactions.  The issues of logistic and location must comes into play therefore the managers of the project must go to the customers, for some of these traders do not have reliable transportation and fares to go to the offices of the loan management. Mass media enlightenment becomes imperative to educate the traders on awareness of the program.

Anambra State government must set benchmarks with deadlines on the project. The government must set a goal and purpose especially what they intend to accomplish with the scheme in next 5- 10 years with regards to business creation and reduction of unemployment in the state. The micro financing cannot be cosmetic and superficial but realistic and pragmatic venture with promising affirmative results to ameliorate the wellbeing of citizens of Anambra State.

Vox populi, vox Dei – The voice of the people is the voice of God. Governor Peter Obi has been reelected and the victory goes to the people of Anambra State of Nigeria, whom inspite of the obstacles turned out to elect the candidate they believed in. In a free society, power comes from people and the people have spoken.  Democracy is about the market of ideas and the person that is able to convince the electorate wins the election.

This is a fresh and new mandate for Peter Obi; obviously he was distracted in his term with interrupted impeachment and trials. But with this victory the people have spoken and empower him to lead them for the next four years. This is not time for revenge or resting in his laurels but an opportunity to complete what he has started. A time for hard work; A time to talk less but definitely a time for action and to deliver the promises he made to the voters. The people put their destiny and trust in the hands of Governor Obi and he must reciprocate by doing the people’s business.

The possibility that Anambra State might live up its motto: The light of the Nation – is emerging. The politics of Anambra State might spearhead the revitalization of Nigeria’s polity. Let’s get this right, nobody is saying that the election was a utopia without hitches. But far from the truth, this is the best so far and this is a good beginning. There was absence of violence and intimidation at the polling stations. Although there were some hiccups especially with the absence of names of the voters together with the lateness of some of the polling stations. But we can make a fair assessment by generally saying that election was credible. Yet there remains a room for improvement, as this can become a foundation to build on. The INEC can learn from this as a case study as they get ready for the 2011 general election.

Governor Peter has to be humble at his victory and he is a thoughtful person. He should extend his hands of amity to his competitors and invite them to aid in building a great state. The campaigns and election are over and time to start planting crops has come! There are many challenges, problems and opportunities in our state. Governor Obi has to take the bulls by its horns and live up to the expectation and mandate from the people.

There are numerous problems in the Anambra State which begs for leadership and pragmatism. First and foremost, he must tackle issue of kidnapping and armed robbery enterprise. The most important function of a government is the protection of life and property. The governance must be creative in arresting unemployment that is culprit to the criminal behaviors. Public sector does not necessarily create jobs but formulate policy and liberalize environment that enable private sector to create jobs.

The pressing issues of erosion gullies must be confronted before it reclaim a sizeable landmass of the Anambra State. This is a serious matter and must treat as such without politicization and polarization from the federal government. The proliferation of water boreholes is not the panacea to paucity of safe drinking water. The new government must embark on provision of tap water in the rural and urban centers. The digging of the soil for water wells might increase the vulnerability of the soil to erosion. The underground water might be exposed to the toxic and hazardous nature-occurring materials which is carcinogenic.

Let us not forget Onitsha the commercial nerve center of Anambra state and indeed Nigeria. During the campaign Obi promise to transform Onitsha to a functional city; Yes! We must hold him to his promise. The management of solid waste collection and disposal in the city must be upgraded. The littering must be controlled with reliable best management practice. The new government must institute a modern sewage treatment plant and operations not just in Onitsha but in the rest of the state. The state may not have the adequate resources for all the projects but the most intrinsic social capital is the political will.

Due to inefficiency of the electric power authority, neighborhoods at nights were engulfed with coagulated darkness: Therefore the street lights of Anambra State especially Awka and Onitsha should be powered with inexpensive solar panels.

The people of Anambra State have suffered long enough in the hands of poor leadership and mismanagement. This is the time for liberation. With the support and loyalty of the people, Governor Peter Obi is capable of delivering and this is the beginning of a new day.     May God Bless Anambra State, Nigeria!