Anambra meets with History

In the beginning, 1976, the regime of General Murtala Mohammed saw a vast land in the Northern half of East-Central state, and thought it was a good idea to make it a state of its own. The land was called Anambra. The name was derived from a river called Omambala, which served the people; the anglicized version was Anambra. The state capital was in Enugu.

On August 27,1991, the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, looked over the state causing Anambra to be divided into two. Enugu, the capital became its own state, wholly separated from Anambra. Anambra made Awka, one of the oldest settlements in Igboland, the seat of government.

For the neighbors, Kogi lives on the North, Enugu approaches from the East, Abia takes to the South of the East, Imo and Rivers are on the South, while Delta and Edo sit across the West.

A river flows towards the Western end where it meets Delta. This is the River Niger, the river the country’s name pays homage to.

Anambra is blessed with natural resources such as natural gas, ceramic, bauxite, crude oil, and a fertile land great for agricultural purposes.

The state lodges Orient Petroleum Refinery, a private refinery that catered to the petroleum sector which was licensed to provide the country with 55,000 barrels per day.

Anambra ranks amongst the states with the lowest poverty rate in Nigeria.

In education, Anambra also leads. Students from the state has gone to represent the country in different parts of the world.

Anambra gave Nigeria the first President of the country, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe. He was not only the first but the only indigenous Governor-General of Nigeria. Zik of Africa was among the heroes that fought for Nigeria’s independence.

The state also birthed Sir Alex Ekwueme, the first elected Vice-President of Nigeria.

Anambra gifted Africa a historian, Prof Kenneth Dike, the Father of West African Historiography. He was the first indigenous Vice-Chancellor of the premier college in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan.

Anambra produced the first-ever billionaire in Nigeria, Sir Louis Ojukwu. The state leads in terms of prominent businessmen. Nnewi, a town in Anambra breeds billionaires. About a dozen billionaires stem from this town.

Anambra is home to some of the most prominent people in Nigeria. These are the likes of Prof Chinua Achebe,Pro William Emeka Obiozor, Prof Laz Ekwueme, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, General Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Prof Dora Akunyili, Chief Osita Chidoka, Dr. Godwin Maduka, Prof Chike Obi, Mr. Peter Obi, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Mr. Philip Emegwali, Chief Pete Edochie, Prof Chukwuemeka Ike, Christopher Okigbo, Cyprian Ekwensi, Okwui Enwezor, Peter and Paul Okoye of P-Square, Chief Oliver Akinite (Oliver De Coque), Chief Osita Osadebe, Chinedu Okoli (Flavour N’abania), Kingsley Okonkwo (Kcee), Ada Ehi, Gozie Okeke, Zubby Michael, Amaechi Muonagor, Ngozi Ezeonu, Obinna Iyiegbu (Obi Cubana), Emeka Okonkwo (E-Money), and other eminent personalities celebrated all over the world.

The state which bears the light of the nation was once a home for all.

Anambra state houses 21 local government areas with numerous towns in it. The incumbent Governor of Anambra state is Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, an academia and Economist par excellence.

Anambra continues to bask in the glory of its wins.