Majority of residents of Enugu or regular visitors to the coal city have been singing alleluia songs in the past one year.
This does not mean that there are no people with songs of woes. That is the way of the world. A little of this and a little bit of that.
This mood of happiness is not unconnected with the very visible giant strides of Governor Peter Mbah, generally culminating in a new lease of life for the people in the area of infrastructure development and general morale boost in so short a period.
And he is getting unreserved commendation across board.
Driving through the neatly macadamised streets of recently reconstructed Savage crescent, Ekulu avenue, GRA into Trans Ekulu, Mike Odiong, a first time visitor to Enugu, couldn’t but exclaim that ‘Enugu is nice, I wish I could extend my flight ticket to explore the state beyond today.’ I wondered if he would have shared same view if he had come a year earlier.
Despite that Mike is a first time visitor, he is not the only one who shares the same sentiments of a noticeable change in the socio-political mechanics of the state. A new Sheriff is in town, as they say, bringing about a positive vibration around the entire state and the mystic is naturally blowing so freely through the air. It is like a new dawn.
FRED IWENJORA who just toured Enugu presents an appraisal of the mood of the moment, pointing at areas of cheers as well as jeers for Governor Peter Mbah who just won the prestigious Vanguard Governor of the year award now renamed ‘Good governance award’.
This also tries to justify the fact that in 12 months, the Barrister at law who took the reins of Enugu state power is deserving of all the accolades he enjoys at the moment for good governance.
While roaming the streets of Enugu, I found a state that is divided in opinion yet united in their agreement that indeed something changed. The people on one hand are lamenting the demolitions going on in some quarters but at same time celebrating a smooth ride on smooth well made roads, many of which are still under reconstruction.
What you read here are some immediate observations during the trip.
Security
The first thing to observe is that the city and the state are reasonably secure with regular security patrols around the city. The first pointer to the fact that Mbah means business in his plot to bring tomorrow here and now for Enugu people was the abolition of the Monday sit –at- home order on his inauguration.
Many agree that the sit at home order had been a huge economic short- change in the social life of people of south eastern Nigeria. Only a courageous man could confront this matter head on. Gov Peter Mbah is one.
Mbah must have been very much piqued by the economic losses of a 4-day working week for a boisterous and industrious people and having personally calculated the huge losses in naira and kobo, he did what seemed too difficult for many to do. On his inauguration, the governor had ordered his civil servants back to work on Mondays. Those who missed work, risked sack. He set up a task force to enforce the order while unleashing a combination of interdisciplinary security agencies to secure the city and state.
At first it seemed impossible but in the past months, workers like the Biblical Jonah who refused to go to Niniveh but found himself in the belly of a whale and dropped off in Niniveh, Enugu workers have continued to go to work on Mondays just as some banks are open and the community gradually opening up.
Despite that there has been news of unknown gun men killing police men, security experts say Enugu is reasonably safe.
We also observed that aside from civil servants, general movement on sit at home day is still skeletal across the state though. A visit to Ogbete main market on a sit at home Monday revealed that the main shops are still under lock. Some blamed the altercation between the Police and the traders union which took a life earlier in the life of the administration while others say no one wants to “tell the story of had I known”. Apprehension still pervades in some areas. No fuel stations open until evening on Mondays. At New market area a few interstate vehicles were seen loading. Not many want to take such risk. However there is no doubt that the abolition of sit-at-home and return to work has boosted social life in Enugu in the past one year with the hope of improvement.
Going further on the security situation in Enugu, a concerned citizen Chief Emma Ngwu urged Gov Mbah to also take his security plot to the infamous Nike/ Nsukka road, Ozalla four corner /Udi road, borders of Ebonyi and Enugu as well as Isi Uzo and Uzo Uwani area where news of kidnapping is still common.
Roads
Perhaps, the area that the Mbah administration has scored high marks in the last one year is the roads that are receiving unhindered face lift. Only few who drive around Enugu can miss this fact. Most strategic internal link roads from GRA to Trans Ekulu which were herculean have been touched and traffic is now eased. Other roads like the many bad spots in Achara layout, Agbani road, New Haven as well as many access roads in Abakpa Nike are expected to wear new look as tractors and other engineering equipment are littering the city. Mbah spoke of over 100 roads in the first phase during a press briefing months ago. According to him, ‘we have taken full inventory of all the roads without exception. Roads in Enugu will be paved’ he assured. ‘We know the length and what it would cost. We know how to find the money. So we will do them.” And he is doing them. I saw first- hand.
Culture and tourism
Another area of plus for the Mbah administration in the last one year is in the area of culture and tourism where it has also scored highly. This could be seen in the ubiquitous activities of the culture and tourism commissioner Dame Ugochi Madueke and her team. In concert with international consultants, the state plans to open up the many tourist attractions including the Nsude Pyramids, Awhum water falls, Ezimo water falls, Orsu waterfalls Awgunta, Ugbo Lakes, Ngwo Pine forests etc. The state government has also shown interest in the film festivals as well as other culture events in the state. In fact, late last year, the government pledged support to Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF) as well as supported and commended Celestine Ukwu Memorial Foundation for their mission and vision in celebrating the life and times of Celestine Ukwu, one of Enugu’s musical icons
Many arts, culture and tourism enthusiasts and stakeholders agree that this is the way to go for a state desirous of opening up for investment. International tourism guru, Ikechi Uko who recently toured the major tourism sites of Enugu with other tourism stakeholders thinks that “Enugu has ambitious tourism plans and leads the way in the promotion of its rich attractions”. No wonder it won the Most Tourism Active state in Nigeria at the 10th wonders of Nigeria Expo.
Rangers uprising
Perhaps the intangible area in which the world sees the handiwork of Governor Peter Mbah in the last 365 days is the newly boosted morale of Rangers FC. Suddenly a soccer club of high historical pedigree had become rudderless team of flying antelopes without rhyme and reason. But the rebranding is total that top music star Flavour as well as other notable brands have been wooed to mobilise support for the team. The unrelenting charge by the team’s GM, Amobi Ezeaku Esq with a high social media presence has buoyed up support for the team as seen at the last encounter between Rangers and Enyimba. My photo of the year is the sea of heads which jammed Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium for that match.
Barrister Lloyd Ekweremadu, Honorable commissioner for youths and sports has not stopped reiterating Governor Mbahs interest in revitalising sports in the state at every occasion. Last Saturdays match may be the height of this morale boost engineered by Gov Mbah in sports in Enugu as Nigerians defied foreign league matches to fill up the stadium for the very first time in many years.
Sour points
However, these many shouts of uhuru have not gone without its equivalent sour points, biggest being the demolitions across the state around Holy Ghost area, Abakpa Nike, Garriki of Enugu and Nsukka where the state plans to unveil central transport terminals.
While many believe that a central terminal and transportation hub set up at Abakpa Nike as well as Holy Ghost area, Garriki and Nsukka will ease traffic, one of the victims of the displacement Jude Uneze lamented the destruction of his former home. According to him, “I cried when the bulldozers swung into action and pulled down my former house. I was thrown into the air, homeless. I am currently squatting with my mother in her little abode with my wife and children. It is tight I must confess”.
Another respondent who gave his name simply as Chudi said “we know that Peter Mbah has done some positive things in the area of roads but this demolition negates everything. There is housing shortage in Nigeria already aside from high cost of accommodation in the face of Nigeria’s economic downturn. Demolishing the houses is a no no for me.”
A top government official who did not want his name in prints disclosed that “there is no going back on the demolitions because it is for the common good”. He alluded to the fact that Governor Mbah had started the demolitions from his home community without looking back. It is better to do what could benefit a greater number”.
To these I dare add that only the delivery of the transport terminal at Abakpa Nike and other set places in 11 months duration stipulated will assuage the tears of the masses over the demolitions.
Tacit support of Nwobodo, Chime and Ugwuanyi
Yet Mbah’s seniors in leadership of Enugu state from Jim Nwobodo to Sullivan Chime joined in showering him with accolades for doing well in turning Enugu state into ‘a huge construction site and a number one destination for investment, and tourism’. And they don’t seem to be wrong for doing so.
During a dinner to mark this auspicious one year in office, former Governor Sullivan Chime urged Mbah not to be deterred by criticisms, adding that the same people who criticised his radical move will still turn around to sing his praises at the end of the day.
Chime pleaded for more support and cooperation for Peter Mbah and government of Enugu state to achieve all the “great things that they have started. It is not even easy to achieve these great things in just one year. Mbah is working” he confessed. So if I am asked whether Peter Mbah deserves Governor of the year award from a cross section of media houses in Nigeria I will say a capital YES. Yes because the goodies far outweighs the pain. Mbahnomics is working so far. Mbahtitude seems on course.
