By Frank Iroroh
An opportunity has come for us, the good people of Aniomaland to realize the dreams of Anioma state. A dream hatched by our past political leaders which has taken us more than half a century to get to this point. Anioma people have a dream to have a state they we can proudly call their own. A state where equity, fairness and justice reigns,
The struggle for Anioma statehood is not an emergency agenda, it is a long tortious journey, but now there is light at the end of the tunnel. With his resolve and determination, coupled with unalloyed support of Anioma people, the Most Distinguished Senator Ned Munir Nwoko will deliver Anioma State.
In his words, Senator Ned Munir Nwoko said, I have decided to pick the baton of the struggle for the creation of Anioma State left behind by our past leaders, and we must ensure that the struggle is not left behind for our next generations.
Beginning from the day Anioma was coiled from the four local government areas that make up the Aniomaland at the time, our past leaders, ably led by Sir Dennis Osadebay of blessed memory and his Anioma compatriots were unanimous in their quest for a state where every citizen and resident of Anioma State could express his or her right to achieve his or her goals in life according to the content of his or her Knowledge, Skills and Talents.
Our leaders envisioned Anioma state where the government of the State implements policies and programs that help citizens to achieve their life aspirations.
In this present circle of the struggle for Anioma State creation, the Most Distinguished Senator Ned Munir Nwoko SNMN, the Senator representing Delta North (Anioma), is focused, committed and resolutely determined to conclude the struggle for Anioma State creation. Our generation will celebrate the creation of Anioma State. There is no doubt about that, Anioma State will be created.
While we work to actualize the Anioma State of our dreams, we must also lay a solid foundation required for the state to meet the aspirations of Anioma people.
This simply means defining the Anioma Goals, the policy objectives of Anioma State.
This is very crucial because as observed today, we are witnessing state governments failures to address the needs of the people. We are seeing political parties without sound policies.
Many States in Nigeria have no clear policy on topical policy issues, like
- Education,
- Agriculture
- Rural Infrastructure
- Industrialization
- Social Welfare
- Sports and Youth Development amongst other issues that has to do with the people’s well-being.
Take Delta State for an example. The government of Delta State after 26 years under the defunct PDP’s administration, now an APC inherited administration, operated and is still operating the personal clanish agenda of the Governor in office.
Former Gov. Ibori has a policy on Rural Integration and Grassroot Sports Development.
Former Gov. Uduaghan abandoned Ibori’s policies and introduced his Delta Beyond Oil Policy
Former Gov.Okowa trashed Ibori and Uduaghan’s Policies and introduced his own Smart Agenda
Presently Gov. Oborevwori is running his own More Agenda
Sadly, these are governors elected under the same party platform, but each operating his own personal agenda. This underscores the fact that the defunct PDP has no clear Policy Objectives formulated for its elected officers to implement..
Anioma State should not run a government that does not know what to do to uplift the lives of her citizens.iAoma people must sit together to draw the Anioma State Goals (Agenda), a policy document required to keep whoever, occupies Dennis Osadebay House, Asaba, after the creation of Anioma State, focus on what he or she is elected to do.
It is wrong to assume that anybody who finds his way to the Government House, knows it all. Experience has shown that most governors do not know what their people want and what to do to bring good governance to the people.
Let’s draw the rules for our elected officers to follow. What I am proposing here is not a novelty idea, David Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States of America, took a similar action in America.
General D, D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe, during the second world WW2 He later became the US president under the Republican Party.
While in office, Eisenhower conveyed a commission of non partisan group and specifically tasked them to draw the goals for America
The commission’s report resulted in a policy document endorsed by the US Senate, that clearly defined the American Government Policies code named, AMERICA FIRST, POLICY
The policy has been vigorously implemented by both the Republican and the Democratic party governments.
Eisenhower took this action after witnessing the horrors of the second. world, WW2, partly caused by the US government’s policy shortfalls leading to the war.
Eisenhower still ranks among the top 5 greatest presidents of America.
Today we face similar policy shortfalls in most states in Nigeria.
Most governors have demonstrated a lack of vision on how to meet the basic demand of their people, the demand to live a dignified life.
Let us draw inspiration from Eisenhower’s commission and formulate the real Anioma Agenda
Thank God, today we have an Eisenhower in our midst, a man who is very passionate about the well-being of Anioma people, who is doing every within reach to make Anioma people live a good life. Senator Ned Munir Nwoko, who holds the mandate of Anioma people at the 10th Senate, the Upper Legislative Arm of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has after wide consultations with interest groups in Aniomaland, conveyed a high power Committee, the Technical Committee on Anioma State Creation led by eminent Royal Fathers in Anioma, comprising all the Royal Fathers in Anioma, all the House of Rep and Assembly members in Anioma, all the local government chairmen in Anioma including all the key political actors, and representatives of sociocultural, youth and women groups in Anioma.
This committee has been toiling day and night to get Anioma State created, for sure victory is coming.
This high power committee is well positioned to undertake the task of formulating the Anioma Goals, in line with Nigeria’s National Policy Objectives.
The goals for Anioma state, when formulated and adopted should be rectified through the act of the Anioma State Government.
This complies with global best practice, inventors issue manuals on how their products should be applied for optimal results.
So, those of us championing the struggle must formulate policies and programs for the good governance of Anioma State.
We cannot build a jumbo jet as big as Aniomaland and hand it over to anybody to fly without a manual on how it should be flown.
Up next, Needs For Anioma Goals.
Frank Iroroh
Is a member of the Media and Communication Subcommittee of the Technical Committee on Anioma State Creation
Note, the views expressed in this article are personal opinions of the author, who enjoys the privilege of being an Anioma citizen.
