Enugu State took a long lane to birth, after two abortions! The quest for ‘Waawa State,’ from the war-causing 12 states of Yakubu Gowon, intensified after the war. It was principally to give aggrieved sections of the Igbo nation a better sense of belonging and to accelerate development beyond the congesting Coal City.
On February 3, 1976, Murtala Muhammed decreed ten states in the north and ten in the south. As the story still goes, ‘Waawa State’ was crossed out on his way to make the announcement. Thus, the 19-state structure emerged and skewed the north-south numerical balance to date.
Ibrahim Babangida revisited the configuration on September 23, 1987. He added two new states and preserved the imbalance, plus Abuja, FCT. Babangida returned to the carving board on August 27, 1991. He added nine more states to make a 30-state structure plus Abuja.
Thirty was a lucky number: Enugu State was finally created out of old Anambra State, comprising Enugu, Nsukka, and Abakaliki areas. Thanks to Sani Abacha, Enugu State shed Abakaliki on October 1, 1996, to form Ebonyi State with the Afikpo zone from Abia via Imo States. The resultant 36-state-and-FCT structure remains to date.
We celebrate the creation of Enugu State for many reasons. It proves that whatever good people put their minds to accomplish, it shall be so eventually. The quest for good governance takes time. Miracles in sprinting are rare; success after marathons, certain. The struggle must continue. It is not just what happened; it is more what we do with what happened. What have we done with the labors of our forefathers? Simply put: It is not yet uhuru.
The regime of Chimaroke Nnamani (1999-2003) turned up the heat in Enugu State. He had a big vision, and he set out to deliver “the dividends of democracy,” a term derived from one of his many lectures on governance. Alas, political intrigues and time caught up with his drive. He retired to the Senate. To his credit, he defined Enugu State politics for a quarter of the new century!
Sullivan Chime picked up the baton. He had his own challenges, both personal and political. In all, he revamped Enugu City and wrote a memoir. His quest for a senate seat hit a tall wall: DSP Ike Ekweremadu was too tap-rooted to be sidelined, and Chime knew when to back off for Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to emerge governor.
The retrogression during Ugwuanyi regime was avoidable. With almost zero political problems and pocketed opposition, he was still unable to get much done. Insecurity, lack of basic amenities, unemployment, housing needs, and dastardly disruptions in the social fabric intensified rural-urban migration and japa!
Two trending videos of ongoing projects in various areas of increasingly enticing Enugu city signal a return to “The Sullivan Years” of a clean capital city with a vibrant nightlife of Sullivan taxis, a state where salaries are paid on time, and where people slept with two eyes shut. Peter Mbah appears determined to deliver on his magnificent manifesto. It will not be easygoing with the current national socioeconomic problems and the gathering storm of sundry opponents itching to rain on his parade, if not eat his lunch before 2027.
The quest for Enugu State is accomplished; ‘Adada State’ still simmers. The five southeast states have built capital cities and institutions worthy of note, plus the emergence of notable community leaders in political, religious, and socioeconomic spheres. Sadly, many developmental goals have eluded us in rural and urban areas.
Ironically, there is a craving for regional realignment. It will not erase the states; rather, it will bring a functional federation if power is further devolved—just as was agreed at Aburi, Ghana in 1967.
One good thing happening now is the autonomy of local government areas. The chairmen and the councils must catch the wave at its peak. Enugu East, for example, can institute a potential trigger for the next phase of development in Enugu State and the entire Southeast. With the administration of Peter Mbah building a new Enugu City, the core of ‘Computer City’ could come. The same principle should apply to other LGAs, using what they possess to get what they want.
Happy Anniversary to Enuguites. May we celebrate the next anniversary by showing the way again, so others may follow.
©MOEne, Tuesday, August 27, 2024
@Aladimma