Anambra 2021: Ndi be anyi, Ó na-abu ónye akojuro mbúbo ózaba Eze Ódumegwu? (How can someone who has done nothing to help his people/community be claiming to be a Hero?). This was one out of many nuggets from our forebears. They were right in their postulations when you look at some of the aspirants jostling for the Anambra state plum seat at Agu-Awka.

I think it is sensible and most appropriate that before one can come out to boldly announce his or her intention to govern Anambra State, the person should first and foremost show us why he/she deserves such office.

Putting aside all the academic qualifications and intelligent quotient or possessing the requisite experience/exposure or knowledge of governance, I think it is necessary that they begin to show us what they have done for their people or their immediate communities in their personal capacities before talking about political aspirations.

The time for empty promises is fast spent and gone for good. The people are wiser now.

Political aspiration must be anchored on altruistic desire, vim and vigor and sacred resolve to serve the people wholeheartedly. Such aspirants must be those whose hearts are in the right place and have shown empathy for the needy and demonstrated unquenchable knack for bettering both the humanity and his or her environment without self rewarding mechanisms…

I do not mean election induced philanthropy because it is a hurriedly contrived arrangement to deceive the electorate. It is simply driven by desperation and selfish interest.

I am talking about philanthropy that is borne out of pure passion to positively impact on humanity and revolutionise one’s environment.

We’re talking about community projects and empowerment of the people which the aspirant must have rendered devoid of anticipatory future political gains.

It will be easier for us to decide which is which if all the aspirants could boldly enumerate to us their personal contributions to their immediate constituencies, i.e their towns and other communities by way of infrastructural development and human empowerment. This will enable us to separate authentic achievers from those that erect their structures only in the social media and rely on propaganda to deceive the uninformed readers and electorates.

Ndi Anambra, it is high time we began to ask these important questions and critically scrutinize these aspirants who specialize in sailing under false colours for them not to get what they want this time…the governorship seat!

If unbiased investigations and analysis are done, I have no doubt that Dr Godwin Maduka (Lion of Africa, Okosisi Orumba) will emerge victorious over other contenders. He has run like a clockwork in virtually everything he’s associated with and all endeavours.

Let us all drum out our unalloyed support for Dr. Maduka because he has proven to us that he is deserving of the office of the Governor of Anambra state from all viewpoints. We should as a matter of expediency jettison the idea of bringing back the people whose only stock in trade is to fritter away our common patrimony. The time is nigh for us the electorates to take a hardline choice of Dr. Godwin Maduka.

Ndi Anambra, though the jury is still out but we have to throw down the gauntlet to them by choosing and subsequently electing Dr. Maduka as the next Governor of Anambra state…Daalu nu Ndi be Anyi!

Onwurah Chinonso Anthony
(Equity Lawyer)