Few hours to 2 years in office; my open letter to Governor C.C Soludo

Izuchukwu D. Anolue



My dear Governor, it pleases me to congratulate you as you will mark two years in office tomorrow 17th March, 2024 as the leader of the Nigerian greatest state. It is unarguably a great feat for one to become the Governor of any state in Nigeria but an election into the office of Anambra state Governor is unique for obvious reasons. Historically, Anambra has had the most resourceful people in Nigeria. The Azikiwes, Okadigbos, Ojukwus and the Orizus are some amongst the hundreds of human resources bestowed upon us as a people . The likes of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Abba and Ebuka Obi Uchendu from Okija have for some time been making our dear state proud globally. A state with such human capital certainly will have some peculiar characters.

My dear Governor, on 27th December, 2009, you were in St. Anthony's Catholic church Umuohi Okija during the year's harvest and bazaar on the invitation of Ken Emeakayi, former state Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), then the party's state Vice Chairman Anambra South which was as at that time your political platform. It was my first time seeing you and you can imagine the joy in the heart of an 18 year old Anambrarian seeing a man he had read about through the pages of national newspapers and watched on television between 2004-2009 while in office as the Governor of the Nigerian apex bank.It was an ecstasy seeing someone who was as at that time a role model. 

After the election on 6th February, 2010, you lost to Mr. Peter Obi, the would be greatest Igbo man in the last few decades. Your second contest for same office was also unsuccessful, it was Dr. Willie Obiano instead. Sir, I am sure that if you were from another state in Nigeria, with all your portfolios , profile and antecedents in the banking industry, no candidate would be a match for you but because it was Anambra state, the land of lions and elephants, the mountain was almost impossible to climb. In 2020, your interest to run for the office of the Anambra state Governor on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was already declared, and on 4th November, 2021,your long time dream to become the Governor of Anambra state was fulfilled.

Upon your declaration as the Governor elect of Anambra state, people like me could not wait for too long to witness the the Dubai -Taiwan promised us before 2010. In one Fr. Joe Memorial High School Aguleri where I served as a Corp member between November 2021 to November 2022, I had wrangles with staff members on what was called my blind support for Charles Soludo. I was not struggling to convince them to believe me because I was sure they would witness our collectively desired transformation from a man touched by magic wand. "Yes, he did it in the Central Bank of Nigeria, Anambra state is too small for Soludo, he has the capacity and wherewithal to place us among the most responsible states in Africa". This was always my statement to these teachers. I even became uncomfortable staying in the same staff room with them because I was sure that a fight would ensue whenever your name was mentioned in a manner that displeased me.

My dear Governor, I am sure you will not want to transcend the boundaries of mortality without having young men like me who will without any fear criticize the ills and abnormalcies in your administration, WE ARE ALL FROM ANAMBRA, the home state of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. First, I must commend your efforts so far in building Anambra state. In infrastructural development, it is very clear that you are doing well considering the deplorable state of our environment when you assumed office almost two years ago. You have also thrived in education employing almost, if not more than five thousand teachers since your assumption into office. Recently, I also read on the internet that about 5,000 PCs were distributed to teachers in Anambra state, this was unprecedented and laudable. But my dear Governor, our state is unsafe under your watch.

Education is one of the prettiest things every good government can do for its people. In fact, it is catalytic to positive change. Infrastructures are also pertinent for this developmental strides we have embarked on as a people but sir, security of lives and properties of the people are the most fundamental responsibilities of any reasonable government, even under the natural and national laws.

My dear Governor C.C, today 16th March, 2024 marks one month one Mr. Arinze Obunadike from Umuohi Okija was murdered in Onitsha by a team of gangsters working as law enforcement agency. Despite the priming to the matter in the first week of the incidence, you have made no official statement about this dastardly act and sheer wickedness by people employed in your government. Your incompetent information Commissioner who could not write good account in English language of what actually happened in Onitsha tried to distort the story but the world already knows the truth. To this day, not even the state Commissioner of Police has been able to bring the perpetrators of Arinze's killing before the law to face Justice.

My dear Governor, what will you be celebrating tomorrow 17th March ; the killing of Arinze or the injustice apportioned to his family, the negligence to the 70 year old mother or the confidence you have lost among ndi Anambra?
Few days ago, I watched through the social media how a young man was brutalized by a section of the law enforcement agency you have employed. If we allow these to continue, how many of us will live to make use of those roads and schools you are building?

Sir, giving justice to the family of Arinze Obunadike would be a remarkable two years celebration in office but if not, be assured that praise singers and bootlickers are leading you to the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar.

I will still say congratulations as you mark your two years in office tomorrow Charlie Nwagbafor. Being 10% great like you is one of my biggest aspirations. But you must DO JUSTICE.

 *Justice to Arinze Obunadike!!!* 

 *_Izuchukwu D. Anolue_* 

 *UPIC, United Kingdom.* 
 *_Saturday 16th March, 2024_*