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| Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah Esq. Executive Governor of Enugu state |
At a meeting with then governor-elect Peter Mba of Enugu state and his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai in Abuja a few weeks to their May 29 2023 inauguration, I had the privilege of an up close and personal encounter both gentlemen. While I was meeting Mba for the first time, I have known Ossai, a close ally of former governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for a longer time together with Dr Pat Asadu, a leading member of the Enugu state political establishment who represented Nsukka federal constituency in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2023. Through the duo of Ossai and Asadu, I met Ugwuanyi and severally visited the Lion Building Enugu seat of power and attended state functions on his invitation. Also, I had over time developed a deep relationship with another illustrious son of Enugu state and former deputy senate president of Nigeria, Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu, whom I consider one the most forthright, patriotic and brilliant law makers of the 4thRepublic Nigeria.
Due to my relationship with the leaders and people of Enugu state, I now regard the former capital of the old eastern region as my home. Apart from my frequent visits to the state I remember spending my Christmas holidays in the state, where I traversed the Enugu country homes of Dr Asadu, Governor Ugwuanyi and Senator Ekwerenmadu and enjoyed the best of Ndi Enugu generous hospitality. I do not only regard Enugu state as my home but I consider myself a stakeholder in the affairs of Enugu hence always willing to volunteer my services and advice on how to make Enugu state work for its people better. And it was in line with my Enugu state stakeholder bonafides that I was invited to a meeting with our incoming governor Peter Mba on that fateful day in Abuja.
Like his deputy, Governor Mba is a lawyer, politician and generally acknowledged as a successful business man who previously served as chief of staff to Enugu state government in 2003. His company, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited is a foremost indigenous player in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry with a market share of about 23 per cent and an annual turnover of about 600 billion naira recently opened the largest storage and logistics facilities in Nigeria. So it was with a combination of public and private sector experience that Mba came into the 2023 race for the governorship of Enugu state and emerged victorious in a tightly contested election.
Soft spoken, serious minded and seemingly purposeful and deliberate about his approach to the governance of Enugu state, Mba shared his vision for a better Enugu state and took us through his plans and policies on how to achieve his objectives. Even though it was only a few weeks to his inauguration at which time many elected political leaders would have forgotten their campaign promises, Mba not only reiterated his campaign promises but pledged to fulfil them within the stipulated time. He specifically restated his promise to restore public water supply in Enugu Urban within 180 days in office. He promised to run the business of government with the efficiency of the private sector by adopting the best of corporate governance code in the administration of Enugu state in order to reposition the state and make it ready to do business.
Governor Mba also pledged to sustain the age long reputation of Enugu state as home for all Nigerians that are resident there and continue with the tradition of an administration that is inclusive of competent people irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds. And this was the high point of our discussion as I encouraged him to be steadfast in his commitment to make Enugu state a home for all where it is possible to be Yoruba, Hausa and Muslim and still be considered Enugu enough to enjoy economic rights and political privileges just like its predominant Igbo aboriginal peoples. Nigerians are essentially one people and our various ethno-geographic backgrounds are only functions of members of the same family living in the different parts of the family compound. And when one family leaves one part of the family compound to another, they should be welcomed home in the same way many of us have been welcomed home in Enugu state.
And that was why it came to me and many Nigerians as a pleasant surprise when Governor Peter Mba announced the appointment of veteran broadcast journalist, Ladi Akeredolu Ale, a Yoruba from south west Nigeria as the new Managing Director of Enugu State Broadcasting Service. In appointing Ladi Akeredolu Ale as the Managing Director of the state owned media organisation, Governor Peter Mba combined competence with inclusion beautifully. At a time that Nigeria is still trying to heal from a polarised polity arising from the very divisive 2023 presidential election, Mba’s courageous effort of deliberate act of national integration, inclusion and accommodation is a commendable step towards the rebuilding of the Nigerian nation.
Before this recent appointment, Mba had earlier appointed Abdu Muktar of the Africa Development Bank, a northern Nigerian Muslim into his transition committee and Adenike Okebu as his Senior Special Assistant on Revenue. Governor Peter Mba’s demonstration of a robust pan Nigerian credentials through his appointments have debunked the narrative the entrenched narrative that the Igbo people of south eastern Nigeria are not as accommodating as the want to be accommodated by the rest of Nigeria. And until it becomes possible for a Nigerian to be Igbo and Lagos, Hausa and Anambra and Yoruba and Kano, Nigeria will remain perpetually trapped at the bottom of the pyramid of human development, where life is nasty, brutish and short.
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