By CHOOKS OKO

National honours, according to the act that established it in 1964, is an appreciation by the country for an outstanding service rendered by the recipient to the country. This immediately belies the fact that the service must have been to and for the people, for it is the people that make up a country.

For David Nweze Umahi, a civil engineer and governor of Ebonyi state, who will be receiving the COMMANDER ORDER OF THE NIGER (CON) honour, it is well deserved.

Oftentimes we get commendations we wonder if we deserve. This wondering will stem from a sincere soul-searching from a rational mind querying into the circumstances that led to the commendation. If Umahi or anyone who knows him decides to engage in such a melancholic adventure, reasons would abound. Plenty, if not superfluous of reasons would stand up on his side. He more than deserves even a higher national honour.

As a state party chairman, Umahi became the very first occupant of such a position to conceptualize, develop and build a permanent structure as the secretariat of the party, a feat that is yet to be matched even by national leaders of parties. This is just a tip of what he was to do later.

I would skip his deputy governor days because those will sit with another person.

Umahi became governor of Ebonyi state in 2015. Seven years down the line, you would think he has been there for much longer.

Under him, Ebonyi has the most well laid out road network in the country. The roads are built with 8" concrete thickness that guarantees durability and functionality. They connect all the local governments and exist even on federal highways. Old and new roads in both urban and rural areas got the same treatment. Even this should bring him the award.

Umahi built the most aesthetic and enchantingly conducive university in the country from the scratch. The now David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences is second to none in structure and equipment. The teaching hospital of that university is world standard in layout and equipment. It is a hospital already doing damage to the Indian and other medical tourism destinations in the world. This alone would fetch him the honour.

Realizing the need to expand the frontiers of the state capital, which he has built into the fastest growing city in the country, Umahi moved into a virgin area and transformed it to a cosmopolitan city. He built a new government house that most visitors acclaim as the best they have visited. He followed with a Governor’s Lodge that is described in same hue and a presidential lodge that is truly presidential. The government house chapel is inviting just as the first lady’s complex completely surpasses the Beijing standard. Have you heard of the Executive council chambers of Ebonyi state government? Modeled after the United Nations General Assembly building, it has no rival in terms of size, beauty and functionality. Wouldn’t all these fetch him the honour? But that is not all.

An international airport is nearing completion. With a 3.1-kilometre runway, it is the biggest in West Africa. The finishings are glorious sights as are all his projects.

You probably haven’t heard of the Umahi bridges, or have you? In seven years, over 22 flyovers are dotted majestically across the state at strategic points. One of them, the Iyere bridge is the longest flyover ever perching atop about 20 metres high across 30 span. That alone could fetch any leader plenty awards.

The biggest worship centre is in Abakaliki. The ecumenical centre is at once both massive and elegant. It sits adjacent to the biggest shopping mall in the country, The Ebonyi Shopping Mall modeled after the Dubai mall. They are all part of the Umahi legacy projects just as the new Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja said to be the most outstanding and astounding building in Asokoro. Umahi indeed has a heart for big projects which he finishes classically. Most amazing is that he will leave no uncompleted projects for his successor. Even the Olympic sized stadium started a few months ago is already on its way to the finish line. Yet, he is running a state with one of the least allocations in the country.

Umahi is no stranger to awards.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and also a Fellow of National Association of Technologists in Engineering. Ebonyi under him is adjudged the least indebted state in the Southeast and within the five least in the country. The Fiscal Responsibility Commission says it is one of the most prudent in the country in the management of human and material resources. He has been Man of the Year of several Media houses and other plethora of awards.

As Mr. President hands him the CON honour, it is clear he surely deserves more.

•Chooks Oko, Special Assistant to Ebonyi State Governor on Media and Strategy, writes from Abakaliki.

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