By Law, Mefor
The creation of Anambra State on August 27, 1991,
by Nigeria’s military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, manifested
in exceptional circumstances. It was an unprecedented case in Nigerian history
in which a new state inherited its old name but lost its capital, Enugu, to the
sister state, Enugu State.
Among the many issues the newly created Anambra
State had to grapple with from inception was the lack of its own Government
House, a nagging problem that was eventually masterfully solved by the jinx-breaker,
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR.
Starting from the state’s creation in 1991, the
Anambra story has been shaped by leaders who have contributed to the growth and
identity of the dear homeland that bears the ennobling sobriquet "Light of
the Nation". In celebrating 35 years of Anambra State, it deserves to pay
tribute to the governors and military administrators who served at different
points in the state’s history.
Today, under the visionary leadership of Soludo,
Anambra stands at a defining moment, building on her illustrious history while
looking firmly toward the future.
*The 35 years of Anambra:* We can view the 35
years of Anambra as a testament to resilience and a remarkable journey of
growth and achievement. We can view this period as 35 years of resilience and
36 years of significant progress and achievement. As the standard-bearer of
Anambra State, Soludo stands on the shoulders of giants who gave Nigeria its
pride of place under the sun. The founding father of Nigeria’s colonial
struggle and the first president and C-in-C, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, the acclaimed
Zik of Africa, blazed a worthy trail that got enlivened over the years by other
Anambra heroes such as Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Dr Alex Ekwueme,
Cardinals Arinze and Okpaleke, Chinua Achebe, Margaret Ekpo, Prof. Kenneth
Onwuka Dike, Chief Jerome Oputa Udoji, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Dr Chuba Okadigbo,
etc.
Anambra State occupies a land area of 41,416
square kilometres and has a population of about 10 million people. The state
draws its name from the majestic Anambra (Omambala) River, a major tributary of
the celebrated River Niger. Anambra State is home to all Nigerians, and the
people of Anambra are well-travelled republicans who live in all parts of
Nigeria, Africa, and the wider world. Investing in Anambra State amounts to
investing in the destiny of Nigeria.
It was Navy Captain Joseph Abulu who first manned
the mantle of leadership after the state’s creation from August 1991 to January
1992. The first democratic governor of Anambra State was Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife,
who served from January 1992 to November 1993. The Harvard-trained economist
put in place the early democratic structures and distinguished himself with his
"Cheta-Uno", that is, “Think Home” philosophy.
Dr Ezeife
had to cede his seat after the 1993 military intervention to AIG Dabo Aliyu,
who administered Anambra State from November 1993 to December 1993. Colonel
Mike Attah then took over the administration of the state in December 1993 and
served up to August 1996. The next military governor of Anambra State was Group
Captain Rufai Garba, who served from August 1996 to August 1998. Then Wing
Commander Emmanuel Ukaegbu became the last military governor from August 1998
to May 1999, when civil rule returned to Nigeria.
The dawn of democracy on May 29, 1999, was ushered
in with Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the
democratically elected governor of Anambra State. He had an eventful tenure
from May 1999 to May 2003. He could not get a second-term ticket from his party
after his travails with teachers’ strikes, schools’ closure, unconventional
Bakassi Boys’ security undertakings, etc., and he was replaced by Dr Chris
Ngige, who bagged the PDP ticket and won the governorship election in
controversial circumstances.
Governor Ngige’s tour of duty as Anambra State
Governor from May 2003 to March 2006 was marked by multiple conflicts with his
political godfathers, including being taken to the Okija shrine to swear an
oath of loyalty, getting abducted from his office on Monday, July 10, 2023, and
witnessing many government buildings being burnt by hoodlums on November 10,
2004.
The judiciary eventually ousted Governor Ngige
from office by passing the judgement that Mr Peter Obi of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) had actually won the Anambra State gubernatorial election
of 2003. Peter Obi took office in March 2006 but was impeached in November of
the same year, thus paving the way for Dame Virginia Etiaba to serve as the
first female governor in Nigeria from November 2006 to February 2007. Peter Obi
won back his governorship seat through the courts in February 2007 and served,
after some interregnum, until March 2014. Off-cycle elections were instituted
in the Nigerian scheme of governance to address the issue of interruptions.
The APGA party continued its leadership in Anambra
State through Chief Willie Obiano, who governed over two tenures from March
2014 to March 2022.
Since March 2022, Professor Charles Chukwuma
Soludo, CFR, has elevated the APGA winning streak and subsequently secured a
landslide victory for a second tenure. With Soludo in the saddle, Anambra State
is on a new pedestal of growing the African Dubai Taiwan Silicon Valley (ADTS)
revolution, with Nigeria’s very first aerotropolis to boot. The Solution Fun
City is a modern-day Anambra wonder.
The Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City (AMIC)
project is a signature free trade zone and industrial development initiative.
The Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) must collaborate with
Anambra State to establish a comprehensive industrial city that will accelerate
economic growth and attract significant investment.
As Anambra State marks its 35th anniversary,
Governor Soludo has prioritised environmental issues. He fears that
approximately 30 per cent of Anambra’s landmass is susceptible to erosion. It’s
a herculean battle that Governor Soludo is as ever poised to win.
Law Mefor, PhD, is Anambra State Commissioner
for Information & Value Reformation.
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