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When Mr Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, offered Anambra State the inspiring vision of building a “Taiwan of Africa” and a “Dubai in Nigeria,” some embraced the promise with joy. In contrast, others dismissed it as an impossible dream. However, history and comparative political development reveal one unassailable truth: no nation, city, or state that stands as a beacon of progress today emerged overnight. Rome was not built in a day. The transformation of Singapore took decades of careful planning, bold sacrifices, false starts, and the cooperation of its citizens. Dubai did not rise from the desert sands overnight; it took years of laying solid foundations, drawing bold plans, and mobilising the people. Taiwan itself is still a project in progress, and even the United States of America—arguably the most advanced democracy in the modern world—remains unfinished, always correcting itself, and always searching for a more perfect union.
Thus, when Governor Soludo calls on Ndi Anambra to walk with him towards Dubai and Taiwan, he is not offering a magic wand; he is offering a leadership path. He is offering to shepherd us through a process that is long, often difficult, but ultimately rewarding. The real question, therefore, is not whether the dream is too high, but whether we as Ndi Anambra are ready to match leadership vision with citizen responsibility.
The story of Rome is repeated in the story of every successful person. Centuries of wars, reforms, and infrastructural renewal laid the foundations of the civilization that later dazzled the world. Singapore, under Lee Kuan Yew, endured struggles, policy failures, and painful discipline before it became a model city-state. Dubai, today admired for its skyscrapers, global commerce, and futuristic vision, was once a desert fishing village. The Dubai miracle was painstakingly crafted through visionary leadership and citizen alignment. Taiwan, an island that today is synonymous with technology and high-end manufacturing, is still refining its democracy, strengthening its economy, and deepening its culture of resilience.
Why is this comparison important? Because it reminds us that transformation is never an event—it is always a process. Progress is never imported; it is always built.
Governor Soludo’s Dubai–Taiwan vision cannot be achieved without the people of Anambra. Leadership sets the compass, but citizens must provide the wind. Ndi Anambra are known for their hardworking spirit, their love of entrepreneurship, their communal drive, and their ability to survive and thrive even in distant lands. If such people can dominate markets across Africa and even beyond, why can they not align with a governor determined to channel that same entrepreneurial energy into making Anambra the true Light of the Nation?
The vision requires both political will and citizens’ discipline. It is not about waiting for government to provide everything, but about asking ourselves: What can I contribute to this vision?
As the next gubernatorial election approaches on November 8th, 2025, Ndi Anambra are agog to renew the mandate of Professor Soludo. But this renewed mandate must be anchored on a social contract—government providing leadership, infrastructure, and policies, while citizens respond with civic responsibility, discipline, and support.
What does this mean in practical terms? It means: Paying Taxes Happily. No state develops without a stable revenue base. Taxes are not punishment. They are investments in our commonwealth. People who want Dubai must be willing to finance Dubai.
Urban Renewal and Cleanliness: Repainting our homes, cleaning our streets, maintaining our markets, and ensuring neat environments are part of building a model city. Dubai was not built by the government alone but by citizens aligning their lifestyles with the government’s vision. Rwanda under Kigame is a ready example.
Avoiding Illegal Constructions: Building on waterways has been one of the greatest sources of erosion and flooding in Anambra. To build Taiwan in Anambra, we must stop sabotaging ourselves through greed and indiscipline. We must strive to build smart cities, not slums and ghettos.
Supporting Security Systems: Security is everyone’s business. We must provide information, avoid harbouring criminals, and refuse to participate in crime. See something, and say something is not just a mantra but a call to action
Community Development: Ndi Anambra have always thrived on communal projects—schools, hospitals, roads. This tradition must continue.
Caring for the Vulnerable: True civilization is measured by how we treat the weak among us—the elderly, the poor, the widows, and the physically challenged. Our culture teaches us to “leave no one behind.”
Respect for Women: A society that honours and supports its women always prospers. Our mothers and sisters are not just home builders but economic pillars.
Health and Fitness: If we want to enjoy the Dubai–Taiwan vision, we must also be healthy to partake in it. A healthy population is a productive population. Key into Nonye Soludo Healthy Living.
Promoting State and Culture: We must tell our story with pride, showcase our arts, and support our cultural festivals. Tourism and culture are powerful economic drivers.
Protecting Public Infrastructure: Every destroyed streetlight, vandalised pipe, or broken road sign is a setback to the Dubai–Taiwan journey. We must protect what is ours.
Digital Responsibility: Cyberbullying and online sabotage do not advance our society. We must embrace technology as a tool of innovation, not as a weapon of destruction.
Respecting Authorities: Discipline and respect for law and order remain the foundation of every successful state. Anambra must lead by example.
Development is not only about what the government does, but also about how citizens respond. If the government builds schools and parents refuse to send their children, the schools become empty. If the government builds roads but citizens dump refuse in the gutters, erosion destroys the road. If the government enforces planning laws but citizens bribe officials to look the other way, disasters multiply.
The Dubai–Taiwan journey requires synergy, cooperation, and discipline. Every small act of discipline contributes to the bigger dream. Every personal responsibility feeds into collective prosperity.
Governor Soludo has always emphasised urgency. And truly, much can be achieved in one year if Ndi Anambra resolve to act together. If in one year we all pay our taxes faithfully, if we all repaint our homes, if we all obey urban renewal laws, if we all support security initiatives, if we all refuse to vandalise public property, then Anambra will look, feel, and function differently. One year of collective discipline can rewrite decades of stagnation. The question is not whether it is possible. The question is whether we have the will.
The road to Dubai–Taiwan is long. It requires patience, discipline, and alignment. But it is not impossible. Ndi Anambra have always been resilient, innovative, and entrepreneurial. What we need is a collective decision to walk with our governor, not as spectators but as partners.
The dream is not for Soludo alone. It is for every trader in Onitsha, every student in Awka, every farmer in Ayamelum, every artisan in Nnewi, every professional in Ihiala, and every family across our 21 local governments. The Dubai–Taiwan vision is our shared inheritance, our collective legacy.
As we count down to November 8, let us remember that progress is not built on cynicism but on commitment. We may not arrive at Dubai tomorrow, but every disciplined step we take today brings us closer. Just as Rome was not built in a day, so too will Anambra not become Dubai or Taiwan in a day. But with Soludo’s leadership and our collective discipline, it will surely become not just a reality but the beacon of Nigeria.
Let us therefore rise and ask not what Anambra can do for us, but what we can do for Anambra. In this symbiotic journey, government and people will succeed together. And when we succeed, the Light of the Nation will truly shine brighter than ever before.
