In the general scheme of things, any objective analyst who really wants to be fair in assessing Gov. Peter Obi vis- a -vis the political quagmire in Anambra state since he assumed office in 2006, already takes into consideration two important telling factors.

The first is that apart from Ngige who in the midst of the fracas between him and godfathers, beheaded godfatherism in the state, Obi remains the most embattled governor who has suffered the antics of his detractors just because he wants to set the record straight. The second is that the governor has not only consolidated the effort of his predecessors, but has maintained the already existing statusquo. As if these were not enough, the indefatigable governor has continued to make waves in almost all the sectors which none of his predecessors had ever attempted. This has remained one of the singular distinguishing characteristics of Obi’s administration in the state.

But the surprising thing is that, in the midst of all the travails, chain of crises characterizing Obi’s administration, he remains unrelenting and ever focused in the task of setting the record straight. We hail his vision and indeed salute his mission in the state. The one million dollar question then is what really is the magic behind Obi’s magic and ever impressive success stories in the crisis ridden state where those who are after the state treasury have unfortunately failed woefully since Obi assumed office?
As far as is obvious, the answer is not far fetched. Obi, unlike many self centered leaders, is indefatigably committed to his vision and mission in the state and never does he wish to compromise with the ethics and the demands of his office in dishing out equitably democratic dividends to the Anambrarians.

Right from the beginning, he made it categorical that he has two missions to accomplish in the state, namely, building human and physical infrastructure through his strategy of ANIDS. Almost as always, many impetuous and unenlightened Anambrarians who are already in the dark and used to seeing the abnormal as normal criticized him for his long term planning, time wastage and wondered the possibilities of the many claims of his ANIDS. They proffered that he should rather continue with aggressive road construction already started by Ngige.

In all these, Obi quietly and painstakingly kept studying the collapsed and disordered society he inherited in order to fashion the best matching strategy to grapple with the tear-arousing situation. He found his answer in the philosophy of ANIDS- Anambra Integrated Development Strategy. Today, these critics visibly impressed by Obi’s marvels in all the sectors just within two years of protracted crises, go about re-writing the history of the man they condemned. In doing this, they further confirm the sayings that: seeing is indeed, believing and that a patient dog eats the fattest bone.

Without bordering you with line to line details, Obi has built over 250 kilometers of roads more than his predecessor did in the past. He is still not failing in this regard. He has for three times increased the salaries of the civil servants in the state, encouraged promotion of civil servants against the alleged opinion credited to his predecessor that promotion is not by right but a privilege.

Apart from this, he has continuously sensitized the people that democracy is not limited to building roads {without denying the importance}; there are other areas that needed attention which has never been addressed and which must be addressed for an integral development he set out to achieve. Thus, the image of the state needed to be changed from Anambra: ‘Home For All’ to ‘Light of the Nation’, showing already the society he intends to build. Denied benefits of the state which nobody cared after must be all claimed back. We urgently need to establish true machinery of governance. Justice and peace must be restored.

Our collapsed education system needed to be repositioned. Our dead health sector needed to be revived. Our stunted economy needs to be wisely and strategically harnessed for maximum productivity. Welfare of the civil servants must not be compromised. Exercise and sports are essential for health upkeep and enhancement. Foreign investors fast-track nation building. Leadership is all about service through prudent management of common fund for common good. In all these and many more, we need a crime free society for sustainable development.

Today, the story is simply different and satisfactory. Gov.Obi has given the sixteen-year- old state without secretariat a fully equipped and functional state secretariat (which will hopefully accommodate ministries scattered all over the towns) while work is still going on in the second phase of the secretariat. The government house and the governor’s lodge at Amawbia and Onitsha devastated during the ugly mayhem in the state have all been renovated. Permanent secretaries and all the members of the house provided with official cars.

Great revolution has taken place in education sector with secondary schools provided with water boreholes, laboratory equipment, Computers and generators for powering the systems. The state University has been adorned with Faculty of Law, Mass Communication, Engineering and Engineering workshop, University library, Lecture hall and hotels. In the health sector, Gov. Obi sufficiently equipped and got our Onitsha General Hospital accredited which already shows how Amaku and Ekwulobia General Hospitals would look like when finally accredited. We can today boast of two mini stadia in the state while our collapsed ABS has been renovated and installed with new mast.

Obi’s magic in economy is not surprising. In February this year, he commissioned the Onitsha branch of Nigeria Stock Exchange he built, Omor Sugar Factory and Central Bank of Nigeria, all in two years. The Orient Petroleum Refinery under construction takes off in 2009. Soon enough, the Awka and Onitsha greater water schemes will be actualized while the epileptic power supply in the state is duly receiving needed attention as Obi aggressively pursues the Independent Power Project in the state which is already included in the 2008 budget. His plans for free trade zone, mega city and the much needed International Airport are welcome developments.

The future belongs to those who see the possibilities before they turn to realities. This is why ambassadors of many countries, Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Brazil and business moguls have continued to make courtesy calls on the governor on how to exploit the many opportunities and the economic prowess of the governor.

In all these and many more, one is inclined to maintain that Obi’s strategy is working and that he has done creditably. His civilized approach to governance and his landmark achievements recorded in two years through thick and thin in the opinion of his admirers are best described as celebration of success stories and triumph of victory over the long existing evils in the state. Any true and concerned citizen of Anambra and indeed Nigeria should be wondering how Obi could achieve all these in two protracted years just with the 48 billion budget made by his deputy in 2007. Again, one should really be disturbed at why the house delayed the 2008 budget till the 29th of April. Was it not real clog in the wheel of progress in the state?

Time is ripe for Anambrarians and indeed the world to “shine their eyes” at Obi’s magic in two years. With these verifiable structures on ground, one immediately imagines how the state would look like in the upcoming years under Obi, and in a serene atmosphere. It is better imagined than described. The future looks bright and promising for the state as the “Light of the Nation.”

Meanwhile, the questions many have always asked are: if Obi could achieve all these marvels in two years of protracted crises, why are his detractors still opposing him, unappreciative of the fast-growing developments in the state? What did many of his predecessors do in these sectors within the normal circumstances? Were his predecessors able to do half of what he has accomplished in many decayed sectors, the state would have been something else. Most annoying is, why the 2008 budget slash and delay? Should Anambrarians not read the hand writings on the wall and be supportive of the true leader they may never have? Therefore, while Obi holds the key and leads the way forward, ours, is to follow.