R-L: Sam Nwanze, Emeritus Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Prof. Benedette Okoli, Igwe Samuel Asadu, and other guests during the launch of Igbo Book of Records
By Tony Adibe
The Emeritus Archbishop of Enugu Diocese (Anglican Communion), His Grace, Dr Emmanuel Chukwuma, has said that the remarkable achievements recorded by the Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah in three years provided the grounds upon which he was honoured as “The Best South East Governor for the Year 2025.”
Archbishop Chukwuma said this while addressing guests during the award-giving ceremony held inside the Dome at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, where five other prominent Nigerians were also recognized with various awards for their positive impact and contributions to the development of society.
Governor Mbah’s Award was received by the Enugu State Commissioner for Human Development & Poverty Eradication, Prof. Benedette Okoli, who represented the Governor. Chukwuma, who is one of the patrons of Hall of Igbo Achievers Foundation, said that obviously, the numerous feats recorded by Governor Mbah in many sectors marked him out as the best among his colleagues in Nigeria’s southeast zone.
He stressed that such monumental achievements by Mbah were the reasons “we are supporting his second-term ambition, so that he will do more for the state.”
“Governor Mbah has turned Enugu around and because of that I will support him. This edifice you are seeing here – the ICC – was abandoned after Governor Chimaroke Nnamani left office. Two governors came after Chimaroke but they never did anything about this place. Instead, they were trying to share the land in this place, and even selling the land,” said the Archbishop, who added: “But the Governor Mbah-led administration in its own sagacity created an atmosphere with the present FG administration and started to use his position to appeal to the EFCC ; collected everything about this edifice and began working on it. How would it have been if he had not done anything like the previous governors who neglected this place?”
The cleric also outlined more achievements of Governor Mbah such as the revamping of the moribund industries, rebuilding of the popular Hotel Presidential, Enugu; the introduction of Command and Control Centre (CCC) to use technology to tackle security challenges in the state; the Enugu Air; the Akanu Ibiam International Airport which has been approved and its certificate issued; the Smart School that is being emulated by some other states.
“The man has done wonderfully well,” Chukwuma said, adding, “I cannot name all the good works going on in Enugu state. When the lawyers came to Enugu for their Nigerian Bar Association national conference 2025, they all saw what happened in Enugu state, and they were proud.
“On this note, I am working with him and praying for him to achieve more. I know that when the second term comes, a lot of things will be achieved. And to encourage him, and to back him up, morally and otherwise, the Igbo Hall of Fame decided that this man must be given an award that is incontestable,” he said.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Hall Of Igbo Achievers Foundation, Nze Sam Nwanze said that the main objective for setting up the NGO in 2018 “is to have an organization that will be a platform to champion the interests and aspirations of Igbo people.”
Nze Nwanze explained that the Hall of Igbo Achievers Foundation was a brainchild of some senior journalists of Igbo origin who have reached the zenith of their profession, adding that they had hitherto, held strategic positions in different media establishments in the country.
He said that the event of the day was unique because it was the first time the group would honour a sitting governor with the prestigious “Best South-East Governor of the Year 2025 Award”, and “we are presenting the second edition of our book – The Igbo Book of Records.
According to him, the Best South-East Governor of the Year Award component was to identify who, among the Southeast governors, has done better in a particular year, acknowledge and celebrate him. He added that Governor Mbah “clinched it for the year 2025,” and he described the award as “prestigious” through a letter he personally signed.
Nwanze said the Award Selection Committee was made up of personalities of impeccable character, chaired by His Grace, Archbishop Emeritus, Dr Emmanuel Chukwuma.
NewsBits reports that other prominent individuals who were also honoured included the notable industrialist, Chief Chike Obidigb; the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu; Prince B.B. Apugo, Oparaukwu Ibeku, Umuahia. Apugo (Award of Integrity & Excellence in Community Development/Public Service); former First Lady of Ebonyi State, Princess Ukamaka Egwu (Award of Integrity & Excellence in Philanthropy), and the Chief Medical Director, Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Igbo-Eno, Prof. Umezuruike Okafor, who received “Award of Integrity & Excellence in Medical Practice.”
