By Chuks Ugwoke
Birthdays are special events when friends and families come together to rejoice with the celebrant and offer heartfelt wishes and prayers. For some, it is an occasion to throw parties, and for others, the essence is to express gratitude to God for divine favours. In effect, people mark their birthdays in different ways and for different reasons.
For Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the governor of Enugu State who celebrates his birthday today, it is common knowledge that there will no party. Instead, he will be a guest of some orphanages, old people’s homes before he shares some quiet moments with people living with disabilities (PLWD). It is his preferred way to give back to humanity and to identify with the less privileged without any public adulation.
On this day, March 20, 2022, Rt. Hon. Ugwuanyi will be spending his 2,487th day in the Enugu Lion Building as the governor of the Coal City State. In these 2,487 days, the impacts of time and responsibilities have been so evidently clear that the face masks which he has worn for over two years now, hardly conceal the gains and pains of gubernatorial office.
When he took office on May 29, 2015, the entire world economy was being ravaged by a rabid recession, so much that the Nigerian states needed bailouts to pay salaries. Again, the coronavirus pandemic has imposed yet another biting recession on the globe. Thus, in just over six years in office, he has had to navigate his way through two recessions.
Such have been the trying times for the Enugu governor and his counterparts. But it is in such times of crises that Governor Ugwuanyi has demonstrated exceptional leadership. When many of his colleagues cannot do as much as pay salaries of the workers, Gburugburu has shown, by rare example, that with dedication, well-heeled politicians can, indeed, keep their commitments to the electorate.
For this man of faith, he reverences God for what he terms “unmerited favours”. That, clearly, explains why upon his ascent to power, he was unequivocal in his submission that “Enugu State is in the hands of God”. At private or public functions, he has never failed to credit God for the unceasing blessings and interventions from above.
As Gov. Ugwuanyi celebrates his 58th birthday today, the tributes from family, friends and well-wishers, through newspaper adverts, social media and text messages, will serve to honour this inspirational leader and an apostle of peace who has continued to dispense humble services that promote equity and fairness.
Indeed, it is the ideal occasion to celebrate an accomplished administrator whose calmness, patience, inclusive governance and peace overtures have earned him plaudits across the aisle. He is one patient listener who is uninterested in petty squabbling. It is, therefore, no surprise that his profile continues to skyrocket because through consensus and consultation, rather than coercion, he has broken partisan boundaries in the State.
It is time to appreciate this selfless leader born in Ohom Orba, Udenu Council on that March 20, 1963 at the time that Raby and the Romantics released that blockbuster song “Our day will come.” In truth, a day will surely come when historians, using verifiable facts and figures, shall bear witness to the pace-setting achievements of Gov. Ugwuanyi. A day will come when Nigeria will look up to leaders like him as beacons of hope and torchbearers for a prosperous nation.
The day will come to highlight hundreds of kilometers of newly-constructed and rehabilitated rural and urban roads, integrated rural development programmes, qualitative and quantitative education and other massive infrastructural projects executed by the Ugwuanyi administration. And even today, the evidence lies before mankind that the Enugu State Infectious Diseases Hospital underlines Ugwuanyi’s signature in the health sector which earns top marks for the Type 3 hospitals, general hospitals and the phenomenal Teaching Hospital at Igbo-Eno.
When that day comes, the first Enugu Flyover will bear witness to Ugwuanyi’s sure-footed approach to addressing perennial traffic gridlocks; the Enugu Unity Park offers such a natural scenery that validates the state government’s commitment to urban renewal and the calming effect of relaxing under nature’s quiet embrace. There will be so much to showcase and celebrate when the time for stocktaking comes.
But of these massive structures and landmark projects on offer, none compares to the invisibles like the enthronement of peace and security in the State. To keep his people safe, Gov. Ugwuanyi, on many occasions, put his life at grave risk when he entered caves in thick forests and traversed notorious hot spots in order to flush out criminal elements and ensure the wellbeing of the people.
To usher in lasting peace, he has made concessions and compromises so that old wounds would heal. Rather than climb the rooftop to proclaim his might, he strives, through conviction than coercion, to achieve peace between individuals and communities. It is to his credit that sworn foes now dine on the same table, whereas politicians relate across party lines. No wonder Enugu maintains its prime reckoning as the most peaceful state East of the Niger and one of the safest in the country.
It will serve as a useful guide to the successor government in Enugu to imitate Ugwuanyi’s strict adherence to the regular conduct of local government elections at a time when some of his colleagues were running the third tier as appendages of the state governments.
These are the legacies that Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will bequeath to future generations. By his next birthday, he will have just 70 days to gracefully bid goodbye to the Lion Building. Surely, the marks he will leave behind shall inspire the upcoming generation to embrace devotion, selflessness in service and hard work as the needed ladder to the top echelon.
Beyond Enugu State, it is imperative that Nigeria scouts for such pathfinders like Governor Ugwuanyi for the needed rebirth and to moderate the conversation with the future. He has shown, through compassion and temperament, that he possesses the right ingredients as a national unifier with a positive vision for the country.
For today, the birthday boy should savour the numerous tributes from Ndi Enugu who gave him a record 95.54 per cent in the 2019 elections as testament to his pace-setting governance in his first term. When his time is up, it will, surely, end in praise.
Happy birthday, Your Excellency.