The Igbo adage “Nkwudolu bu ogu” lucidly translates to “supporting a challenged friend is fighting itself”. Support is and has always been an indispensable tool to conquering problems. I remember with fondness the days we went to stream with gallons who’s content after fetching water, surpassed our might. We always sought for support to lift them to our heads. Nothing is as strengthening as having people stand by you in the wake of unusual tempestuousness. Without mincing words, Anambra State is currently plagued with turbulences that Ndi Anambra are not used to. In His Excellency’s exact words: “This is not who we are”.

The wave of insecurity in my dear Anambra is as strong as hurricane and as troubling as a tse-tse fly perching on the scrotum. Apart from insecurity, we have yet another problem of empty coffers. Few days after his inauguration, our committed-to-serve and currently committedly serving governor revealed that the state’s treasury looked funny, and suggested that we didn't talk about it but putting it in the simplest terms, I want you to know that we as a state are broke; we don’t have money. And we have a lot to deal with. The late legendary highlife sensational musician Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe in one of his tracks holds that “agbali aka n’azo ani, onye ji ji ana akinye ji n’ani” (if you approach things without full-scale preparations, people who are more prepared than you would have it their way).

We must look at this matter with love of our land in our hearts. Anambra is ours and it is the collective responsibility of every Onye Anambra to save our state. All hands must be on deck to restore our Anambra.

It is a privilege to us that we have a governor who is very passionate about the progress of his people. I therefore implore every Onye Anambra to key into this passion with a matching acts of solidarity. Charity, they say, begins at home. On this note, I call on my fellow civil servants to lead the line. I plead with you to forfeit your one month salary to support the finances of our state.

Things are hard. The economy is bad, I know but remember, to build a prosperous homeland, we have sacrifices to make; individual and corporate. It is difficult considering the nature of the nation’s economy but with the love of our land embedded in our hearts, it is achievable.

God bless Anambra State

May Soludo succeed

•Tochukwu Anekwe can be reached via anekwesoffice2014@gmail.com

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