The moon will light up Anambra again

[SunNews]

By IFEOMA ONWUGBUFOR 

Chris Ngige is many things to the people of Anambra State: Onwa n'etili ora (the moon that lights up the world for all); Nkeke enyi n'achu igwe enyi oso (A small elephant that stampedes a herd of elephants), Omelora (One who does good for all) etc.

He has proved the definition of love by "laying down" his life for a just cause and he deserves the mandate of Anambra people, just for this one reason.

Ngige has been 'tried and tested' by the people of Anambra State and his was a reality that cannot be easily forgotten by any generation, even though he only operated within the little space, which his defiance to the powers that be afforded him. With more political wisdom and the full support by his people, the sky will not limit the dividends that will be experienced in the state with his installation as the governor.

A teenager was recounting Ngige's achievements when he was governor and suddenly, it struck me that this teenager was barely three years old in 2003 and six years old when Ngige was forced out of office in 2006. His fame will surely cut across many generations.

The electorate in Anambra State have come of age and knows exactly who the best candidate is. Anambra State needs an organised and starry-eyed leader who is well-experienced and conversant with the plight of his people. Anambra State deserves a charismatic and self-willed governor who cannot be influenced by fear or favour; one who has a mind of his own. Not a fine-faced ex-bank director, who is obviously at a loss at the system operative in Anambra State civil service. Ngige might not be the money-sharing type of politician but remember that leadership is a call to serve others and anyone who pays another in order to serve has fraudulent motives.

If Ngige could withstand the monstrous Chris Ubah, he has no reason to fear Governor Babatunde Fashola, let alone be influenced negatively by his political party. Many Igbo have and still live comfortably in Lagos even from birth (an instance is my humble self) without being deported or anything close to it. Destitution is not an issue to joke about and if a state government is called upon by its counterpart to relocate its stranded citizens back to their root, such call should not be toyed or played politics with. Ngige is diplomatic and his unquestionable decorum cannot be denied, even by his detractors. His comments during the Igbo-extract deportation saga were honest and in fairness to every party involved because the Ngige I know will not spare any Lagosian who becomes a nuisance on the street of the Awka capital city should he be elected governor on November 16. Let common sense call to mind some principles of life, including our native adage, which bids a visitor not to destroy his host in his visiting and when he is leaving, let him not be infested with hunch back (evil luck). Any state government in Nigeria reserves the constitutional right to come up with measures to sanitise its society and anyone who is not comfortable with that should head home. Governor Fashola has apologised to Igbo because of the great respect and appreciation for their immense contribution to the economic significance of Lagos State. His apology should put to rest any misgiving that exists.

I solemnly implore the INEC to strictly monitor the electoral exercise in my homeland, Anambra State on November 16 in all judgment and neutrality. The police should kindly provide security and monitoring teams in that electoral zone to ensure that this electoral exercise is 'free and fair' The people of Anambra are determined to put an end to all 'electoral nonsense' in the state and if INEC fails to forestall any form of rigging, Anambra people will not accept any result that will contradict the will of the people.

We shall install Ngige, for the man in him and what he represents. He has promised progress, goodwill, security and development in Anambra State and all we can do is to give him another chance like fate did in 2003 when, of the truth, he did beautify Anambra State. If he fails us this time, we will vote him out in 2017 without any delay (although it is unlikely that he would). Of all the candidates, he has less baggage that we can handle. And in unanimity, the people of Anambra declare that the moon will light up Anambra State once again.

• Onwugbufor, an IT consultant writes from Accra, Ghana

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