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INSTALLATION OF TRAFFIC LIGHT IN NSUKKA: ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND THE BIRTH OF A NEW CITY IN ENUGU
By Jeff Ejiofor
Nsukka is the host community to the first indigenous university in Nigeria, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), founded in 1955 and officially opened in 1960. The town, apart from playing such a historic role in the academic world, also prides itself as the administrative headquarters of what is known today as Enugu North Senatorial Zone in Nigeria’s political structure. It is a town blessed with clement weather, the best, east of the Niger, and one of the most friendly in Nigeria.
In addition to its mild weather condition, Nsukka has a serene environment, adorned with beautiful green vegetation and fascinating hills. In short, the town is an epitome of beauty and serenity akin to what obtains in Europe and parts of Australia. These formed the basis of attraction, that influenced its choice as a permanent abode for the great Zik of Africa, Rt. Hon. Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe who lived there all through his life.
However, despite all these natural features and sterling qualities bestowed on the town by creation, successive administrations in Enugu State treated it with ignominy and found no compelling urge even in the midst of many, to enhance its development. Little or no attention was paid to the town and its environs, hence, it looked like a glorified village. This is a town with great tourist potentials and economic opportunities of immense magnitude.
The special specie of yellow pepper known as Nsukka pepper (OSE NSUKKA) and a local seasoning known as okpei Nsukka are among the distinct economic potentials of the town beckoning on investors for maximum exploitation, but government after government in Enugu state continued to pay lip service to it. The huge socio-economic potential of the town untapped could best be likened to, and described as a wasted opportunity of a sleeping giant, before the timely arrival of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi as the executive governor of Enugu state.
Expectedly, and as a leader with eyes on rural development, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi dramatically changed the narratives within a short while and Nsukka has gained its rightful place in the scheme of things as the second-largest city in Enugu state and one of the fastest-growing in Nigeria. He quickly swung into action on arrival by addressing the agelong decayed and abandoned infrastructure in the town. He fixed 85 percent of its roads and above all, the perennial intractable electricity problem. He is, as well providing new facilities, such as secretariat annex, upgrading of existing health institutions, control of devastating erosion, provision of a modern stadium, and housing estates, to give the town a facelift. He is also taking the security of the place to the next level by providing modern facilities to the Nigerian Police and the state’s Neighborhood Watch.
In addition to the above feat which was initiated to bring the town at a developmental par with its contemporaries across the globe, the amiable governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuany conceived and is currently implementing the installation of the traffic light at strategic junctions and roundabouts in the city. By this singular action, the governor has taken care of multiple problems, which range from prevention of accidents as a result of unregulated reckless driving, to exposing of Nsukka residents to modern driving rules and regulation. Those ignorant folks seeking to know the importance of traffic light in a rising urban settlement like Nsukka should be reminded that nothing can be equaled to human lives that the policy will safe.
Undoubtedly, the use of traffic light will regulate reckless driving by motorists and reduce road accidents and deaths. It will certainly bring sanity to traffic activities in the city and organize it as a modern society. It will additionally inculcate traffic discipline and decorum in Nsukka residents and visitors alike.
Considering the many benefits accruable to this lofty project as enunciated above, the installation of the traffic light in Nsukka is one of the best things to happen in Nsukka recently as far as informed residents and road users are concerned. Now, the town enjoys modern facilities that can attract investors who are willing to take advantage of the opportunities abound in them. Ugwuanyi’s administration has successfully created another city in Enugu State which will, in no distant time flourish economically. The ESUT College of Medicine currently under construction in Udenu will provide the tertiary health care needs of the people and ameliorate their sufferings and stop their usual travel all the way to Enugu whenever they have major health needs. Sportsmen and women can now access modern facilities for their training and activities via the new Nsukka Township Stadium which is nearing completion.
The power problem promptly addressed by the purposeful leadership of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will definitely re-position the economic viability of the city and its environs, with the potentials of attracting a population of people seeking greener pastures from all walks of life. Enugu people as a matter of fact owe this administration overwhelming gratitude for raising another viable city in Nsukka to help decongest Enugu which has long been saturated as a result of its role as the only major city in the state. The one city status which Enugu State was hitherto known with has now become history as Enugu citizens currently have an alternative place in Nsukka where they can channel their developmental energy.
The doubting Thomases who, before now, though it was impossible to achieve this great feat, are now disappointed. But, it does not really matter whether they recognize and appreciate it or not, what matters most is that Nsukka has been elevated to the status of a mini-city by Gov. Ugwuanyi in line with his administration’s rural development drive.
While I commend him immensely for this remarkable achievement and other milestones recorded in transforming Enugu State by his avowed commitment, I implore him to continue moving ahead, as the unalloyed support of all well-meaning citizens of the state is intact.
Enugu is truly in the hands of God.
Featured
NELFUND: The Renewed Hope Engine Propelling Nigeria’s Youth into Tomorrow
By Dayo Israel, National Youth Leader, APC
As the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I have spent most of my tenure fighting for a Nigeria where every young person, regardless of their ward or local government, family income, or circumstance, can chase dreams without the chains of financial despair.
Today, that fight feels like victory, thanks to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Launched as a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this initiative isn’t just a policy tweak; it’s a revolution. And under the steady, visionary hand of Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, NELFUND has transformed from a bold promise into a roaring engine of opportunity, disbursing over ₦116 billion to more than 396,000 students and shattering barriers for over a million applicants.
Let’s be clear: NELFUND was always destined to be a game-changer. Signed into law by President Tinubu on April 3, 2024, it repealed the outdated 2023 Student Loan Act, replacing it with a modern, inclusive framework that covers tuition, upkeep allowances, and even vocational training—ensuring no Nigerian youth is left on the sidelines of progress.
But what elevates it from groundbreaking to generational? Leadership. Enter Akintunde Sawyerr, the diplomat-turned-executioner whose career reads like a blueprint for results-driven governance. From co-founding the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) in 2012—backed by icons like former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina—to steering global logistics at DHL across 21 countries, Sawyerr brings a rare alchemy: strategic foresight fused with unyielding accountability.
As NELFUND’s pioneer MD, he’s turned a fledgling fund into a finely tuned machine, processing over 1 million applications since May 2024 and disbursing ₦116 billion—₦61.33 billion in institutional fees and ₦46.35 billion in upkeep—to students in 231 tertiary institutions nationwide. That’s not bureaucracy; that’s brilliance.
Sawyerr’s touch is everywhere in NELFUND’s ascent. Since the portal’s launch, he’s overseen a digital ecosystem that’s as transparent as it is efficient—seamless verification, BVN-linked tracking, and real-time dashboards that have quashed misinformation and built trust. In just 18 months, the fund has empowered 396,252 students with interest-free loans, many first-generation learners who might otherwise have dropped out.
Sensitization drives in places like Ekiti and Ogun have spiked applications — 12,000 in a single day in one instance, while expansions to vocational centers in Enugu pilot the next wave of skills-based funding. And amid challenges like data mismatches and fee hikes, Sawyerr’s team has iterated relentlessly: aligning disbursements with academic calendars, resuming backlogged upkeep payments for over 3,600 students, and even probing institutional compliance to safeguard every kobo. This isn’t management; it’s mastery—a man who doesn’t just lead but launches futures.
Yet, none of this happens in a vacuum. President Tinubu’s alliance with trailblazers like Sawyerr is the secret sauce securing Nigeria’s tomorrow. The President’s Renewed Hope Agenda isn’t rhetoric; it’s resources—₦100 billion seed capital channeled into a system that prioritizes equity over elitism. Together, they’ve forged a partnership where vision meets velocity: Tinubu’s bold repeal of barriers meets Sawyerr’s boots-on-the-ground execution, turning abstract policy into tangible triumphs. It’s a synergy that’s non-discriminatory by design—Christians, Muslims, every tribe and tongue united in access—fostering national cohesion through classrooms, not courtrooms.
As Sawyerr himself notes, this is “visionary leadership” in action, where the President’s political will ignites reforms that ripple across generations.
Why does this matter to us, Nigeria’s youth? Because NELFUND isn’t handing out handouts—it’s handing out horizons. In a country where 53% of us grapple with unemployment, these loans aren’t just funds; they’re fuel for innovation, entrepreneurship, and endurance.
Picture it: A first-generation polytechnic student in Maiduguri, once sidelined by fees, now graduates debt-free (repayments start two years post-NYSC, employer-deducted for ease) and launches a tech startup. Or a vocational trainee in Enugu, equipped with skills funding, revolutionizing local agriculture. This is quality education that endures—not fleeting certificates, but lifelong launchpads. Sawyerr’s focus on human-centered design ensures loans cover not just books, but bread—upkeep stipends of ₦20,000 monthly keeping hunger at bay so minds can soar. Under his watch, NELFUND has debunked doubts, refuted fraud claims, and delivered results that scream sustainability: Over ₦99.5 billion to 510,000 students by September, with 228 institutions on board.
As youth leaders, we see NELFUND for what it is: A covenant with our future. President Tinubu and MD Sawyerr aren’t just allies; they’re architects of an educated, empowered Nigeria—one where poverty’s grip loosens with every approved application, and innovation blooms from every funded desk. This isn’t charity; it’s an investment in the 70 million of us who will lead tomorrow.
We’ve crossed one million applications not because of luck, but leadership—a duo that’s turning “access denied” into “future unlocked.”
To President Tinubu: Thank you for daring to dream big and backing it with action.
To Akintunde Sawyerr: You’re the executor we needed, proving that one steady hand can steady a nation.
And to every Nigerian youth: Apply. Graduate. Conquer.
Because with NELFUND, your generation isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving, enduring, and eternal.
The Renewed Hope isn’t a slogan; it’s our story, now written in scholarships and success. Let’s keep turning the page.
Dayo Israel is the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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