Anambra State was created on August twenty-seven, 1991. The state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State to the north.
Over the years, Anambra has been on the growing trajectory of development under different administrations. From 1991 to 1992, Joseph Abulu took over as the State administrator, succeeded by Chukwuemeka Ezeife who was Governor till 1993. Dabo Aliyu later took over as Acting Administrator and was succeeded by Mike Attah as Administrator till 1996. Between 1996 and 1998, Rufai Garba served as the State Administrator and later handed over to Emmanuel Ukaegbu who stayed in power till 1999. On May, 29th 1999, Chinwoke Mbadinuju served as democratically elected Governor of the state till 2003 and was succeeded by Senator Chris Ngige who served till 2006. Mr. Peter Obi succeeded Ngige in 2006 following a Court Of Appeal judgment in Enugu which declared him duly elected in 2003. He served two terms of eight years, though, at a time in his first term, he was impeached by the state House of Assembly. His Deputy, Virgy Etiaba who took over when he was impeached and subsequently transferred powers back to Peter Obi three months later when an Appeal Court nullified the impeachment. Peter Obi served till 2014 while former Governor Willie Obiano mounted the saddle of leadership for eight years, having won the election the second time. On March seventeen, 2022, Professor Chukwuma Soludo took over the reins of power.
When Anambra State changed from “Home For All” to “Light of the Nation”, it was not just another gimmick by the policy makers and administrators of the state to merely rebrand the state. Rather It was a strategic move to redefine the state and prepare it for a future that leads the way among the comity of states in Nigeria.
As the state turns thirty-three today and the drums are rolled out in celebration , it is even more critical that we sit, reflect, reassess our journey, plan and decide that we must come together to build the future that we and our children will be proud of. An Anambra that has the social structures that motivate her citizens including indigenes and residents alike to excel. A state that protects, strengthens, and empowers her weak; encourages, supports and enables her strong and fulfills the dreams of her offsprings and build a better future for upcoming generations .
Since the creation of the State on August twenty-seven, 1991, the journey has been filled with ups and downs, trials and errors, victories and defeats but that was filled with the unbending determination to refine her destiny, subdue and conquer obstacles and challenges and build hope that energizes discipline, hardwork, innovation, continuous improvement, creativity, excellence and success. Called the “Spirit of Anambra” by many, this excellence complex is painted on the streets of the enterprising commercial city of Onitsha, the manufacturing hub of Nnewi, the bureaucracy and emerging digital hub of Awka, the budding economic belt of Ekwulobia, the agricultural capital of Omambala, and the stellar excellence of the Anambra diaspora.
Successive administrations in the state have also tried their best to provide the state with the leadership it needed to properly channel these qualities into a commonwealth of excellence. These plans and policies met their own challenges and successes. Yet, they are all contributory to what the state has become today.
Nevertheless, it is the vision of the present administration in the state that remains the only available vehicle at the moment for the state to reach her destination. Governor Soludo aptly understands where Anambra needs to be when he said that ,”we must collectively build a new social and economic order that guarantees and defends economic freedom and reward of private enterprise to secure a future such that any child born in Anambra will have little incentive to rush elsewhere in search of opportunities and anyone persecuted anywhere in the world can return to a happy and prosperous homeland – liveable, prosperous homeland, not a departure lounge but a destination, a smart mega city.” An Anambra that is driven by the philosophy, “One Anambra, One People, One Agenda”. This means that the best for the state will remain a priority at all times despite our political, religious, or ideological differences. That the actions each and every one of us will take must be tested by their impact on our collective future and not by how they advance personal interests.
Anambra State, the light continues to shine.
Written by EDITORIAL
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