Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Peter Mba and ogazi Ovoko metaphor
_(Jack Solo series 29)_
In second week of May this year, amidst horrific news of the murder of Deborah Samuel by Islamic fundamentalists in faraway Sokoto state, the government of Enugu State took a cherishable route to secure a foreign mentorship program for about 28 of her indigenous young students. There is truly nothing compared to securing the future of tomorrow’s leaders and investing in their capacity. Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Gburugburu) has really left no one in doubt that he believes in the youth constituency and will leave nothing to chance in harnessing the potentials of this important segment of Enugu populace and allow them to rule their world even from this day.
It was therefore very heart-warming and a piece of cheery news to note that the administration of Gov. Ugwuanyi has through the State Scholarship Board secured a fully-funded scholarships for more than 50 postgraduate students who are indigenes of the state to study in Europe or America. Although this has been a routine part of his administration from 2015, this years edition came with a lot of tributes because every state in Nigeria is fiscally depressed after Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, Gburugburu could embark on such money intensive venture just to advance the cause of the youths and further, enhance Enugu's human capital development index in line with SDG of the United Nations.
It was the achievement of this sort of feat between 2006 and 2014 as governor of Anambra, that made Peter Obi one of the most coveted of the presidential candidates. Yet Ugwuanyi is here matching and breaking such records without making noice.
Ugwuanyi administration’s goal is to produce a generation of intellectuals who will be better equipped to turn the state around economically; and who will be better disposed to compete favourably globally.
Gburugburu is a youth champion. He has always treasured their constituency and he's one of them. And the best that will happen in Enugu of today, is for the youths to pay unalloyed allegiance to his verdicts in the 2023 polls. That's the only gift they can give to themselves and their future.
In 2002, Hon. Chinedu Onuh was so close to becoming the executive chairman of Udenu LGA. In one of his campaign rallies, while soliciting for votes to emerge victorious at the election, Hon. Chinedu (who was famous with wisdom quotes) left a local balladic proverb to Obollo Etiti Youths.
He said (in native dialect): *_"Ndi youths ibe m, unu chete ne ogazi anar' onye Ovoko bu Ovoko lile b'anara ya"_* this can transliterationally be explained thus: *_"my fellow youths, don't forget that a guinea fowl snatched from an Ovoko hunter, represents a direct assault on the entire Ovoko clan."_*
By this nugget, Hon. Onu, as a young political aspirant, was courting the youths, who make up greater percentage of the voting population, that they should feel specially concerned and emotionally involved in supporting his candidacy, for his loss in the then local council polls will be a loss to the whole youth Constituency.
Today, more than ever before, this advisory challenges Enugu Youths without neglecting the elderly percentage of the electorates. The Youths should not allow anyone disuade them from giving Barr. Peter Mba and Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai 100% of their supports. These are youthful candidates with verifiable track records in human capital development strides.
If Gov. Ugwuanyi, who we all could attest to his filial interest in Youth development could see in Mba/Ossai ticket, altruistic youth lovers who would piously take up youth empowerment from where he will stop when he leaves office next year, then we have no reason not to trust his verdict.
As a youth ambassador himself, Ugwuanyi bears the torch and the radar, as to who Ndi Enugu Youths should support and vote for. As the leader of his party in the state, he ensured that only the youths were elected as the party's flag bearers across all the positions in the upcoming elections. Thus only PDP parades the most youthful candidates like Hon. Solomon Izuchukwu Onah (Jack Solo) etc.
Let us give our ears to Gov. Ugwuanyi. He knew the road, and has tested the waters.
If we get distracted by the pauperized voices of the opposition, and allow them steal this show from us, just remember, *_"ogazi anar'onye Ovoko bu Ovoko lile b'anara ya."_*
If Mba/Ossai loses, it bears collateral misfortune on all of us. But if they win (as sure as it has become, judging by indices on ground) it spells a generational triumph for us in the new Enugu which they're projecting.
Let us all be appropriately guided, and secure "Our Tomorrow that is here!"
© Jack Solo Support Group for Gburugburu 2023.
_Email:__jacksologroup@gmail.com_
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