Although the year 2020 had since ended, CHUKS NWEZE chronicles major events that happened in the outgone year.
Every year comes with both the good, the bad and at times, the ugly. Whereas some would say that a particular year is the best for them, others wish not to remember such a year because to them the year in question must have been the worst for them. And so it was about the year 2020 for many people.
Year of the current pandemic
In Enugu state, for instance, the year 2020 that just ended on December 31, 2020 could also be described as both good or bad to some people. The year started on a murky note with the fear of COVID-19 hanging in the air and the associated lockdown which eventually came in April. Prior to that, schools had closed down as students and pupils were forced to stay at home abruptly.
It was on this shaky leg that 2020 was ushered in and events that later defined the year began to unfold in the state.
To start with, the news about a couple who came back from overseas and tested positive in the state on March 20, 2020 sent fears down the spine of all including medical experts and this served as a prelude to the eventual declaration of a total lockdown in April.
Year of demolitions
Before the COVID-19 hammer fell on the state, residents of Enugu, the state capital, had started witnessing hardship as the state government, in a bid to restore the masterplan, had begun the demolition of supposed illegal structures in the city. Many businessmen and artisans woke in January to discover that the New Year gift from the state government was a continued demolition that had begun in October the previous year at the GRA area of the city. As a result, many lost their shops and sources of livelihood to the demolition that eventually went round to virtually all the parts of the state capital. Till date, some structures have been marked for demolition.
Palliatives and angst
Following the declaration of the lockdown as a result of the outbreak of the deadly pandemic, the government began to distribute palliatives to the citizenry to cushion the effect of the lockdown since many people stayed indoors for fear of contacting the contagious disease whose cure is still elusive till this day.
The state government, local government councils, organisations and individuals doled out food items to the masses to help cushion the biting effect of the lockdown. As good as the gesture was, the palliatives were received with joy in many quarters but the one given to journalists by the state government was rejected when the government officials that brought them to the press centre gave a caveat that it must be shared into two halves to accommodate certain ‘dissidents’ whom the government claimed were factional members of the union. As was expected, journalists turned down the palliative insisting that it should either be given to the leadership of the NUJ council led by Comrade Rex Arum or the government should take it back.
Surprisingly, the government officials who were led by the commissioner for information, Barr Chidi Aroh, rather than give in to the journalists demand, took back the palliative to the Government House. It was eventually the same government that remedied the situation by bringing back the palliative and increased the food items. It was however learnt that they went behind to plead with the supposed factional members of NUJ and gave them their own palliative at last. This heated the atmosphere in Enugu and the social media was set agog that journalists in Enugu rejected Gov Ugwuanyi’s palliative.
Reopening of Akanu Ibiam Airport
In August, amid the pandemic, good news came to Enugu that the Akanu Ibiam International Airport that was shut down to undergo repairs a year before then was to be reopened. True to the federal government’s promise, on August 30, it was reopened and eventually thrown open again for air travels and other activities at the airport. The reopening attracted a lot of who is who in the South-east and beyond because the airport known as Akanu Ibiam International Airport is for the entire South Eastern states.
Ebeano structure collapses for Ugwuanyi
The year also recorded a significant milestone because the Ebeano political structure that held sway between 1999 and 2006 under Senator Chimaroke Nnamani who was then the governor of the state, handed over the baton of leadership to Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Thus, on September 19, 2020 in the Government House during a colourful ceremony, Senator Nnamani abdicated the leadership of Ebeano, his brain child to Gov Ugwuanyi with an assurance that whatever Ugwuanyi wanted them to do, they would do and wherever he wanted them to go, they would go. In short, Nnamani said whoever is his choice of a successor would be their choice. “Wherever you want us to go, we’ll go,” he said and genuflected to show that he meant his words.
EndSARS protests
While Enugu was still relishing the handing over of Ebeano leadership to Gov Ugwuanyi, an unexpected happened to Nigeria and indeed, Enugu state. Like a bolt from the blues, the #EndSarsNow erupted and disrupted a lot of things. This is because the protest that began peacefully eventually turned wild and many businesses and edifices were destroyed by miscreants. Till today, many banks were yet to recover from the ashes as some of them are yet to resume services to customers since their halls and their ATM machines were badly vandalised during the mayhem. As a result, October 20, 2020 would not be forgotten in a hurry by many residents in Enugu metropolis following the devastation of the #EndSarNow crisis.
Enugu hosts presidential delegation
While the “EndSarNow protests and its after-tales were still raging, the federal government on November 6, 2020 sent a presidential delegation to the South-east leaders who converged at the Government House, Enugu. Igbo leaders seized the opportunity to tell the federal government to allow the South-east to produce the next president for the country in 2023. They pleaded that the region should be demilitarised by disarming the armed Fulani herdsmen that have been causing mayhem in the enclaves. Among other things, they asked that the country be restructured and social amenities be improved. The delegation which was led by the Chief of Staff to the president, Ibrahim Gambari, left for home with a basketful of requests and pleas to save Nigeria from disintegration.
Presentation of budget proposal to state assembly
Before the year rounded off, on October 9, 2020, Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi presented a 2021 budget estimate of N169, 845,758,500 to the state assembly as a working Blueprint for the 2021 fiscal year.
Also, Gov Ugwuanyi on October 6, 2020 laid the foundation stone for the commencement of the multimillion ancillary office complex that would provide better office accommodation for staff and members of the state House of Assembly.
Colourful carnival to usher in the new year
To enliven what could be described as a murky year, the state government ended the year with a carnival that saw the convergence of different talented artists that entertained the masses with their talented prowess. The carnival took place at the popular Okpara Square along Independence Layout, the seat of the government. This took place from December 21, 2020 to usher in the Yuletide and the New Year.
Closure and relocation of markets
In Enugu metropolis, there are two major markets, the Ogbete Main Market and the Garriki, Awkunanaw Market. During the lockdown, Gov Ugwuanyi removed the Akwata part of Ogbete Market where perishable goods like tomatoes, onions, carrots, garden eggs were being sold and brought it to Garriki Market. People thought that after the lockdown the market would return to Ogbete but till this day, Akwata Market is still in Garriki Market.
It was rumoured that Gov Ugwuanyi was booed when he went to tell them the market would be relocated for the place to be cleaned and redesigned, but he was booed and called names. As a punishment, the market was shifted to Garriki and might remain there forever or so long as Ugwuanyi remains as governor of the state.
