By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
Lawyers and participants at the ongoing Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NB) in Enugu have commended the state governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for what they described as his transformative leadership in the past two years.
They gave the commendations today , August 25, during Gov. Mbah’s presentation on ‘Leadership and Transformation’ at the event, where he showcased Enugu State, sharing practical strategies he was applying in overcoming barriers and unlocking the state’s sundry opportunities.
Firing the first salvo, a leading light in the nation’s legal practice firmament, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, said he has been familiar with the state over the years, declaring that it would be evil for anyone to deny the obvious transformations under Mbah.
“I come to Enugu every day. So, I am not a stranger at all to Enugu State. It will be difficult for me to deny that I have not seen some groundbreaking projects. To deny your transformative leadership will be sinful, and I do not want to be a sinner,” he said.
Ozekhome wondered how Mbah was able to “do these great things in a highly politicised environment infested by political buccaneers, and in an environment where there is more politicking than governance.”
Prominent politician, activist and lawyer, Senator Dino Melaye, on his part, commended Mbah for emerging as a pacesetter in good governance in just two years in office.
“I am particularly and personally impressed with the governor of Enugu State because all these things have been done in two years. I only can see that you think out of the box,” he said.
Senator Melaye commended Mbah for putting competence above political considerations in recruiting his team.
“Also, I am impressed with your expertise in the recruitment process, in appointing your political appointees. The intellectual sagacity displayed by them is too much. It gives hope that Nigeria can be fine again. It contributes a lot to the progress you are achieving and have achieved,” he emphasized.
In his presentation, Gov. Mbah observed that transformational leadership demanded the audacity to envision something beyond low expectations, insisting that such leaders must ground their work in vision, values, and a disruptive strategy to achieve the desired results.
“Our vision was to grow Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, to reduce the poverty headcount to zero, and to make Enugu the preferred destination in Nigeria for business, for tourism, and for living.
“We imagined a state that, within eight years, would be completely unrecognisable from the one we inherited,” he said.
The governor, however, explained that such humongous vision and targets could not be wished into existence, hence the state’s huge investments in drastic crime reduction and the building of infrastructure to drive business, tourism, and investment.
He said: “None of our visions and targets would have been possible without security. So, from the outset, we built a tech-driven, intelligence-led security architecture anchored in our Command and Control Centre.
“With round-the-clock AI surveillance across our neighbourhoods, integrated response units (DRS), and community partnership, Enugu has recorded an over 80% reduction in violent crime.
“This stability is the bedrock upon which investment, jobs, and society can grow.”
Mbah added that his administration had to its credit over 2,000 ongoing or completed projects cutting across various sectors – health, roads, transport, agriculture, and education, among others.
He said his administration’s consistent allocation of 33 per cent of the state’s annual budget to education was informed by the recognition that the state’s real wealth now and in the future rested on the quality of its human capital.
“We committed over 33 per cent of our budget to education – a decision some thought was reckless. But we knew it was essential.
“Our greatest asset is in the head, the hand, and the heart of our people. Refurbishing classrooms was not enough; we had to completely re-imagine education for the Digital Age and the future job market.
“Next month we launch 260 Smart Green Schools – one for every ward in the state. These are integrated, tech-enabled, future-facing institutions that prepare children not just to learn, but to create, to innovate, and to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” he added.
PHOTO CAPTION: Gov. Mbah (left) and Chief Ozekhome exchange hearty greetings at the conference.
