Obiano: Governor to watch -By Ebere Wabara

Governor Obiano

When most distinguished professionals take charge of governance, the likelihood of quintessence enjoys optimality. I recollect clearly, as if it were yesterday, the irrefut­able excellence of the immediate-past gov­ernors of Katsina, Delta and Enugu states, Barrister (Dr.) Ibrahim Shehu Shema, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan and Barrister Sullivan Chime, respectively. These men appreciated and delivered the essence of good governance.

Lest I am misconstrued, not all profes­sionals perform creditably in administration. There would always be exceptions—just like other issues in life, but the rule of the thumb is that expectations are usually high when such people are given tasks at sum­mit level. In the same breath, even my ideals here may not be exemplars to a few hyper­citics, who, naturally, have the inalienability of personal reservations and grouses about men of accomplishments in the eyes of the largest spectrum of the society. It is critical and germqne to underscore this fact as we proceed.

Since the revalidation of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the South East has been un­fortunate with those who occupy the Gov­ernment House. On a comparative note with other regions in the country, this axis is the worst in terms of virtually all parameters of development, particularly social infrastruc­ture institutionalization. Apart from self-help human capital transformation, there is prop­ably nothing else to cheer about in celebra­tory satiety. Again, there had been exceptions like the late Dr. Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe (De Sam) of the old Imo State, Barrister Chime (aforementioned) and business icon, Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State. It is important to note that, unlike the ubiquitous and loquacious governors who celebrate sinking of boreholes in their states (which a few youth corpers also do as part of their exceptional community service!) in this age with all the superfluous funds, par­ticularly unaccounted security vote, at their disposal, my referential governors did not engage in propaganda, obscenity of trans­national wealth acquisition and other forms of audacious revelry and banditry. This Sat­urday, August 8, 2015, by God’s grace, the diligent governor of Anambra State, Chief (Dr.) Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, will at­tain 60 years! You can now comprehend the correlation between the foregoing prefatory lines and this commemorative article in toast of a man that has the inclination to make a difference and even better the records of the industrious and illustrious beacons men­tioned earlier. His achievements in just one year speak volumes.

He has an unquencable thirst for the meaningful transformation of his state. His hunger for the rediscovery and renewal of Anambra State is unparalleled. Space con­strains detailing here: go online for his dos­sier and be amazed.

I am not astounded at all by his achieve­ments so far and the promise he holds be­cause of his professional antecedents. Hav­ing left Fidelity Bank PLC as an Executive Director responsible for a portfolio that placed him next to the Managing Direc­tor/CEO in hierarchy, among other global employment antecedents, there is no way that Dr. Obiano would not Improve on his inimitable reputational pedigree while in Awka, the state capital. I make this avowal knowing what it takes to be an executive director in a top-flight bank having worked in one as a marketing communications manager before moving over to Globacom Telecommunications as a public relations manager years back. With such a financial management background at the summit level, it would be preposterous and utterly disappointing to expect any contradiction in Dr. Obiano’s leadership. If this assertion is wrong, I do not want to be right!

From all indications, I have the convic­tion that this exemplary celebrator will distinguish himself from all his South East fossilized predecessors with the exclusion of Obi and Chime, both of whom left in­delible marks, in an era of political char­latanism, power rascality and ludicrous personalization of public wealth. It is this insatiable domestication of patrimony that has left the zone almost beyond the point of redemption despite the arduous re-engineering efforts of the troika (Messrs Chime, Obi and now Obiano).

Already, some Nigerians are advocating second-term tenure for Dr. Obiano based on his accomplishments in less than two years of his eventful tenure. There is no need to campaign for an encore for this governor because profundity of his good governance guarantees him even a third chance if were constitutionally possible! Our performances in any sphere of life will speak volumes for us in testamentary circumstances. Mechanistic bedlam about usually pedestrian routines and statutory responsibilities smacks of trivia. Ex-Gov­ernor Chime transformed Enugu State be­yond imagination and recognition without any hype in the media. In fact, the only time he became visible in the media was when he was indisposed and detractors were bent on making a mountain from the ill-health molehill.

As the ‘Working Willie’(Akpokuedike Aguleri) adds another year this week-end, it is my belief that he will improve on his sub­sisting rising profile and enthrone new tem­plates for his peers to emulate. At the end of the day, his legacies would live eternally long after he has quit this environment. We are not God, but I foresee him doing better than my preceding treble provided he does not become euphoric over his profuse en­hancement of Anambra State. For me, Dr. Obiano is the governor from the South East that needs to be watched as he restores the glory of Nigeria’s foremost state with re­gard to the number of eminent Nigerians it has pooled for the country.

For four consecutive weeks preceding his election, I had declared in four different ar­ticles, that Dr. Obiano would succeed Mr. Obi based on insights aforementioned. In fact, in the last essay three days to the gov­ernorship poll in the state, cowardly col­leagues of mine unilaterally and unprofes­sionally changed my authoritative headline, “Obiano: Victory foretold” to something watery that I cannot recollect now without resort to my modern mini-library having lost my HP Laptop containing the soft copy to Ochendo and his police accomplices who raided my home last year and bestially ab­ducted me!

Your Excellency, you may not know, there is virtually nothing I have not said about you before now except Happy 60th Birthday! Everyone is watching you, for good reasons, too. May your days be long on earth having done the first half grace­fully—the second lap commences this Sat­urday! And so shall it be. Roll out the drums in deserved conviviality.