50th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, Gov. Obi spoke to selected Journalists

Ifeoma Akachukwu


As part of the activities marking the 50th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, Gov. Obi spoke to selected journalist.  The interview has been carried by Champion, Compass and Nation. The full text





Good afternoon Your Excellency.

Ans: Thank you my brothers.

Q: Sir I want to wish you happy 50th Independence anniversary.

General Laughter.

A:  I wish you the same and may the Independence celebration awaken in Nigeria and among Nigerians the resolve to start real nation Building.

Q. How do you mean, Your Excellency?

A:  All I am trying to say is that amidst this pomp and ceremony that characterize this Independence celebration, may we Nigerians understand that we have not done so well in terms of overall development, bearing in mind the expectations of our founding fathers, both dead and alive.

Q But some people are of the opinion that we have done well and could do better.

A: You know as well as I do that in any circumstance, people must have different opinions, some rational, some fair enough and some even verging on the lunatic fringe. But I will want us to tell ourselves the truth. If Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, or Chief Obafemi Awolowo or Sir Ahumadu Bello and our other founding fathers were to come back to life, how would they feel? Would they say that the country has moved on according to their expectations? Would they pat us on the back and say: My children, we are proud of you and your accomplishments? Would they feel better under us or would they feel nostalgic about the time they were with the colonialist?  Would they be pleased with sectoral developments: water resources, agriculture, industry, urban planning, Housing? Would they express satisfaction with the quality of social services available today? What is the state of the groundnut pyramids; the palm plantations; the cocoa farms today? Again, what about the unity of the nation they struggled for? These are necessary questions that should occupy our minds as we celebrate the independence.

A: Your Excellency, you sound as if you are not satisfied with the level of Nigeria's development   so far?

A: Let me tell you the truth, no patriotic Nigerian should be. In fact, if you ask me, I am even of the opinion that we are devoting too much time to this celebration. That is one of the unnecessary pastimes we acquired over the years. People are more concerned with ceremonies, celebration and parties than with productivity.  You know the obsession with sharing of the national cake rather with the business of baking it. If anybody that does not know Nigeria were asked to evaluate the independence celebration, he would probably conclude that we are celebrating the eight wonder of the world or some other roaring success, when in truth we have lived below expectations.

On the first of October, 1960, when we gained Independence, though some of us are post-independence children, the people rightly saw it as the birth of political freedom. They generally believed that with that new birth the country was unfettered to develop her boundless opportunities, but a few years later, our troubles started and till today we are still tottering, trying to lay those foundations we ought to have laid many many years ago.

You have been in Anambra State and you know that every year people celebrate the creation of the State. Some people always want it to be big occasions, but my opinion is that one cannot celebrate a failed State. If you recall, I have consistently used the occasion to call for reflection, for the people of Anambra State to resolve to start doing it well. I make the same call on Nigerians. The mood of the nation does not call for Epicurean indulgence; it rather calls for the strong will to succeed and for us to tell ourselves the basic truth, one of which is that a lot still needs to be done.

Q Sir the way you are talking, it would appear that you will not join in the celebration.

A: Not at all. Recently I was in the USA as a panelist on a symposium to mark our Independence anniversary. I contributed my quota. I have already taken part in many Independence activities and will continue to do so, but all I am saying is that the commemoration should be an opportunity for us to tell ourselves the truth. It will be of no benefit to us to continue deceiving ourselves. We did so in the past and many of our contemporary countries overtook us. They had been quietly working hard.

Many countries that used to have lower GDP and natural resources than us are today ahead of us. We have been more concerned with ceremonies and other past times that have not contributed to our overall development.  This was how Malaysia came here and took our palm seeds and today we are importing vegetable oil from her. Countries like Indonesia and Vietnam are all ahead of us in all the indices of development. Even in Africa, some African countries are today becoming exemplary to us. We are now beginning to realise our failure that some of us have started questioning the rationale for holding ourselves out as the giant of Africa. We cannot afford to remain the Shakespearean giant walking with the limb of mosquito.

Q Sir would you point at specific evidence to buttress  that  all is not well with the country?

A:  There are a number of them.  We have the teething problem of power, employment, lack of good roads and general infrastructure.  The greatest employer of labour today is the Small and Medium Enterprises, which is dead in Nigeria because of precarious state of power supply.  While we generate about 4000 megawatts of power, South Africa, a country with far less population than us generates over 40000 megawatts. 

While our Asian counterparts spent their 70s and 80s educating themselves, we spent ours in celebration, in owambeying. The consequence is that today their industries are far ahead of ours. Our education is not getting better. In the past, primary and secondary school people wrote good letters. Not anymore!  It is not getting better as buttressed by the just released NECO results.

Again, if we have succeeded as a country, you cannot have some people perennially pining for the return of the colonialist. They believe life was better under them.

Q: What would you recommend as a solution to all these problems?

A:  What we need today is visionary and good leadership. Once this is in place, everything will fall in line.  We need a Government that consults and listens to ideas. I must commend the Yarâ Adua/Jonathan administration.  I recall that as a Governor, whenever I went to see President Yara Adua he listened attentively to one's ideas, took notes and when one got back to his State, he could see the results. The same thing goes for president Goodluck Jonathan.

Q Sir that reminds us that the South east Governors have pledged support for President Jonathan, What informed that?

A: Well even before the present fever of declaration, we the Governors of the South East made it clear that we were going to support an aspirant with the best programme for the South East.  We have weighed all options. Remember that recently the former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme led  Igbo delegation, among whom were myself and my brother Governors of the South East with Mr. President. At that meeting we made appeal on issues affecting the South East. Among the issues raised are the creation of additional State for the South East,, the construction of the second Niger Bridge, the upgrade of Enugu Airport to international airport, the tackling of erosion problems, the issue of water supply and reconstruction of the South East roads.  He told us he would support the creation of more State for the region, which he noted was primarily a National Assembly matter. The major issues we raised with him are being addressed as we speak. Enugu has been upgraded to an international status, some of the roads are awarded, erosion is receiving attention and many more.

 Q: As an APGA Governor, some people are suspicious of the support you give to Mr. President

A: I am APGA governor and will remain so. I have said it for the umpteenth time that I will be the last person to leave APGA and will only work for other parties that are officially on strategic partnership with APGA.

As to working with Mr. President, I do not know who else I should work with. Do I work with the President of Ghana or Belize? Kindly educate me.

Q: Sir, what we are saying is that you appear too close to Jonathan?

A: Yes like every other Governor. Governors are close to their presidents in all the climes. Chief executives are close to their directors, otherwise there will be a disconnect and the company will crumble. If you know the history of Anambra State very well you will know that we had Governors of the State that fought the central Government unnecessarily causing so much pain to the State to the point of all the patrimony of the State being burnt down. I do not wish that for any State in the country.

 Q:  Let us focus a bit on your State, would you tell us your greatest Challenge as the Governor.

A.      There are many challenges, ranging from the challenge of infrastructure through the challenge of lack of basic foundation in all sectors to the challenge of values. By far, the most critical is the challenge of values. I often tell people that in as much as we are obliged as a government to provide needed infrastructure and to develop all sectors; Agriculture, Health, education, Environment, etc that what we need most is to change the psyche of our people. In all honesty, some of us do not think as they should.

Q: How do you mean?

A:  I mean that we should be more committed to the State. A State or nation where you find those that would rather steal the State dry than allow those that govern to use the resources of the State for the good of the people is sick. A state that will allow its property to be razed down all in the name of politics is  hurting herself. A state that will cook up impeachment or brazenly steal people's mandate without qualm cannot be trusted to save itself. A place where people habitually engage in all sort of crimes that defy reason is in grave trouble.

A: As the Governor, how do you tackle these many problems?

That boils down to what I was telling you. It is not the building of infrastructure that our people greatly need. It is the right attitude to public service or civic duty. Much as we try to provide these infrastructure, you find me, at the risk of sounding immodest, trying to lead by example. I do this bearing in mind that example is the best teacher.  Let me give you an example, we collapsed the cost of running Government businesses.   Example, at one time we had over 15 assistants, but I have cut it down by over 50%.  We used to have our Ministries scattered all over Anambra State, which was not cost-effective. We have brought all of them under one roof with the completion of the first and second phases of the State Secretariat.

Q: In terms of physical development of Anambra State, how would you rate yourself?

A: This is a question that challenges objectivity. How can I judge myself objectively? I would prefer you ask that question to the grassroots in Anambra State. Or perhaps, they already answered that question in the February election.  Inasmuch as I do not want to blow my  trumpet, there is no community in our State that has not benefitted from our desire to provide infrastructure to the State.

Q: What is your number one goal as a Governor?

A: My priority is to bring sanity and value change to governance. Once this is achieved, it will bring political stability, which will in turn help to guarantee safety of lives and property, reduce crime and other vices. Though we cannot guarantee 100% success but we must continue to put in 100 efforts.

Q: Finally, what will be your last message to the people of Anambra State and Nigerians State as Nigeria turns 50?

A:  Let us reflect on our lives and concentrate on the progress of our country. Let us resolve to make Nigeria great and realize that we have no other country. Let us stop the abuse of Nigeria because the Nigeria we abuse today will take her revenge on our children tomorrow.