By HARRIS CHUMA-ODILI

Dear Governor,

Hope this finds you well, healthy, hearty and safe from the ravages of the corona virus. I salute you in the name of the father, son and holy spirit, Amen. Permit me to reach you through this medium as you hardly respond to my private mails, and correspondences since you assumed office for the second, and last tenure. In your reelection bid, which I campaigned vigorously for your victory, I suffered untold hardship in the hands of Ndi Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area because they blamed me for everything you did not do right and for the ones you did well they did not celebrate me.

Please, note that, I did not intend to achieve any parochial or cynical interest for making this a public consumption, no matter how minute it may be conjured up. Rather, I write in trepidation, perturbation and outrage, just like every average Onye Anambra, who is patriotic to the development of this state. Without any modicum of doubt, certain voice needs be added to the existing cacophony of voices and torrent of criticisms, unheard in every nook and cranny, as regard the state of affairs in Anambra.

Your Excellency, Sir, permit me to state from the onset that this writer is infamously referred to as a prodigal member of your political party APGA, and that points to the fact that, I stand with the dictates of objectivism and constructiveness; thus, I am not driven by any self-interest. My stakes are in two folds. Firstly, I have always been a patriotic citizen of the state whose right to express himself is fully guaranteed under section 39 of the 1999 constitution; the grund norm that legitimatises your administration as the governor of Anambra State. Secondly, I am a seasoned broadcast journalist, a veteran Nollywood movie practitioner, who, in the formative years of his career, is bemused by the goings in this state; particularly in the tourism industry, which surely may or are tragically affecting my career’s peregrination.

The current state of ruins of the UNESCO recognised world heritage site, the Ogbunike cave could have been avoided if government had not abandoned the site for years.

For the past six years of your administration, the cave did not get any intervention fund from its running or development hence the dilapidated state of the world heritage site. Currently, the cave is inhabitable even for the reptiles, grasscutters, and soldier ants as the site remained abandoned.

Your Excellency, sometime in June, 2014, you stormed the Ogbunike cave, and promised to turn it to tourist wonderland. In fact, you vowed to transform the historic Ogbunike cave to a first class tourist haven. You told ndi Ogbunike that your administration would transform the cave into first class leisure world with modern facilities, and a five star hotel located within the area. Also, you went further to announce that the proposed resort would incorporate modern recreational facility for children and all the facilities that would make for perfect holiday getaway. Earlier you had flagged off construction on the road leading to the cave, and ndi Ogbunike rolled out drums in jubilation, but was shortlived.

Miffed at the state of ruins in Ogbunike cave, I hereby wish to register my disappointment that just as the past administrations did not care about the tourist centre which could have improved the revenue base of the state; your government has reneged in redeeming any of the promises made six years ago. Our heritage is in ruin, it is our commonwealth in destruction, and it is unfortunate that we had a government that cared less whether this tourist attraction is left like this. This is not just an attraction; it is also a revenue earner for the state. There is still time for your government to develop Ogbunike cave to occupy pride of place as a first class tourist attraction in Nigeria.

Your Excellency, I hope that this letter will find a place with your esteemed self. May this get to your table in due course.

God Bless Anambra State

Ekenem

•Ogbuefi Comr Harris Chuma-Odili (PhD), Ogene Igbo, writes from Awka.

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