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By James Eze ([email protected])
In the game of football, the First Half might be a mix bag of results. Sometimes, great coaches show their hands early enough with sound tactical formations and deft strategies that stun the opponent. But sometimes too, all a great coach does is to adopt a cautionary approach that would enable him study his opponent, detect the weak-links in his tactics and chisel out a counter strategy that would take the opposing team apart in the Second Half. Both strategies are good. The difference is in the coaches.
A two-term political office compares to football in many ways. We have seen some political office holders, who hit the ground running from their very first day in office. We have seen such people demonstrate so much sure-footedness and mastery of the game that the only option they leave us is to clap. But we have also seen good leaders who spent almost their entire first term, getting familiar with their new position and imagining a brighter future into existence for the people. Sometimes, they eventually get off to a roaring start and win the support of the people. Sometimes too, they never do.
Governor Willie Obiano belongs to the first group. He is among the coaches whose mastery of the game is so complete that they know just what to do once the kick-off whistle goes off. Indeed, any fair-minded assessment of Willie Obiano’s first term in office cannot return a verdict of non-performance. Mbanu! Even Obiano’s harshest critics will have enough prodding of conscience to admit that indeed, Anambra has shifted from one point in the development paradigm to another. This is a fact! The frequent endless comparison of his three and a half years to his predecessor’s eight years is a clear indication of the huge impact he has had. Mathematically, it is odd to compare three years to eight years. That should perplex even the most curious analyst. The comparison only became necessary because Obiano has left us many touchstones of excellence. And this is another fact!
Indeed, Obiano’s blaze of excellence began with his decision to head-butt criminals out of the state. He spared no effort in this regard, going as far as to Israel to get a security expert that laid the structural framework for Operation Kpochapu and other winning strategies. The result has been phenomenal. Anambra has become Nigeria’s safest state. The US Ambassador, the German Ambassador and the UK High Commissioner have all attested to this fact. The Chinese chose a different and more profound way to demonstrate their agreement with this fact. They are investing $5bn in the construction of an airport city in Anamabra State. There is no stronger way of saying, “I believe in you,” than this. On completion, the Anambra Airport City Project will be the single most ambitious initiative in Africa because it would have successfully relocated a project that is only seen in advanced societies to black Africa. Watch out for this project! Africa has seen nothing like it yet from Cape to Cairo!
One of the confounding paradoxes of Anambra State had been that for over twenty years after it came into existence, Awka, the state capital, had looked like a local government headquarters. There was absolutely nothing about Awka three years ago that presented it as the capital of one of Nigeria’s pre-eminent states. Nothing! For all his vaunted achievements that his Facebook tigers never cease to drum into our ears, former governor Peter Obi left no landmarks in Awka. I can think only of the tacky pedestrian bridge at the UNIZIK Temporary Site junction. Beyond that, Obi left no monument in Awka. But in less than three years, Governor Obiano had left indelible footmarks on the city. The broad, gleaming highway from Amawbia to Amansea and the three picturesque bridges announce the greatness that is to come. True, the inner contours of Awka still beg for a touch of modernity. But, at least, a visitor can no longer drive through Awka without scratching his head at the emerging promise of a 21st Century city. This is progress!
Sincerely though, what may well be Obiano’s greatest contribution to modern democracy is his widely acclaimed Choose-your-Project initiative for every community in Anambra State. This is something that no other democratic leader has done before. Through this initiative, every known community in Anambra State has been touched by the Obiano administration. These communities were asked to choose any project that was dear to them, which the government would build.
There could be no better way to bring government closer to the people or allow the people the space to exercise their freedom of choice. With this initiative, Obiano has wiped away the tears of neglect from far-flung communities and endeared government to the people. Already, the second round of these projects is in progress and there might be a third or fourth round when the governor is re-elected to office in November. This development model is already being seriously considered for a wider adoption, as an effective model of development for the Third word countries. This is something that we should all be proud of.
• To be continued
