The Igbo proverb that legs that move very fast also have eyes that move very fast constantly trailing them couldn’t have been truer. The commendations that came the way of Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State, on Friday, February 19, 2016, at The Muson Centre, in Onikan, Lagos, at an event dubbed ‘An Evening With His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State’, aptly capture it.
From former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku to venerated actor, Pete Edochie, billionaire oil mogul, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah to renowned businessman, Chief Charles Odunukwe, everybody confessed that indeed ‘Willie is working’.
According to Anyaoku, he is now proud to tell everybody that he is an Anambrarian; for Edochie, Obiano’s second term is guaranteed and for Ubah, yes, both of them contested for the position, but because he is performing and doing all of them proud, no one should distract or disturb him!
Of course, myriad other endorsements equally came the way of the erstwhile financial expert turned politician, courtesy lawyers, market men and women, students and teachers, politicians and so on who trooped out to interact with their first citizen and his entourage.
The event, scheduled to kick off at 6pm, saw Gov. Obiano, accompanied by his pretty wife, Mrs. Ebele ‘Osodieme’ Obiano, arriving a few minutes late. But no sooner did he walk into the jam-packed hall than he moved from table to table shaking everybody and taking notes of some things being pointed out to him by less known Anambrarians.
Done with this highly commendable action, he was ushered to his seat, leaving baritone-voiced Chidoo Obidiegwu, who was the compere to direct proceedings. Amidst this, some of Obiano’s other trusted aides like Uche Nworah of ABS, James Eze and Emeka Ozumba of the media team, were on their toes ensuring that nothing went amiss.
Introductions over, Gov. Obiano now mounted the rostrum to show all Anambrarians present his score card. And for nearly one hour, he just couldn’t stop – as he went on and on reeling out what he met on ground, how far he has transformed Anambra State and where next he is taking it to. And as he did, heads were nodding in agreement and approval, accompanied by applause. To further prove that indeed all what he enumerated were true, there was a documentary chronicling the huge and humongous transformation he has brought to Anambra.
The first Governor since the creation of the state decades ago to reshape the state capital, Awka, with a flyover; according to YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine findings, kidnappers and armed robbers practically abandoned Anambra for him immediately he took over. And that’s because he obstinately refused to allow them sleep with not even one eye closed. Elevating and expanding the road network, paying workers as at when due, more laurels have continued to pour into the state from the education sector because of the monumental investment he has repeatedly made there. Little wonder, the management of The Sun Newspapers couldn’t resist crowning him The Sun Governor of the Year, a day after, at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Eager and ready and willing to do more, Gov. Obiano has vowed never to stop until Anambra State becomes No. 1 in everything good and noble.
Other top Anambrarians who came to listen to their Governor that eventful and exciting evening were Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, MD, Fidelity Bank, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chairman, Chisco Transport, Chief Mike Umeh, astute businessman and sports promoter, clothier of repute and MD of Message, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Okey Okeke, Speaker, Anambra House of Assembly, Hon. Rita Maduagwu, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwunobelu, among other political heavyweights like former APGA National Chairman, Sir Victor Umeh and his successor, Dr. Victor Ikechukwu Oye.
And from Nollywood came Emeka Rollas, Ifeanyi Ikpoenyi, Chukwuka Emelionwu of Kasvid, Arinze Okonkwo et al.