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Ugwuanyi’s Infrastructural Revolution And The King Making Of Maga City

Published

4 years ago

July 13, 2021

By Jeff Ejiofor

According to Narendra Modi, a great Indian political thinker, good governance is treating development as a mass movement in order to see that fruits of development reach the poor and the downtrodden. Without fear of contradiction, Enugu State under the able leadership of Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is a complete replica of the above definition.

Apart from the rural development policy of his administration which is geared towards impacting positively on the masses, he has taken practical steps towards the expansion of Enugu City more than any other government in recent history so as to address the fundamental needs of the citizens with regard to accommodation.
At the inception of his government, he made it abundantly clear that extending the frontiers of development to outskirts of Enugu to expand the city and resolve the congestion problem occasioned by increased influx of people is a cardinal principle of his regime. From available records of his performance, he has not only pursued this objective with all sense of vigour, but has been able to make appreciable progress.
According to him at inception, Enugu is saturated and therefore needed expansion through extention of infrastructure and housing to outskirts of the city with a view to creating new settlements.
In a bid to achieve this noble goal of responsive governance, Ugwuanyi invested heavily in expansion of infrastructure and multipple housing estates in and around Enugu metropolis. He has widened the provision of basic social amenities to support this worthy socio- economic revolution and realise the dream of new Enugu that can handle its increasing population explosion.
As a leader with private sector background, Ugwuanyi has provided enabling environment for individuals to develop settlements via Public Private Patnership where government provides infrastructure and partners with private investors to develop virgin areas. This progressive approach has led to the springing up of many housing estates for both the low and medium income earners across Enugu metropolis.

Enugu- Port Harcourt Express Way harbours many of such settlements in addition to the development of an ultra modern building material market designed to decongest Uwani Layout through the relocation of Kenyatta Market.
For the records, some of the new settlements in Enugu as a result of this proactive inclination of Ugwuanyi’s administration include Diamond Estate, Ivavaley Extension, Amorji Extension, New Haven Extension, WTC Estate, Rangers Estate, Hill View Estate, Harmony Estate, Citadel Estate Phase 1&2, Valley Estate, Transparency Estate, Library Estate, Coal City View Satellite Estate containing 750 Housing Units for civil servants, Palm Spring Oasis Estate, and a host of others. It is a well known fact that this revolution wouldn’t have been feasible without the enabling policies of Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration.
However, the climax of this expansion drive of Gov. Ugwuanyi is the conception of New Enugu City located behind Independence Layout Extension. This City which will have all the basic amenities befitting of a modern settlement will provide a viable alternative to Independence Layout and other increasingly congested highbrow areas of Enugu.
The New Enugu City if completed will usher Enugu, the coal city into the league of mega cities in Nigeria. The place which is also larger in size than Independence Layout, New Haven and GRA put together, is currently receiving massive infrastructure and basic social amenities to facilitate its development to a modern city.
For the purpose of clarity, It is good to highlight some concrete and latent policies of Enugu State Government under Gburugburu which facilitated the realization of this goal. Unarguably there is no way such efforts could be swept under the carpet when discussing the current expansion of Enugu metropolis considering their pivotal roles. Ugwuanyi constructed Nike Lake Junction- Harmony- Adoration- Emene Road to open up that axis for expansion of development.
This Road reputed to be the longest single road in Enugu metropolis has accelerated development and given birth to a reasonable number of new settlements around the place. Also, construction of Carrittas University Road from Adoration area is another catalyst for expansion of development.

The current construction of a flyover at T Junction, Nike Lake Road is another key factor to the development of new settlements along Opi Nsukka Road. The Flyover has the capacity to allay fears of traffic gridlock being expressed by potential developers/residents. Reconstruction of Miliken Hill Road made it possible for development to extend to Ngwo with many people now living there and driving their daily activities in Enugu. Provision of Amaechi Bridge was another infrastructure aiding expansion of Enugu as many people now take development to the place in view of its proximity to the city.

All these have enhanced rapid development and expansion of Enugu beyond expectations, and the credit certainly goes to Ugwuanyi’s responsible leadership.
Apparently, no Governor in modern Enugu history has paid such keen attention to estate development and city expansion as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi probably because of his belief that shelter is a fundamental necessity of life. His administration’s pro people policy through welfare and human capital development has engendered a progressive Enugu where people from all walks of life now come to seek greener pastures.
In some of Narendra Modi words on good governance, “mere good governance is not enough, but has to be pro-people and pro-active. Good governance is putting people at the center of development process”. Ugwuanyi’s Enugu no doubt encompasses development in its true form as enunciated above by the great Narendra Modi, and this is directly responsible for the influx currently going on in the city. This is however possible because of the natural phenomenon that when a place is fertile and peaceful, people tend to settle there and search for better living.
In conclusion, this development strategy by Ugwuanyi is undoubtedly a masterstroke and has repositioned Enugu State for greater role in 21st century Eastern Nigeria economy. Enugu unarguably stands out as the pride of the East and one of the largest economies in Nigeria today. As a matter of fact, it will amount to intellectual dishonesty for any scholar to write the story of modern Enugu without recourse to Ugwuanyi’s transformation drive whose testimony transcends the length and breath of Enugu State. In no distant time definitely, with the rate of development going on in Enugu today and the existing peaceful atmosphere, the city will become one of Nigeria’s most viable state capitals. Gburugburu’s emergence as the 4th civilian Governor of Enugu State is indeed timely and divinely ordained. The entire Wawa Nation will forever owe God a profound gratitude for such a prudent and visionary leader at this critical moment of global economic downturn.
Enugu is in the safe hands of God.

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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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