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THE CONCEPT OF POWER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE: A REALITY IN ENUGU STATE UNDER GOV.IFEANYI UGWUANYI

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2020

Ifeanyi Ogenyi

Democracy has long been defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people.

True democracy is premised on the immutable principle that power belongs to the people. It is also having the understanding that power is held on trust by the public office holders for the ultimate benefit of the people who are the owners and beneficiaries of such power.

In a truly democratic setting, the consent and/or approval of the people must always be sought before any major decision affecting the people is taken.

Many leaders especially in the developing countries have neglected, refused, and/or failed in the practical application of this principle.

Most leaders, once they assume office neglect or treat those that gave them power with utter disdain and they began to dish out executive orders; and further acts with impunity.

In Africa and all most in all the developing countries, there is a profound sense of disconnect from the halls of power. The distance between the people and the government is as wide and deep as the ocean separating Boston from London.

Understanding this sense of disconnect, Gov.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on the assumption of office in 2015 decided to bridge this gap between the governed and the governor with his Midas touch.

His innovative approaches to governance premised on mutual respect, consultation, collaboration, and bipartisanship seamlessly returned power to the people of Enugu State.

His administrative and managerial characters have established principles guaranteeing the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Gov.Ugwuanyi’s message and ideology from the onset were sound and clear.

And his message and ideology are: “This is our government; Enugu belongs to all of us; and let everyone enjoy democracy dividend-‘ The Nrashi Concept”.

He has demonstrated in many ways that power has been returned to the people of Enugu State.

In the annals of history in Enugu State, no Governor before Ugwuanyi made a clear-cut policy of consulting the people before they took critical decision that would affect the people but Gov.Ugwuanyi makes consultation of the people as his cardinal administrative policy and rarely takes any critical decision without having recourse to the people.

He evolved and sustained the culture of consulting the people on issues affecting them before a final decision is taken.

Today in Enugu State, virtually everyone in the State is a Stakeholder and people have unrestricted access to the government house which has never been the case.

Constitutionally appointment of the members of the Executive Council is a prerogative right of the governor in the State as enshrined in Sec.192 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) but Gov.Ugwuanyi never exercised this power without having recourse to the people. Before he formed his cabinet upon his re-election in 2019, he reached out to the Stakeholders in the 17 LGAs and requested them to nominate for him a candidate to be appointed into his cabinet. This singular gesture endeared the Governor more to Ndi Enugu.

The same thing happened during the last LGA election in Enugu, every LGA was asked to agree on a consensus candidate to be filed by the ruling party in the State and it worked as a magic.

One thing in a democracy, is that it is a government by the majority. Of course, there is always dissenting opinions and voices on any issue but Ugwuanyi’s concern at every point in time is to ensure that the views of the majority prevail and this is the hallmark of a true democracy.

The truth is that people tend to withdraw when they feel powerless and also tend to live outside the political process when they stop believing that power belongs to them.

Gov.Ugwuanyi has practically changed the narrative and restored people’s confidence in the government.

Gov. Ugwuanyi has put in place collaborative governance which is often as a solution to the principal-agent dilemma and local knowledge problem.

By including a full range of stakeholders, collaborative arrangement brings stability, peace, and progress in the polity.

And today Enugu people are witnessing and enjoying enduring peace.

Gov. Ugwuanyi’s leadership styles have brought to bear an alternative to adversarial and interest group-driven approaches to governance which follows a more consensus-oriented mode of making decisions.

Though as earlier posited, consensus most time is difficult to achieve in practice, one good thing about Ugwuanyi’s approach is that the people are involved in taking decisions on issues affecting them.

Freedom of expression which is also another essential ingredient of democracy is not only guaranteed in Enugu State under Gov.Ugwuanyi but it is also inimically abused by some Enugu people especially the uninformed social media urchins.

Indeed, Gov. Ugwuanyi has given democracy its true meaning in Enugu State.

Our nation will be peaceful and a better place to live if all leaders in the country realize like Ugwuanyi that they hold power on trust for the people.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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