By Uzo Ugwunze
A United States based Anambra Philanthropist, High Chief Hamilton Ezeonu(Ikemba Nnobi) who came back to invest on infrastructural and human capital development in his community has revealed that he was inspired by Governor Chukwuma Soludo's slogan of making Anambra State the 'Dubai of Africa.''
Speaking during the
commissioning of a1Km Road, three Borehole Water Projects, and inspection of a
modern Security office complex at the General Hospital, Nnobi, Idemili South
Local Government Area (ISLGA), High Chief Hamilton Ezeonu said that when Soludo
was campaigning to become the governor of Anambra State he said that he would
turn the state into Dubai and that was one of the things that motivated him to
support the government by doing the little he can to make Ifite Ogbeagidi,
Nnobi have a taste of what one can see in Dubai.
"The last time I met His
Excellency Prof Soludo was during the burial of the late wife of Igwe Engr. Nick
Obi of Nnobi. I told him that he is going to come and commission three projects
in Nnobi. He said: make it happen I am always available.I thank you for what
you are doing in Anambra and for Nnobi people and community".
"I want to thank God four
personalities in this occasion. God, Governor Soludo, my wife and the
Transition Chairman of ISLGA, Hon Mrs Amaka Obi (Iyom Ife-Abata) who bothers my
entire family about project, project, projects".
"The rock behind Ikemba
Nnobi is my beautiful wife, Thelma Ezeonu. We are not politicians but we shall
support the government as usual".
"Iyom Ife-Abata kept
telling me ' Ikemba you can do it. I believe in you. So in 15 days this road
was done with intensive construction work going on morning and night.
"I remember Governor
Soludo said Dubai and I have been to Dubai and their roads have Street lights
and flowers, so I put Street lights and flowers along the road.
"I also learnt that
Governor Soludo likes water, I built water projects here too, so I have given the
governor what what he wants.
"I learnt at US to follow
government policies and to give your own support. Governor is not God, the
little you can do please do it to support the government.
"I also observed that
'Okada riders' commercial cyclists were speeding on this road day and night, so
I provided close to 500 motorcycle riders with safety helmets and reflective
jackets.
"If my government is
succeeding, I am also succeeding. This is just 5 percent of projects the
Governor will commission here in Nnobi. By June next year I will ensure that
all illustrious sons of Nnobi who seldom come home will be here to take up several
projects", said Ezeonu.
Earlier in her welcome address,
the ISLGA Chairman, Mrs Amaka Obi said that as an ardent believer in the
Solution Governor's think home philosophy, she has been persuading many
illustrious sons and daughters of Idemili South to partner with government in
developing their immediate community and the LGA.
"When I came into office,
I declared that anybody who builds and tars any road or street, that street or
road shall be named after the person irrespective of the name it was bearing
previously.
"Ikemba Nnobi is not the
richest but I pleaded with him and his wife to come home and help me bring
development closer to the people.
"He has done a lot in
Nnobi community. Projects Ikemba sponsored include, Renovation of General
Hospital Nnobi, Renovation of Doctors Quarter at General Hospital Nnobi, Building
of modern Security Office at General Hospital Nnobi. Ikemba Nnobi built a
Security Tower at Nnobi Police Station. Ikemba Nnobi has contributed so much in
the security of lives and properties of his people the Ifite Ogbeadiji
community Nnobi. He also provided over 500 Motorcycle Riders with safety helmet
and Reflective jackets.
"The wife has empowered so
many women, Empowerment of widows and women with Fufu Processing Machine.
Commercial Grinding Machine. Medical outreach, in fact they have done me proud
and are willing to do more," said Mrs Obi.
Commissioning the projects,
Governor Soludo after thanking High Chief Hamilton Ezeonu, called on other
illustrious sons and daughters of Anambra to embrace the Public Private
Community Partnership (PPCP) to support what government is doing to make the
state a healthy, liveable and prosperous place.
"I have come to Nnobi and
I feel like lying down here. This is the kind of event I love attending daily.
Nnobi is a great community with great people. I usually tell people if you
claim you are a big man, I will ask the person how many kilometers of road have
you completely constructed".
"Government IGR cannot do
much that is why we decided on PPCP to support government. 12 years ago I
adopted a public primary school. I did the perimeter fence, provided 40
computer sets for the computer lab, provided school uniforms, bags, books and
pencils, augmented the incentives for teachers as my contribution to what the
previous administration in government was doing in Anambra.
"Maya Angelou told Oprah
Winfrey that her legacy was not the record of being the richest black woman but
the school she built in South Africa which will eventually produce the future
leaders in their community.
"People like Late Tonimas
who did 18 km roads at Neni will always be remembered, Chinechendo of Adazi
have done 14km and targets 30km to break Tonimas record,Ndi Anambra should
emulate them and partner with government in developing their communities".
"I remember that it was
during the commissioning of the renovated Nnobi General Hospital by the same
Ikemba that I declared Free Antenatal and delivery including those who
delivered through CS with and we have almost zero mortality for Ndi Anambra.
"So, I thank Ikemba and
his wife the Rock and next year June I will be here to help him convince people
like SEAMAN and others to take up projects in this great Nnobi
community,"said Soludo.
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