Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has assured of carrying on with the banner left by late Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, the former governor of the state.
Soludo described Ezeife as a man who was the change that he preached and a man who lived out the change that he preached.
Speaking at the burial service of the late former governor of Anambra State, Ezeife, popularly known as Okwadike, at his residence in Igboukwu, Governor Soludo prayed God to bless Igboukwu, Anambra and Nigeria with people who show the way like he did.
According to him, Ezeife lived a life of purpose and service, living out the true meaning of not just what he said but what he did which was why Nigeria took him seriously.
He disclosed that as Governor of Anambra State, Okwadike earned the credit to speak about fairness, equity and justice for all as he did not care about religious denominations, state or other things but ensured inclusiveness of all types in his government, which was why he employed two people from Abia and Osun States into the Anambra State civil service. These two people he (Soludo) had recently appointed to the position of permanent secretaries.
“We are just living out the true essence of what Okwadike stood for. So when he spoke about equity and justice in Nigeria; when he spoke about excellence and merit being the bases for appointments and so on, he lived it out. And so when he spoke about these matters – a Nigeria that is fair and equitable; a Nigeria where justice reigns, we could believe him because he led by example.
“We’re carrying the banner forward. Yes! In Anambra State, we recruited in the first nine months, 5000 teachers and they come from 18 states in Nigeria. We did not ask people which state they came from or which religion they belong because the interest of the Anambra child is to be taught by the best teacher in the world, not the teacher from his village. That is not what Okwadike stood for. And that is the banner we are carrying forward. This is what we have come to celebrate as we bid him farewell…,” Soludo said.
