By Samson Ezea
When Enugu State Governor, Bar. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, pronounced ban on the Monday sit-at-home order less than a week of assuming office, doubting Thomases, cynics, and sceptics doubted his sincerity, altruism and commitment to the cause.
Some said Mbah was playing to the gallery and seeking cheap popularity. Others challenged him to physically lead the ban enforcement campaign and also to seek and ensure the immediate release of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Many mischievously described the pronounced ban as political rhetoric, political grandstanding, and the usual gyration of a new Governor that was aimed at endearing himself to the people.
Proving the bookmakers and cynics wrong and showing that he is an exemplar, Governor Mbah didn’t only come to work early on Monday, he embarked on inspection and monitoring of compliance across ministries, agencies, departments, markets, streets and roads across Enugu metropolis. He interfaced, engaged, and dialogued with the enthusiastic crowd of residents, traders, and workers, who are tired of sitting at home on Mondays and see Mbah’s intervention as a welcome relief and development.
In continuation of his determination to see a permanent end to the Monday sit-at-home order in Enugu, Governor Mbah has invited heads of different groups, leaders and major stakeholders to a townhall meeting on Saturday, June 10, 2023 to discuss the modalities for sustaining and improving on the ban as quickly as possible in the overall interest of the state, her people and the economy.
To underscore his determination to bring all issues leading to the initial declaration of Monday sit-at-home to a logical closure, Governor Mbah met with President Tinubu on Thursday, a day after his meeting with State Governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The sole purpose of this private meeting was to re-engage the federal government on collaborations with his government, security in the Southeast region and the modalities for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu without further delay.
With this bold move, it is no longer in doubt that Governor Mbah is sincere about bringing this unfortunate part of what has become “the Igbo burden ” to an irreversible end.
Truly so, within the short period, Governor Mbah assumed office, he has demonstrated sincerity of purpose, boldness, readiness, focus and determination, especially the way and manner, he has handled and managed the ban of sit-at-home in Enugu state and the push for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other programmes of his administration.
