1. As millions of Anambra people living in different parts of the world have returned home to join their kith and kin to celebrate both the Christmas and New Year, it has become self- evident that the state is eminently deserving of its status as Nigeria’s most competitive state in the last couple of years. Despite the economic condition in the whole country which seems to have created an atmosphere of despondency, ndi Anambra are in an upbeat mood. Communities, organizations and individuals are launching major development initiatives or completing and commissioning them. A countless number of marriages and weddings are going on, just like anniversaries. Needless to say, Anambra retains its status as Nigeria’s safest and most peaceful state. Ours remains the only state in the country which has for some five years not experienced one single bank robbery. The state is, of course, far ahead of other states in areas like education, as it continues to win national and international awards for educational excellence. Anambra people have never been as proud of their state as they are today.
2. All this has been made possible principally through sound financial and economic management. Just a couple of days ago, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published national debt stock which shows that of all states in Southern Nigeria only Anambra has not exceeded the 50% threshold by more than 100% . Anambra’s spectacular performance must have gladdened the hearts of the authorities at the Debt Management Office (DMO) and the Fiscal Responsibilities Commission (FRC) which have been warning the various governments in the federation against violating the guidelines on debt sustainability. As every social scientist knows, Anambra’s laudable financial behavior would not have been possible without responsible leaders who cherish values like integrity, prudence, discipline and self-control. As St Pope John Paul 11 would say, the Anambra State government has injected a large dose of honesty into governance. This is a lesson to all the other governments in Nigeria and, indeed, Africa.
3. The Government and people of Anambra State have, however, noticed that their state’s impressive performance has not gone down well with a couple of political actors in the so-called opposition who have been doing everything possible to de-market the state, even during this Christmas period when Christians throughout the world have been demonstrating peace, joy, forgiveness and solidarity. The campaign to discredit Anambra State is unfortunately led by a knight who has held a high political office and who knows that his deeds are sacrilegious; he has consequently been doing so surreptitiously. He knows his activities are unconscionable and a huge embarrassment to the church and the church will discipline him for acts incompatible with his status as a knight of the church anytime she discovers his role in the desperate attempt to poison the state’s social relations. In other words, he is a hypocrite.
4. Hypocrisy is a far more serious sin than some people may seem to realize. John the Baptist called hypocrites “you brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good things? Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12: 34), a very strong condemnation by any standard in the world. Jesus Christ was very critical of the Pharisees and Scribes for just one reason: hypocrisy. He said to them: “Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You whited sepulcher” (Matthew 23:27 ), that is, they look nice outside but are rotten and smelly inside like decomposing bodies. May those who insist on playing Judas Iscariot in Anambra State not step into the new year with so much spiritual filth. May 2020 be a year of spiritual and moral rebirth for all of them.
5. All ndi Anambra are assured that their state will be more competitive than ever in 2020. The limited funds available to the government will be used most prudently to the glory of God and for the good of all our people. The mass return of millions of our people from all parts of the globe to their homeland and the resolve by a number of the returnees to invest more strongly at home, despite the campaign of calumny by a handful of politically exposed elements against their own state, is a confirmation to all that Anambra State is truly the Light of the Nation.
May God bless our dear state and continue to protect and guide it on the trajectory of rapid development.
Signed
C. Don Adinuba
Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment.
