Obiano’s first 100 days in office: Chimamanda Adichie, others applaud security measures

Obiano’s first 100 days in office: Chimamanda Adichie, others applaud security measures

Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano yesterday stood tall before his people as they showered him with praises for his achieve­ments in his 100 days in of­fice, which they described as splendid.

Leading the applause at the ceremony marking the governor’s 100 days in of­fice and the formal unveil­ing of Brand Anambra, was the young prolific writer and daughter of the state, Chimamanda Adichie, who specifically praised the gov­ernor for bringing back san­ity to the state, especially in the area of security.

The internationally ac­claimed writer and author of the famous ‘Purple Hi­biscus,’ while delivering the keynote address on the occasion, which took place at the Women Development Centre, Awka, said the testi­mony of Anambra people on the activities of the Obiano administration was heart- warming, urging the gover­nor not to relent.

She said: “As we mark the first one hundred days of his term, I would like to commend him for his vi­sion and ambition in the areas of education, health and agriculture and particu­larly security.

Most of us know how, for a long time, Onitsha has been a security nightmare.

If you are travel­ling, you do not want to be in Upper Iweka after 6 p.m. because of the fear of armed robbers.

“But today, because of our new governor’s initia­tive, people in Onitsha no longer live in fear.

True freedom is to be able to live without fear. A relative told me that you can drop your mobile phone on the ground in Upper Iweka and come back hours later and still see it there, which was not the case in the past.

And which is one of the best ways to measure leadership – by the testimony of the ordinary people.

My sincere hope is that, under the leadership of Governor Obiano, Anam­bra State will continue its journey of progress with strides that are wide, firm and sure.”

Speaking on the topic ‘Community and Consen­sus: My hope for Anambra State,’
Adichie stressed the need for Igbo values, es­pecially as they concern language, warning that “to deprive children of the gift of their language when they are still young enough to learn it easily is an unneces­sary loss.

“The loss is made worse by imagining what could have been, the stories that could have been told, the wisdom that might have been passed down and most of all, the subtle and grounding sense of identity that could have been im­parted on the grandchildren.

“One of the wonderful things about language, any language, is that it gives you a new set of lenses with which to look at the world.

Which is why languages sometimes borrow from one another – we use the French au fait and savoir faire in English- because communication is not about mere words but about world views and world views are impossible to translate.

“So, while we, Ndi Anambra, till our fertile soil with strength, let us also be sure that we have not of­fended our fathers or our mothers.

Let us retrieve and renew the values that once were ours.

The values of conscience and integrity, of community and consensus.”

Addressing the people, Governor Obiano reminded them of the vision and mis­sion of his administration, which are “for Anambra State to become the first Choice Investment Destina­tion and a hub for industri­alisation and commercial activities and to create a socially stable, business friendly environment that will attract both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth creating opportuni­ties in Anambra State.”

Obiano disclosed that his administration had in 100 days laid the foundation for growth, saying, “in the area of security, we have reclaimed our cities and communities from kidnap­pers and armed robbers. We have arrested 177 kidnap­pers out of which 97 are currently undergoing pros­ecution. We have destroyed their warehouses where they keep their victims and cut off their weapons supply lines and now, my beloved Ndi Anambra can sleep with both eyes closed.

“In agriculture, we have started a revolution that will increase food suffi­ciency and create massive employment.

In partnership with the Coscharis Group, we have commissioned the Coched Farms Project to produce 120,000 metric tons of rice per annum and generate 1,000 jobs for our youths.

“In road construction, we have flagged off the con­struction of 14 new roads across Anambra, totalling up to 167.494 kilome­tres.

We have also com­menced the construction of 3 flyovers in Awka and one bridge that leads to the oil­fields of Aguleri.

“In information, cul­ture and tourism, we have taken the necessary steps to develop the historic Og­bunike Cave into a world class tourist destination and appointed new MDs/CEOs for Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and National Light Newspaper.”

In his address, the Com­missioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Tony Onyima, said: “An­other thing that makes today special is that very soon too, His Excellency, the Gover­nor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, will be un­veiling the new corporate symbols of Anambra State.

These elements were care­fully selected to symbolise the intrinsic values and en­during philosophies of Ndi Anambra.

“These are the intangible components of governance that form the core of any meaningful persuasive ef­fort that will help our people to come together as one on the altar of brotherhood