In every society, peace is usually the bedrock of development, progress and recreation. This, therefore, means that a society devoid of peace is sure not to attain its full potentials and may continue to experience underdevelopment.

Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts though; as creatures, differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge and through humane ways. A peace loving person should not let the behavior of others to destroy his inner peace, which will in turn affect his output.

Peace can challenge us to discover ourselves and perhaps, allow us to surrender to our circumstances. When we stop going against the grain and going with the flow, life will get sweeter.

That is why Anambra has known peace since the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, took over the mantle of leadership in the state on March 17, 2006. Hitherto, the state was in a gory and sorry situation. Anambra was in a state of anomie. The state was destroyed and was almost trodden to the path of anarchy. Anambra was in a mess then.

Violence, mayhem, kidnappings, crimes and criminality were synonymous with the state, resulting in closure of schools due to nonpayment of workers’, teachers’ and pensioners’ salaries for several months as well as extra judicial killings, abduction of a sitting governor and brazen burning of public property. If there was no divine intervention, the state would have degenerated to a state of emergency. Fortunately, once APGA took over the mantle, everything died down.

In fact, APGA brought Anambra to the status of being the most peaceful state in Nigeria. This is because the party believes that peace, as John F. Kennedy said, is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding, quietly building new structures.

APGA posits that peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. This is because darkness cannot drive darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive hate; only love can do that. And APGA stands for light and love. That is why our Motto is: Be Your Brother’s or Sister’s Keeper. To APGA, peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have; and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best they have and all they are. That is why APGA has excelled so much in the past few years of its existence.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance believes that if you want to end war, then instead of sending guns, send books; instead of sending tanks send pens; instead of sending soldiers, send teachers. That is the propelling concept that changed Anambra story in all sectors, far different and better than what it was.

APGA has ever remained a violence-free political party because its idea is that violence is immoral, which seeks to humiliate rather than win understanding.

Violence thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys communities and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. And that is why APGA is succeeding where others failed.

Suffice it to say that these are the reasons why APGA has remained an indivisible progressive, devoid of rancor, acrimony and Pull Him Down Syndrome orchestrated in other platforms. Thus, Ndi Anambra are better for it today. APGA has, in the past fifteen years, shown good governance and steady delivery of democracy dividends.

The party has, over the years, remained faithful to its covenant with the people, in accordance with its constitution and manifesto as well as the spirit and solemn directives of its supreme leader, late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

All APGA faithful, from the ward to local government, state and national levels are therefore urged to hold fast to our peaceful disposition. We must never allow intruders to break the chain of peace which has taken us thus far. United we must surely stand to continue to win.

SIR NOBERT OBI

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