By IfeanyiChukwu Afuba
At the juncture of his 70th birthday anniversary, on August 8, 2025, we join men and women of goodwill to thank God for the life of Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano. And as surely as the sun rises from the East, progressive minds of Anambra’s society rise as one to salute the legacies of his governorship.
What drives the man? From childhood, Obiano’s quest to touch lives, create standards and achieve dreams has been strong. The USAfrica Distinguished Banker of the Year 2012 had from childhood shown traits of resilience.
Ikenna Aniagboso offers us a useful insight from an elegant piece of faction titled ‘A Globe’s Worth.’ A boy, Mmadu was sitting by his nne ochie [grandmother] cleaning the globes of elderly folks’ lantern, when a globe slipped from his hand. The physical and emotional distress of this loss for the young boy in the dark, village setting can only be imagined. After much tossing on the night mat, he came to a decision. At the first sunrise, he was at the village bakery where he struck a bargain.
Mmadu took off with his wares [on credit]. He sold the popular mgbadume [buns] off and returned for more; and again and again he went, selling off more before the sun rose. He walked home with a pocketful of pennies and shillings and a brand new globe! And no prize for calling it out: Mmadu was Mmaduaburochukwu Obiano. Versatile, Willie had in his final year at CKC Onitsha, in 1974, clinched the J.F. Kennedy Essay Prize.
The same spirit of striving to break new ground was at play as Governor.
Anambra’s recent history shows that it took Obiano’s push to salvage the medical programme of the Anambra State University and graduate it’s first set of students. The pioneer class of medical students could not graduate in 2012 after six years of study because the prescribed learning had not been completed. The Nigerian Medical and Dental Council could not grant approval in the face of inability to meet accreditation requirements.
At inception of Willie Obiano’s administration in 2014, the remaining medical students were in their eight year, many having abandoned the programme in frustration. And in a burst of empowerment and sponsorship of the Faculty of Medicine, the requisite standards were finally attained, leading to graduation of the last standing 13 in December 2015, after almost ten years. The historic set were immediately offered employment by Anambra State Government.
It was a similar experience of eyes on the ball which broke the barriers to the State’s attainment of oil – producing rank. Although the Chinwoke Mbadinuju administration had taken initial laudable steps on the venture, successive governments were unable to execute core demands of the project. Aside making the State’s oil fields in Aguleri – Uno and Ogwuaniocha accessible with good roads and the spectacular 290 metre Aguleri – Otu bridge, Obiano drew on his investment banker reach to ensure that set production levels for recognition as oil – producing were met by the State. Today, accruals from derivation revenue has become an additional source of income for the State, powering development needs.
The list of governorship legacies is long. It will suffice to itemize the agro export initiative of the Obiano administration; opening of Court of Appeal Division in Anambra State in 2018; construction of NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp; boost to micro, small and medium enterprises through the award – winning Anambra Small Business Agency. Mention must also be made of the oxygen plant at the State University Teaching Hospital; International Conference Centre, Awka; statewide light – up – Anambra shower and N40b community choice projects in each of the State’s 181 towns. Chief Willie Obiano did not just build an airport of international standard; he defied the odds and brought to reality a forty year dream which successive administrations baulked at on account of it’s capital outlay.
Those who had intimate knowledge of his generous spirit were not surprised by the welfarist bent of Obiano’s governorship. One of his first acts in 2014 was donating his salary for the duration of his reign to charity. Following closely on that, the new Governor in 2014 announced fifteen percent raise of workers’ pay, without prompting from any quarters. Disbelief unfolded on his face the day Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano learnt that operatives of the State Fire Service were entitled to just twenty naira as monthly hazard allowance – and the amount had never been reviewed since creation of the State in 1991. There and then, he directed increase to twenty thousand naira monthly. On another day, a briefing led the Governor to know that Basden School of Special Needs, Isulo, had been receiving fifty thousand naira monthly subvention for the past ten years. “That’s unjust” he said when he recovered from the shock. He instantly approved a new monthly subvention of half a million naira. The administration expended N2.6b on arrears of salaries and benefits of workers of the State Water Corporation, Anambra Broadcasting Service and National Light Newspaper denied them by past administrations.
A man with a deep sense of community life, Obiano’s leadership was infused with desirable dose of regional agenda. In the uncertainties of Mohammadu Buhari’s upset presidency in 2015, Chief Willie Obiano – led government held a memorial to honour the Igbo who died in the events of 1966 – 1970. No other southeast Governor had committed to a rite of passage for the Igbo war dead before Obiano’s outing. Nor after. As discussion on constitutional amendments recurred in the Fourth Republic, Obiano’s Anambra State hosted southeast summit on Nigeria’s restructuring in May 2018 which produced the Ekwueme Square Declaration. Veterans of Rangers Football Club, a symbol of Igbo solidarity and reaffirmation in post civil war era, enjoyed a welfare scheme in Obiano’s governorship. It was a blast of nostalgia, friendship renewal and music on April 16, 2017 when the people – oriented administration organised a free concert in Awka featuring popular bands and artistes of the 1970s in the former eastern region.
In the past three and half years since leaving office, Akpokuedike has largely been away from the stage. Yet, his low public profile has not diminished his reputation as a man of the people. Many continue to pay tribute to his live and let live spirit.
Remarkably, the technocrat – politician has not engaged in any spat, struggle or dispute with his successor. In staying out of the orbit of influence and refusing to distract his successor, Willie Obiano leaves us another legacy in Nigerian government and politics.
A man who trusts that the judgment of history will vindicate him is a man confident that his good works speak quietly for him in the present.
