By Chuks Ugwoke
For athletics enthusiasts, anchor legs in sprint relays are always exciting spectacles to watch. The suspense-gripped fans are usually on their toes, screaming and chanting names of their favourite last lap winners as the batons caress their receiving palms.
And like gazelles, they fly away, eyes in front, in astonishing speed, with each runner trying to outpace the others for the ultimate glory. The cheers reverberate all over the stadium the moment one anchor leg runner surges clear of the chasing pack in the home stretch.
For good reason, the anchor leg runner is the cynosure. He is usually the fastest of the four-man team who is expected to bring his grit, talent and experience to bear. He shoulders enormous responsibility because his performance can make or mar the progress of his team.
Understandably so, the excitement of the winning quartet is often wild and exuberant. They would either huddle around the last lap runner or hug one another in palpable joy. Draped in their national flag, these winners traditionally embark on a lap of honour, pose for photo shots or sign autographs.
The spectators are such powerful motivators, though like Jock Stein, a former Scottish footballer and manager once said; “we do have the greatest fans in the world, but I’ve never seen a fan score a goal”. In truth, the task of doing the hard work and achieving good results lies with the actor.
In politics as in sports, the people savour excellence in governance with the same enthusiasm of the sports fans. This clearly explains why the people of Enugu State do not conceal their collective praise for the solid accomplishments of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the anchor leg runner whose reign approaches its homeward curve in glitters and a blaze of glory.
Without any doubt, he has his foot firmly on the throttle, fully committed as he often says, “to work with the same dedication and resolve to serve our people until my last day in office”. Yes, the work of governance has been hard and challenging, but in these twilight months, the examples of distinction evidently define a thrilling end to an exemplary eight-year tenure.
The most recent was the license granted to the Enugu State Government for the establishment of the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) at Igbo-Eno by the National Universities Commission (NUC). This provides the needed platform for Enugu State citizens and other Nigerians to have increased access to quality university education, especially in professional courses such as medicine.
While congratulating Governor Ugwuanyi on this rare feat, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed noted that the brand new, full-fledged university is a welcome addition to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) which ranks Enugu among the league of states with more than one state university.
Here in Enugu and beyond, it has been an outpouring of commendations for the governor from numerous persons and groups on this rare SUMAS feat, not only due to its huge job prospects but also because the doctors and other medical professionals it will churn out in years to come, will save lives and limbs, and further help to fill the gap being created by the steady and painful migration of doctors and associated health professionals to other countries.
One cannot but also peep into recent records that have become reference points in some critical sectors of education and health, especially because they serve to validate the commitment and genuine efforts made by Ugwuanyi to transform the Coal City State. Recent reports released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Enugu State was first in Nigeria with 93.9% on the ranking of its public school students who scored over five credits (English and Mathematics inclusive) in the 2021 national examination conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC). The report under reference ranked every state with regard to the performance of their public schools in the examinations.
In similar fashion, Enugu was also rated Number One among the 36 states of Nigeria in primary healthcare service delivery, thanks to an independent survey conducted by ONE Campaign, a global non-profit advocacy group devoted to the fight against poverty and preventable diseases in Africa. For clarity, the report ranked Enugu highest among the country’s 36 states – bar the Federal Capital Territory – in primary healthcare service delivery for the 2019-2021 period.
The successes in many of the other sectors are legion. But cast your mind seven years back and it will be remembered that Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was enthroned as the governor of Enugu State in those darkest days of recession when the states needed bailouts from the Federal Government to stay afloat. Yet, many helmsmen in the states could still not meet their financial obligations.
But unlike many of his colleagues, Gov. Ugwuanyi neither gave excuses nor passed the bucks. For a man who understands the power of faith, he rolled up his sleeves to demonstrate that his divine mandate has no room for failure. He applied himself to the task of transforming Enugu State with the doggedness and astuteness that have defined his governance mission.
As a leader for everybody, his focus in government, right from the onset, was to help the poor, support struggling citizens and provide government patronage to citizens and non-natives living in Enugu State.
Today, seven years down the line, the footprints of the Ugwuanyi magic are indelible and also visible for all to see. From massive road and other critical infrastructure to quality education and accessible healthcare, from comprehensive urban renewal to rural development, from employment generation to sustained peace and security of lives and property, from the strategic partnership with the security agencies to his nationwide acclaim as the most worker-friendly governor, Enugu has witnessed unprecedented transformation.
There are so much memories to cherish, so many achievements to celebrate; not necessarily those quantum successes named above but his humility and humanity. The way he deftly dealt with the ravages of COVID-19 on the citizens and the supporting shoulders he has continued to give to the bereaved, the wounded and the indigent has added to his growing profile in Nigeria as a grief counsellor.
However, as we celebrate today’s progress, we can also envision the future prosperity that lies in wait and which shall come to full disclosure when Ugwuanyi’s time at the Lion Building comes to a glorious end.
Like a seasoned anchor leg runner in governance relay, the incumbent governor’s imminent smooth handoff of the baton to Barrister Peter Ndubuisi Mbah and Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, the respective governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is predictably seamless and full of foreseeable opportunities. The excitement around Mbah’s candidacy is reassuring, and has all the advantages of drawing all the attractions and enthusiasm from Governor Ugwuanyi’s sterling performance in office.
As the popular slogan in Enugu today signals, “tomorrow is here.”
• Ugwoke writes from Enugu
