Awka- Another Story.

Deep inside the South Eastern parts of the country lies a town inside a capital... Hold on, hold on. That's not how its supposed to start. [clears throat] Anambra State, the state that used to be both a holder of its present self and the current Enugu state, A state that has produced perhaps the most diligent and popular people in the country (If you want a list, Google it...), A state with the 'freshest' governor (If you consider the clean hair carving and the catchy 'Willie is Willingly Working' phrase as fresh), The state that promised to build THREE shopping malls and all three are yet to be seen (Even though Willie IS Working), A State that actually has natural gas... Wait, stop! Gas? We'll get back on that. Yes, My Anambra. Yes, A state with an anthem even better than that of the nation.
But i didn't write this for this. If you've visited Anambra from Enugu State, You wont miss Amansea (Because its kind of like the boarder village) and even if you do (Maybe because of its small size), You definitely will not miss Awka; La Capitol! My Wikipedia tells me that Awka has a rich history. Trust me, that's not my first place of hearing that. There is a long ditty about a young girl who got sick and two villages went to war and about a spirit who appears and teaches the people how to make swords and knives using the art of Blacksmithing (One of the Lucrative Jobs Awka people almost didnt abandon). Am not here to tell you all that. My Wikipedia also tells me that this same Awka with the history and all what not is probably the most underdeveloped capital of a state in the country. Ha!
Was it not my good friend JF Kennedy that told Americans not to put their minds much on what their country will do for them but on what they can do for their country. Great! That is in the United States so at least you get the whole thing in reciprocal. We dont use that down here in Awka... Never did. And i can tell you why.
#1 The State doesn't do anything for the people: In Awka, it seems the government comes there to sleep. As if the government exhausts itself from its work in Nnewi and Onitsha and then come to lay their heads. Nothing goes on! The security in Awka might be commendable down here but not because our Working Willie or the former governor Peter did much to help, its because the people causing the kidnapping found a more lucrative thing to do (One of my Aunties says that Awka youths are jump-jump criminals. When the millitants were making wave in the Niger-Delta, they migrated. when Amnesty was granted, they moved back and joined the  kidnapping business, then they found out Boko Haram was very very good for their image, and now Borno is now Personal hotspot) . The roads are good but the users are not handled. You cant expect the whole place to be safe when market women use the main road as their plaza and hawkers now want to sell to motorists running on 120 km/h. The governor's lodge is just here in Amawbia (in Awka) and he is 'working'.

#2 The People dont do anything for themselves. Have you visited Enugu? I dont need to ask you what you saw. Should we name it? Oakland Amusement Park, Golden Royale, Choices, Pinecrest Schools e.t.c The government sure didnt build that one now did they? Individuals from Awka move to Enugu, Nnewi, Texas, Iraq, ISIS camps and build industries but never in Awka! When the people dont do stuff, the government wont because even the government is full of human beings who handle their individual businesses. The mentality is not there in Awka people to make the place better. Even the influencial ones sit and mope.

#3 The People are not talking. I have noticed that one! Nobody is talking. biko nu, Awka people, is Idi Amin our Governor, or will our police force trace and kill you if you talk? People sit in their houses and lament on how bad the things are but then let me ask a question, If Mr. Akunna isnt employed, he comes home everyday and takes off his anger on Mrs. Akunna (By using her as a punching bag and karate dummy) or comes back and complains all day to the hungry wife and 8 children about how horrible the government is that they couldnt give him a job and all of that nonsense, will Mrs. Akunna be the one to run to the Government house to tell the Governor? Or is she the Special Adviser to the Governor on Unemployed People matters?  People have to stand up and talk! The government is bad quite alright but then we should know they aren't God and that Willie wont be attending his 60th birthday in Aguleri and at the same time finding a job for Mr. Akunna. The government needs to be told what to do at times and Awka people can start by quiet protests {No Violence though, we don't want to be breaking heads and spilling blood on Willie's pavement, People can start special blogs just to criticize the government [Constructive criticism though, We don't want Willie to be arresting people] and stand up for what's right. Thumbs up to the young men that protested earlier this year when BH prisoners were moved to their community. It might not yield results yet but even God knows and will know when people try.

#4 The Traffic Lights ; You might be Laughing Out Loud but To Be Honest, Its horrible when the government doesn't get innovative [I mean am also tired of almost hitting all these traffic warders on the road] but its nerve racking when the government implements a change and it worsens issues. Traffic lights were things we only see abroad and our nursery school teachers seemed to be hopeful because they taught us about it anyways, telling us what each color signifies. One thing we werent taught was that we would have it in Awka, another thing we werent taught was that it would be chaotic. How can you be in Eke Awka (For those who know what it feels like to be driving in that place) and the green light hits and stays for about 30 seconds but the Red insists on stayin 120 Seconds? Willie... Work on this. Thank You.